River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-01-22
A MAN OF MUSCLE.
How an italian Samson Disposed of Three
Rnh

How an italian samson Disposed OF Three
Robbers.
The following curious anecdote of a
man of muscle is told by Salvini, him
self a man of great strength: "A man
named Luchini died few years ago in
Venice at an advanced age, but up to
the last preserved much of his eXtraor-
binary strength. He was by trade ma
son, and in comfortable circumstances.
His strength was allied to wonderful
presence of I.4nd and GOODNESS. Once he
was carrying out to a villa he was build
ing, some miles from Venice, large
sum of money with which to pay off his
workInen. He carried the money,
which was in silver coin, in a bag over
his shoulder, though it would have
taken two ordinary men even to lift it.
At night he found himself some dis
lance from his destination, and so was
obliged to put up at a small inn. He
went to bed early, placing the bag of
silver in the bottom drawer of small
chest of drawers in the bedroom.
''At midnight he was awakened by a
rough shake of the shoulder, and. open
ing his eyes, saw by the light of small
of whom had in his hand stiletto, the
uncomfortably sharp points of which
were pressed against either side of his
throat Luchini grasped the situation
instantly, and saw that he was in po-
sition where his enormous strength
availed him but little, so he coolly said:
What do you want? The money was
the answer; where is it?' Take it.
said Luchini 1T is in that drawer and
he pointed to the chest of drawers. One
of the ruflians remained to guard the re-
cumbent Luchini, while the other went
to the drawer indicated and tried to
open it. 1t would not bulge Give me
the key he growled. 1T is not locked,
announced Luchini. Open it, then,
said the robber, and still with the sti-
letto at his throat Luchini rose. and
with one hand pulled open the drawer
the other could not bulge with all his
strength. At the mems bidding he then
pulled out the bag of money and threw
it on the floor.
Zone of the thieves began to fill his
pockets with loose coin, so as to tighten
somewhat the weight of the bag. At
the sight of the glittering coin the
others avarice outstripped his prudence.
Withdrawing his poniard from Luchini's
throat, he bent down and burrowed his
hands in the pile of money and began
to follow his comrades example. The
loolSed-for opportunity had come for
Luchini. He calmly stopped forward,
grasped one of the robbers by the hair
in either hand, and then, spreading out
his arms and bringing them together
again with incredible force, he crushed
in the two mems skulls as if they had
been egg-shells. They were dead with
out a groan. Hearing a noise at the
window, Luchini then looked out and
saw that third scoundrel was keeping
watch outside. Taking up one of the
dead men in one hand, he opened the
easement, and calling out. There's
something for your he pitched the dead
robber at the living>pne with such force
that the man below was not only scared
almost to death, but was seriously hurt,
and limped off as fast as fractured leg
would allow him. Luchini went back
to bed, and calmly slept till morning"
n. Y. Star.