Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-28
A GREAT FI5H-EATER.
Ate 100 and Won 1.o0o-He Then Took
the Place OF . .Brekea-Down OK.

Ate 100 and Won 1.o0o-He Then Took
the Place OF . Brokea-Down OK.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dtepstch.l
ComoRS. Va. May T.-A venerable citi-
| zen, whose prominence in public lite has
made his name household word in the
Northern Neck OF Virginia, has put him;
| self on record "a q champion fish eater. Ana
| the very act which thus immortaliZed ms
| familiar name procured his fsmily-suppiy
| Of behring's without an outlay of "hithy
| lucre." Ii is q common custom for folhs
| in medium circumstances along the 70
tomac and Rappahannock to economize
| during the winter months, and save mp a
sufficient purse to purchase years supply
of behring's IN the spring time-about 1.O90
| behring's being the number necessary 10
run" the average family until fishing
season comes again. Instead OF laying by
q few dollars and cents to invest in the
toothsome herring the popular old gentle
man in question visited the hshlng-snore
and made known his fondness and capacl-
| ty for eating fresh behring's, whereupon
| the proprietor proposed to reward him ~
| the liberal rate of ten behring's for every
| one he could eat at one time, provided ne
would eat as many as dozen before
leaving the table.
cApACroUs STOMACH.
The proposition was accepted. and after
( debating the mode of cooking the her,
rings the old veteran fixed himself at tine
| table and enthusiastically set 10 work 10
| reap n weil-deserved reward. One dozen,
| two dozen, three dozen, four dozen. ana
vet not enough Dozen after dozen the
| fine fat fish passed on to the stomach
which. in point of capacity. ~ with,
| ont parallel in these rugged rural
regions. The proprietor paced impa-
| tiently up and down the shanty
dining-room, regretting his PROPOSE,
| ton; the cook sweated and sweltered
over the stove and skillet. while the as
| tonished spectators stood aroand without
q word. simply with eyes fastened on tbe
eater. whose characteristic calmness and
earnestness precuded oil suspicion Of " IN
| tent to suicide" Finally the appetite was
| satisfied.
1000 HERRISGs.
The old gentleman arose from the table
| and the "talley" was counted. Exactly
| 100 behring's had been eaten by a single IN;
dlvidual at one time, and the grained
citizen started home with 1000 behring's,
| which he had won by the sumptuous din
ner. But an obstacle interposed. In con-
veying the precious cargo homeward Ole
| of the oxen gave out. and this brought
| 10 mind that delay was dangerous. for
warm sunshine would spoil the behring's
unless the trip be made In hurry. Inc
| hearty, wholesome meal had prepared the
champion eater even for this emergency
and he invoked the exhausted OK. placed
| that end OF the YOKE against his own
! brawny breast, and by the side OF the
faithful OK he rugged away at the arduons
| undertaking and finally. reached nome
| more than ever impressed with the doc.
trine: ITO the victor belongs the spoils."
TRUTH vOUCHED FOR.
When first made known. the story OF the
old man eating 100 fresh behring's at one
time was regarded as an ingenious Joke
and playful falsehood, but the truth OF
il is vouched for by highly-respectabie
and prominent citizens, among whom Is q
minister of the Gospel in good stand
ing. and the possibility of such feat Is
explained by the peculiar manner III
| winch the behring's were cooked and treat
ed in order 70 reduce them TO bulk COM
paratively small. The widespread con,
ment excited by this incident has revived
the story of a bet won 10y huckster OF
this county several years 9gO, when
crowd gathered at q steamboat landing on
the Potomac TO witness the eating OF
eighteen dozen boiled hen-eggs by TIC
egg-dealeT at one time.
THE RECORD BROKEN.
The wharf-agent was selected and au-
thor1Zed to carefully examine each egg
separately before they were cooked, to
guard them while they were being cooked.
and TO see to 1t that no foul play should ne
practiced, the egg eater being allowed no
jurisdiction in the transaction other th9n
tho privilege OF cooking the eggs in any
way he chose. 80 the transaction WAS en-
tirely devoid of trickery or unfair methods
Of every kind whatever. AT 10 O'Clock
A. III. sharp the lean and lank cham
pion considerably over SIX .eet IN height,
began the work oil devOuring the hen
fruit" and at 1O:45 he arose from the table
and claimed the wager, having eaten 2l6
eighteen DOZEN full-size hen-eggs III
forty-ive minutes and IN the presence OF q
multitude of scrutiniZIng eyes. The buck
ster thus won and kept the championship
as an eater until tho fsh-eater lately ap-
peared on the scene and smashed the re-
cord into " flinders"