The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-15

An Unequaied Feat Performed by Teu-
tonic Man OF Might.

The first thcater manager OF Berlin.
Johann Karl Won Eckenberg. was the
so-ealled ''man of strength" who
showed himself nearly 200 years ago.
first as juggler. then as athlete. OF
his life little Is known except a In
his career as theatre manager. as he
was the founder of the first Berlin thea
ter. He was extensively written of
and m article under the title Of IAN
Athlete of the Eighteenth Century"
published some years ago and recently
unearthcd, gives an interesting account
OF his prowess. as follows:
By an athlete Of the eighteenth cen
tury We do not mean the Prince Fred
crick August of Saxony. King OF To-
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 all
kinds OF respectable performances of
strength. but another Hercules. who
would have wrapped the strong Au-
gust around his little finger If such u
thing could have been permitted. This
man was the athlete. Johann Karl yon
Eckenbcrg. who in the twcnties anil
thirties of the last century showed III,
productions of strength in public. He
was the most stately of gynrnastS. and
was born in the town OF lIarzgenrodc.
aud. ont of respect TO his native town.
Lee called himself for time on his
bill posters samson Hercules liarz-
mann.
Ii borders on the fabulous what his
contemporaries related of his remark
DIE exhibitions of strength. He broke
an anchor rope ms ii ii were ordinary
hread; iron nails and bolts hc turned
lawfully between his fingers i'm screws;
cannon pipe he carried around rs II il
,erc a baby. His teeth Was rs strong
A. iron. He bit into a piece of oak
Aook; then a strong cart horse was
.iarneSsed 10 II. In spite Of the horse
being urged on. il was unable 10 pull
tnc stick out of the jugglcr's mouth on
to pull the athlete from the place
where he stood. A bench made Of
wood. sixteen feet long. he grasped
with his teeth by one end and carried
IL around. while a trumpeter blowing
his instrument sat ON the other end.
His arm was more powerful than his
teeth. He spread out his hands. on
each one was placed a bottle of wine,
then IA rope Was attached to each wrist,
and to each rope there were three men
from the audience who pulled with all
their might, So as To make il impossi-
bic for the Hercules To convey the wine
to his mouth. All their zeal was with
out avail. as the arms of the gymnast
bent themselves irrcsStibly. and
brought the jug 10 his mouth without
splitting a drop of wine.
He generally saved his grandest per-
fOrmance of strength until the close of
the exhibition. lie assembled a scaliold
of beams, under which was a platform
OF thick planks fastened on strong
chains. A trunpeter mounted on "A
horse. clad as herald, rode upon the
platform and played his tune. The
Hercules then took place on the point
of the seailolding, held a glass of wine
IN one hand aud with the other. by
means of the chains, lifted the heavy
platform. the horse and the trumpcter
high up from the floor, and for little
while held the whole weight. the trmn-
peter shriIly blowing tune, while the
athlete drank the glass of wine, AT the
same time giving toast TO the Magis-
trate and the citizens of the city i'm
which he happened 10 be staying.
When Herr Won Eckenberg became
older his power gradually left him;
therefore he gave up the herculcan
business and became chief theater
manager OF Berlin, where he for some
time possessed two show booths. which.
however. did not bring him rs large an
income rs his exhibition OF strength
But when he had the large income he
did not know how to save il. He had
a competitor. Peter llilferding. who
had show booth with privileges. and
AL the same time was "A practical joker
and clown under the name of Plantation
de Bisognosi. Provoking quarrels with
this man embittered the life of the
man Of strength 80 that he took TO
drinking. which was his ruin Mt last.
His numerous creditors seized both his
booths. with all belongings. complete
q impovcrishing the celebrated Her
cules. who died in the year l75i.
n -.