The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-28
BY A SHORT HEAD.
Luca Franzia Wins tlse Firat Hair Cutting
Match In the Country.

Luca FranxlA Wins the Firat Hair Cutting
Match In the Country.
New YORK, Dec. 27.-Five hundred dapper
gentlemen, in tight trousers and cutaway
coats, gathered in the main audience cham
Der of Tammany hall last evening and
gazed earnestly at the bronze clock over
the stage. Their locks were dark and curly,
most Of them wore too'hp6ck mustaches
and diamond rings, and there was about
them that peculiar aspect. of solicitude
and affability which only q prosperous
''boss'' barber can assume. AThey were. in
truth, the flower Of the tonsorial profession
of the metropolis, and the occasion that
brought them together was hair cutting
contest. the first of its kind in this country.
They were an entire gathering of capillary
connoisseurs, and they chattered enthusi-
astically among themselves and freely
laid bets on the result. In the galleries
at either side of the hall sat their wives
and daughters, decked in a gorgeous variety
of colors.
Gin the stage were the two ''artists'' who
were to engage for the championship of the
world, 300 in cash and a gold medal
Luca Franzia, winner of the championships
of France and England and holder Of the
medal from the Prince of Wales, and Raf-
aelo Cianciulli, champion of Bombay and
of Omaha, Neb. Franzia had an olive com.
plexion, the features of an operatiC tenor.
and the manners of q Chesterfield. He
wore dress suit and diamond sleeve but
tons, and his hair was combsd in Pompa-
dour style. He was as 1.-the as cat and as
sinuous as snake. Cianciulli was fat and
GOlemn-faced, with the movements of q
German burRher. and his hair was snap
pered.
The rules. of the contest were that each
man was to cut the hair from the heads of
four persons selected by a committee Of
The first victims hair was to be mangled a
la Humbert l., the second was to be in the
German style," not too short, vet short
enough; the third was to be "German"-
quite abort all overland the fourth was to
be genuine snapper"
At the word both men dashed at their
work. Ffanzia's scissors flashed over his
subjects head like zigzag streaks, and the
blades kept up rapid click, click, click,
like the twittering of sparrows. He tiptoed
daintily around the chair, with head lower
ed and arms akimbo, and he made the hair
fiy. throwing it up In chunks with quick
Cianciulli likewise proved to be q s.hus-
tier" He did not stop to brood over his
subject, but jumped around with alacrity.
and cut down hair like ripe grain under the
mower. The first victim was dispatched by
Franz1a IN ten minutes, ClRnciulli reQuir-
ing eleven minutes. The second hair cut
was finished bv Cianciulli in eight minutes,
q half minute ahead of Franzia, and the
latter cut the hair of the third subject in
six minutes, Cianciuli finishing three
seconds later. The last round was won BY
Franzia in eight minutes and forty-five
seconds. Cianciulli being four seconds be-
hind.
After an examination of tho eight heads
and long debate behind closed doors, the
COMMITTEES awarded the money, medal, and
to Frsnzia. giving him the
last three bouts. The 500 dapper BARRIERS
made speech.