The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-03-14
Audersa4 gattlligettttr.
Devoid OF Feeling.

young man yesterday entered the
Times Democrat Office in company with
Captain Stephen Nicoletti, and after
introducing himself as Winfred K.
Leotardi said that he wanted to show
the people in the Office something that
they had never before seem a man
who could not be made to bleed.
Hastily removing his coat, vest and
shirt, he stood bare above the waist,
except for q scanty jacket of Turkish
pattern, which merely covered his
shoulders and the upper portion Of his
back. Then opening valise and TAX
ing from it huge clasp pin, about
four inches long, with pin very nearly
an eighth of an inch in diameter, he
seized the flesh Of his neck and forced
the pin through it at the base Of the
throat. The yielding flesh shrunk
from the pin point as it pierced the
skin, and when three inches Of the
steel had disappeared from sight
bulged from it as the penetrating point
sought exit on the other side Of the
neck. Finally the point emerged from
the flesh, and coolly clasping the pin
and letting it remain like a ring in a
bulls nose, Leotardo> said:
"I'm not posing, gentlemen, as q
man who can stand pain, for l never
felt it in my life. I have no sense of
pain ard cannot bleed.
'sNow~this pin" said he taking hold
Of it and giving ita decided tug, which
drew the flesh far out from its natural
position in front Of and below the
"Adam's apple, ''-''has penetrated lit
tie but surface flesh. Here's wo-
mans hat pin, which I will shove
through my biceps," and suiting his
actions to his words, Leotardo took up
a long steel pin with round black
head and forced it slowly steadily
through the splendidly developed
biceps Of his left arm. The muscles
were tough and resisted, but the pin
was forced through and allowed to re-
main, the long point protruding two
inches more from the outside Of the
arm. With it thus Leotardo moved
his arm freely and quickly. He stood
and talked few minutes with the two
pins in his throat and arm and no
blood came. Some Of the bystanders
had by this time seen all they desired,
and more, and hastily left the room as
the bloodless man rolled up the leg Of
his trousers and barred his muscular
calf. Picking upanother long hat pin,
he said calmly: sSThere's nothing
tender here,'.. and forced the pin
through the leg directly in front OF
the tenderest part of the shin bone.
Having done so he bent and straight
ened his knee, and smiling at his
speechless audience quietly threaded
large needle and calmly began, as it
we're, to sew up a wound in the abdo-
men, tugging at the thread after each
stitch. By way Of variety he pushed
a small pin into the feshy part Of the
abdomen, and then calmly took up a
third large pin, and without a word
forced it into the center of his chest
and out Of the left breast after it had
passed through some four inches of
flesh.
By this time Leotardo had created
enough of an excitement and sufficient
wonder had been expressed to satisfy
him, and he sat down in chair, care
lessly playing with the several pins
and tugging at the thread that hung
from his stomach as if they had been
ear rings, watch, chains and lockets.
And while the artist made sketch OF
him he spoke Of his life.
''It is great mistake" he said,
''for people to imagine that have no
blood. It is simply that I do not
bleed. You can stab me or cut me,
and I do not bleed. Further, I feel
nothing. I have blood in my veins,
the.physicians tell me, but it is very
thick and sluggish, and, has never
come to the surface. AS quickly as a
knife of any kind passes through my
flesh it heals like some Of the patent,
pneumatic tires that the cyclists use.
A cut or puncture merely leaves
slight temporary discoloration Of the
tissues, the blood coagulating: and
healing any wound instantly. I do
not, Of course, understand it, nor does
anyone else that I know Of, but you
see for yourself that it is true"
Chow did you come to discover this
peculiar condition p asked one of the
The question led to a mar
rative Of the mans life, which is as
interesting as it is ODD.
''I was born, said he, Etwcnty-four
years ago in Porte Spain, Isle Of Trim
idad. My father is Spaniard and my
mother English. As d baby I never
had collie nor cried for any reason but
anger when I was not pleased, and as
q child never had any aches or pains.
It impressed everybody as being
but no one knew my peculiar
condition until | was 9 years
old, when I discovered it by accident.