The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-31
STRONG AS SAMSON.
A CANADIAN WHO HAS PERFORMED
SOME MARVELLOUS FEATS.
4 Policeman Who Was a Match for Three
Ordinary Men-Lifting a Loaded Cart
That Weighed Over a Ton-A Contest
on Board a Ship for a Big Wager.

That Weighed Over a Ton-A Contest
on Board a Ship for a Big Wager.
Louis Cyr. who is British subject, was
born in St. Johns, Quebec, In 1853
His grandfather on the maternal side
weighed over twenty-three stone, while
his mothers weight is only tritie under
nineteen stone. She Is immensely strong,
and only few years ago was able to pick
up barrel Of -four and carry it up two
fights of steps. So far as his mothers side
goes, therefore, he comes from pretty
sturdy stock.
His fathers family were not quite 50
colossal, although fairly big men and won-
en-. His father, however, brings down she
scale at sixteen stone.
It was only natural Master Cyr when at
school was master of all the lads. At the
age of fourteen there were very few men
who could cope with him, and at that carly
age mis- muscular development was extraor
binary.
His parents were living at Montreal
when he left school, and the question was
what should they make Of this young
Herculess Well, ultimately it was decided
thst he should enter the police service.
He was about seventeen at the time, and
his strengJl had increased in a marvellous
manner. He soon showed what valuable
acquisition ne was to the force. Hewas sent
to do duty in the toughest and most dis
turbed district of Montreal He made SO
many captures and quelled such number
of disturbances that he soon received sub
stantial recognition from the authorities.
He was paid double salary and used to do
the work OF three.
Naturally he was not very popular among
the roughs. So they made up their minds
TO settle him. Accordingly six or seven
picked men waited upon him one dark
night and went for him with sticks and
belts. He was frighUfully cut and can
show you the scars of the wounds he re-
ceived about the forehead now.
1t must have been desperate fight, but
in the end his pluck and superior strength
were too much for the towards. Three out
of the six made their escape more or less
hurt. One of the others he had picked up
and dashed upon the ground, rendering
him senseless. The other two he nipped
around the waist until they screamed in
agony.
BIG POLICEMAN.
He was just making off with the two he
had captured, when he compassionately
thought of the poor injured fellow on the
ground. He, therefore, changed over his
prisoners to the left hand, and holding
them both firmly with one hand by the
collars, picked up the senseless man with
his right arm and threw him over his
shoulder.
1t must have been curious sight to see
this marvellous man with his senseless bur
den and captives going down the streets of
Montreal on that dark night, the blood
from the wounds in his forehead running
down and nigh binding him. He dropped
the wounded man in at the hospital as he
passed, and took his prisoners to the sta
ton. Cyr, however, was very much cut
and had himself to go to the hospital. This
and many other episodes during his service
with the police made him very popular, and
after the event described he was left I'm
molested.
He had been custodian of the police for
nearly two years. when an incident hap
pened which called attention to his immen-
sity of strength.
One day he was on duty IN one Of the
chief thoroughfares, when a cart laden
with bricks came to grief. The horse fell
down and the shafts were broken. They
succeeded in getting the horse free from
the harness. But what was TO be done
with the cartg There it stood right in the
line of traffic 1t WAS suggested that it
should be unlOaded.
stand on one side" said the muscular
young policeman. Divesting himself OF his
coat and handing his hat to somebody
standing by, he crouched under the cart,
pressing up with his great broad shoulders.
The bricks, cart and all were lifted foot by
foot until they were moved righ' to the
sidewalk
The applause of the crowd collected was
tremendous. Some gentlemen who had wit
messed this performance were so astonished
that they had the whole lot weig The
weight that he had lifted was for be q
little over 100 pounds.
That feat of strength determined bis ca
reer.
PLAYING WITH AN ANCHOR.
He left the police and at once entered
into the show business By steady prac-
tice with the dumbbens and proper train
ing his muscular powers gradually in
creased to the enormous dimensions OF to-
day
The toughest customer he ever had to
deal with in lifting TO the shoulder was g
Captain Burst On one occasion when ia
New Brunswick Burst offered TO bet him
5000 that he would not lift the same weight
on to his shoulder that the captain would.
Done" said Cyr. and the money was
put up.
This feat was not to take place at an ex-
hibition, but on board one OF the ships lay
ing off where they were.
Now, Burst was what you hight call a
''whopper" He stood feet inches, and,
unlike the generality of giants, he was a
broad shouldered, muscular individual.
So to the Up they repaired, with the
stakeholder. fierce and few acquaint-
ances.
Aboard the vessel was an anchor weigh
ing exactly $50 pounds. Burst picked up
this pretty little toy and placed it with APP
parentfy not much difficulty onto his
shoulder. IL remained there for about q
minute. during which time the wonder
ment and applause was great. The anchor
was then taken from his shoulder by SIX
men and replaced upon the deck.
Then came Cyr's turn. and the betting
was two to one against HIM. He had never
attempted such a feat before. Yet, moth
ing daunted. he grasped the anchor and
after desperate struggle managed to get
it onto his shoulder It was a near thing.
however, and nothing like so easily done as
By his opponent. Never mind, he got II
there.
Now" said Cyr 10 the captain, ''just
you get up and straddle across my shout
ders"
After some persuasion he was induced
to do this. and Cyr, 10 the blank aston
ishment of the crowd. especially his oppo