The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-09-09
WITH AN IRON THROAT.
This Man Would Defy the Garroter or tho
Professional Hangman.

Professional Hangman.
One of the best-known members of
a local athletic club is known as ''the
man with the iron throat, " says the N.
Y. Herald Not that it is iron-clad,
but because no amount OF pressure
that has yet been applied to that por-
ton of his anatomy has been sufficient
to strangle him or stop his breathing.
There was jolly party of gentle
men in an uptown cafe the other night.
and they were drinking wine. Dur
ing lull in the conversation the IRON
throated man made this remark:
Il notice that you are all pretty
good wine-drinkers, but you don't
know how to drink. This is the way
to do it."
And the next moment he had drained
his glass, having literally poured 1t
down"
'In that way, gentlemen" he added.
''you lose no time and can tuck away
a great deal more fluid than If you sat
here slipping by the hour"
Nobody, however, agreed with him,
and one or two persons intimated thai
he could not repeat the performance.
''I'll agree to drink two quart bot
ties of the stuff" he retorted. '1f l
fail will pay for them; if succeed
you must do so."
The challenge was accepted, the
wine produced and the drinker began
work in his favorite style.
Within twenty minutes nothing but
empty bottles and glasses were before
him. He had won the wager and his
spectators were aghast. Every drop
of the champagne had been poured
down his throat as before.
Acting apparently under the infu-
ence of the wine he had disposed Of
the hero of the occasion made another
proposition.
sively, ''that have the most remarka-
BILE thSoat in the world. / have given
you one illustration of it and am now
ready to exhibit another. Iwould like
to have some gentleman with strong
grip-the stronger the better-try to
choke me in some manner that I will
be unable to talk or breath. If you
succeed j will forfeit $10."
Instantly the offer was accepted by
man who had once held the amateur
heavy weight wrestling championship.
He stepped forward and the IRON
throated man stood up.
Don't be afraid of hurting me-" he
said, land be sure to squeeze as hard
as you know how"
Then he drew himself up to his full
height and the athlete clutched him
tightly around the throat with both
hands. More and more he pressed,
but without producing any visible
effect. Perspiration started upon the
athletes brow as he further contracted
his fingers, but the subject only smiled
and then whistled strain from a
popular air.
But still the athlete struggled to
make an impression upon the SEEM
ingly impregnable throat. It was, how
ever. in vain.
why don't you press harder, my
boy?" inquired the wonder. .'You
are not exerting yourself at all, are
youpn and then the victim gave up in
despair.
Well" remarked the the athlete as
he relaxed his hold, you are the most
remarkable man / ever saw, for a
fact. Why, my fingers are stiff and
cramped. but you seem to be all right.
What is the secret?n
But the wonder only smiled and re-
fused to make any revelations.
/, however, succeeded in extracting
the story from him, and give it in his
own words:
In the first place. you must have
confidence. That is absolutely essen
tial. If you wish to pour down a
glass of wine all you have to do is to
hold the muscles of your throat rigid,
open your mouth and let the wine
| flow down. Don't try to swallow it.
for if you do you are very liable to
come near strangling to death"
''Well, how about the other trick?'
I asked.
You are right" he responded, sit
is to some extent trick, but is very
easy to perform. 1t is explained in a
few words. First draw your head
backward and downward and again
make the muscles rigid. Keep them
so and your friend may squeeze until
he is tired without doing you any harm.
The reason" he adued, for draw
ing your head down is that your jaw.
bone more or less comes in contact
with your friends fingers and to a
great extent precludes the possibility
of COMPRISING the larynx. Oh, yes,
it is necessary to have well developed
muscles, but they can be acquired il
you don't happen to have 'em. As
for myself he said in conclusion, Il
have not been strangled yet and I am
still in the field"