Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-23
STRONGER THAN SAMSON.

A London Audience AHmaZed az al
t1UnknOwn's'' Feats of Strength.
1t ia not often an audienceis treated tc
an unrehearsed programme Sc interesting
and startling as that UNEXPECTEDLY pro
vided at the Royal Aqusrium tonight
Samson, described as the strongest man
on earth, who has for some time been
astonishing al who Witnessed his dis
plays of strength has at his various per-
formances offered to give el00 to any
one who would achieve feats accom-.
plished by his pupil Cyclops, who as.
sists him. The chief items of the per-
torrance of Cyclop, an enormously
muscular man, are the lifting of weights
and dumb-bells ranging in weight, it is
said, from so up to over 400 pounds. To.
night when introducing his pupil Samson
made the usual offer. Much to his sur
prise it was at once accepted by a man
in the audience, who, as far as physique
was concerned, was not to be compared
with the burly Cyclops.
When, however, he had taken off his
coat and waistcoat and was seen to be
attired in pink jersey which left his
neck and arms bare, it was apparent that
Cyclops had to reckon with an athlete of
immense strength, the development OF
the muscles of the arm being extraor-
binary. Samson had in the meantime
deposited bank note for e10O with Cap
tain Wordsworth, who was accepted as
referee, and the audience as jury.
Cyclops started the competition by
lifting two 5O.pound weights. This was
easily performed by the accsptor of the
challenge, as WAS the raising with one
hand OF heavy 6umb-bells weighing 300
and 400 pounds. The next feat was the
lifting with one finger of solid mass of
stone weighing 400 pounds, On which
were placed two weights of 80 pounds
each. This was also accomplished, and
it was claimed that the 9100 had been
fairly won, and so, indeed, thought many
of the audience.
Samson, however, maintained that the
money could only be secured by the &C.
complement OF all feats which Cyclops
should undertake. Amidst tremendous
excitement extending over half an hour
nothing definite could be arrived at, and
it seemed as if a general disturbance
would take place. An appeal was made
to Captain Molesworth, who held the
scales with conspicuous fairness, and he
decided that as all the usual tricks had
been duly repeated, he would allow
Samson to name two final efforts, and
that in the event of these being done he
should hand over the e100 note to the
unknown.
This ended the bother, and Cyclops
proceeded to lift above his head with his
right hand $50 pounds and gradually
lower his arm till it was held at right
angles with his body. This was dupli.
Gated, and amidst immense excitement
Cyclops took in hand dumb.
bell OF about 800 pounds weight
and holding it over his head
with his right hand stopped and
lifted fifty pound weight, raising it in
turn over his head and lowering it to
his elbow three times and nearly
fourth. The crowd was aroused
to a rare pitch Of excitement. When,
after uplifting both weights iii imita-
ton of Cyclops, his rival lowered and
raised the smaller seven times before he
put them down the enthusiasm was
something to remember. Samson &C.
knowledged that the wager had been
fairly won, and himself handed the e1OO
over to the victor. A general shout was
raised for the name of the winner, but
the audience was told that he was for
the present "The Unknown" His name
is, however, Eugene Sandow, and he has
been trained and taught by Prof. Attila.
i London Cable Dispatch.