The morning call., 1890-07-19
A FRENCH FASTING MAN.
SuccPs Financial Returns Encourage Hin
to Attempt the Task.

SucePs Financial Returns Encourage Him
to Attempt the Task.
Succi, the italian, has no sooner recov-
cred from his forty days fast at the Royal
Aquarium in London, with a profit, it Is
rumored, of over eSOOO. than Alexandra
Jacques, the Frenchman. according to the
Galignani Messenger, "steps forward to oc-
cupy his chair and to present himself to the
British public as his rival Jacques intends
to go two days longer Tor forty-two days.
before he takes his next meal. and on Sat
urday he dined with Captain Wordsworth
and large party Of guests at o'clock be-
fore he presented himself in the audience
chamber at 4. There, before even the ex-
animation of his person was completed,
visitors, on payment presented themselves,
including several ladies'.
Probably, therefore, although Succi had
no promise of pecuniary remuneration dur
ing his first three weeks, Jacques may have
profitable engagement from the outset
One of the regrets of those who only saw
Succi after thirty days abstinence was that
they had not seen him at the outset, in his
ordinary condition, before the visible effects
of starvation had impressed themselves
upon his frame and features. Many others,
too, who only visited Succi in the latter part
OF his feat, although only led by curiosity,
would have liked to have looked on the two
pictures-Succi in health and Succi almost
starved to death. The medical journals
now admit what we said at the time of the
experiment-that Succps fast was an
honest one. For If the records Of the sur
ge0n in attendance we're true-and the data
for them were taken in the presence Of the
press and medical committees-then no
food could have been taken without mani
festation on the record.
Alexandra jacques is q different kind
of man from Succi. He is less muscular
and more feshy. In height he is about .
feet inches, carrying himself with a slight
stOOp. lie is Al years OF age, or about four
years older than Succi, has dark hair, but
is very bald over the crown of the head.
His hands are large. In disposition he APP
pears to be amlable, and from his long resi-
dence in England speaks our language
fuently, and is cOnyersatiOnally inclined
The statement of his history is that as a
soldier he fought in the war Of 1901, and
that during that campaign he endured the
whole siege of Belfort, which citadel, under
Colonel Denfert, resisted all the efforts Of
the Germans to capture it.
" Here he proved the value of his secret
power by sustaining himself and eight men
on very small quantity of food for many
days. lie had no association with the Com
mune, but, coming to England after the war,
has since resided at Crawford, in Kent
The present fast is, We believe, his third in
public, his last previous one having been
thirty days at Edinburgh in October and
November. 1888. The record taken of him
on Saturday at p. NJ. wa: Pulse, 90; res
pirati0n, 26; temperature. SO. 50 Fahrenheit;
weight, 13S pound ounces. A certificate
of good health was given by Dr. Robins,
who will attend to him as he did Succi, and
take daily record at noon. A press COM
mittee of watchers was also formed, con-
sisting of the same gentlemen who acted in
the case OF Succl, namely. Messrs. O'Dowd,
Fuller and George. NJ. Jacques is lodged
in the same apartment as his predecessor,
and will carry out his fast under like condi-
tons, except as to that of the season of
the ynarO