The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-12-12
A GERMAN HERCULES.
An Unequa1ed Feat Performed bv aTc
tonic Man of Mlef1r

AN unequaled Feat Performed by n Ten
tonic Man of Might.
The first theatcr manager OF Berlin
Johann Karl von Eckenberg, was the
so-called man OF strength who
showed himself nearly 200 wears ago.
| nrst as Juggler, then as athlete Ol
ms NE little is known except as in
MS career as theatre manager as he
was the founder of the first Berlin thea
ter. He was extensively written of
and an article under the title of .sAn
Athlete of the Eighteenth Century .
published some years ago and recently
unearthed, gives an interesting account
OF MS prowess, as follows:
by an athlete of the eighteenth CEN
tnry we do not mean the Prince Fred
efick August of Saxony, King of Po-
land, commonly called August the
strong, who could knock off the head
OF an OK with one stroke Of his sword
and besides distinguished himself In ali
kinds Of respectable performances Of
strength, but another Hercules who
would have wrapped the strong An
gust around his little finger If such a
thing could have been permitted. This
man was the athlete. Johann Karl von
Rosenberg, who in the twenties and
thirties OF the last century showed his
productions OF strength in public. He
was the most stately of gyninasts. and
was born in the town of Harzgenrode
and. out OF respect TO his native town.
he called himself for a time on his
OIL posters Samson Hercules Harz-
mann.
II borders on the fabulous what his
contemporaries related of his remark
able exhibitions OF strength. He broke
an anchor rope as If it were ordinary
Unread; iron nails and bolts he turned
Piayiuily between his fingers in screws:
cannon pipe he carried around as If IL
were baby. His teeth was as STRONG
as iron. He bit into a piece of oaI
woek; then strong cart horse was
harnessed to il. In spite of the horse
being urged on. ii was unable tn mil
the stick out of the juggIer's mouth or
TO pull the athlete from the nlace
where he stood. A bench made az
wood. sixteen feet long, he grasped
with his teeth by one end and carried
II around. while trumpeter blowing
ms instrument sat on the other end.
his arm was more powerful than his
teeth. lie spread out his hands. on
each one was placed bottle of wine.
tuen rope was attached to each wrist.
ahd TO each rope there were three men
from the audience who pulled with all
tnelr might. so as to make it inpossi-
pie Tor the Hercules to convey the wine
10 bis mouth. All their zeal was with
out avail. as the arms of the gymnast
bent themselves irresistible. and
Drought the jug to his mouth without
spilling drop OF wine
de generally saved his graudest per-
formance of strength until the close of |
the exhibition. He ascended ascaffoId |
OF beams, under which was a platform
OF thick planks fastened on strong |
chains A trumpeter mounted on =
horse, clad as herald, rode upon the |
platform and played his tune. The
Hercules then took place on the point
of the scaffolding held glass of wine
IN one hand and with the other. bv L
means OF the chains. lifted the heavy
platform, the horse and the trumpeter
high up from the floor, and for a little /
Whiie held the whole weight. the truIn-
peter shrlliy blowing 4 tune, while the
athiete drank the glass of wine, at the
same time giving toast to the Magis-
rate and the citizens of the city in
which he happened 20 be staying.
When Herr von Eckenbersr became
:, N-S RohCA ShduualiY lett him. |
therefore he gave up the hercuIean |
business and became chief thesfer
manager of Berlin where he for some
line possessed two show booths. which
lowever. did not bring him as large an
income as his exhibition of stre5otb
5ut when he had the large income he
lid not know how to save it. He had
! competitor. Peter Hilferlinr. who
lad a show booth with privileges. and
It the same time was n practical Joker
nd clown under the name of Pantalon
e Biso5nosi. Provoking quarrels with
his mau embittered the life of the
man of strength so that he took to
rInking. which was his ruin at last.
us numerous creditors seized both his {
ooths, with all belongings. complete i
lmpoyerishing the celebrated Her I
ules. who died in the year I754.