St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-24
CAPT. VETRIO Is NOT AFFECTED
by THE DEADLIEsT OF
.... DRUGS.
DEvoURs WITH AvlDITY
ORDINARILY FATAL DOSES AND.
SUFFERS NO INCONvE-
NIENCE.
CAN DINE ON PoRoELAIN,
Though 1t Is Not az Beefsteak TO
Masticate-A Human Pin-
cushion.
New York Journal.

New York Journal.
That queer physical specimen
known to the medical fraternity of
Europe as Capt. Vetrio astounded
a jury composed of several of the
most eminent physicians of New York
last Tuesday afternoon. He defied
all the laws Of nature by swallowing
sufficient poison, eating enough glass
and common paving stone to destroy
twenty families. and was as easy
after it all as if he had just con-
sumed a soft-boiled egg.
The private inspection was ar
ranged by the Journal. and in order
to make the test thorough and be-
yond dispute several of the more
prominent medical men were invited
to test the poisons and observe care
fully the taking of the drugs and the
after-effects. The meeting took place
at the Madison Avenue hotel, on
Madison avenue and Fifty-eighth
street. Previous to the gathering all
the drugs that the human marvel
agreed to consume were purchased
by a Journal representative in open
market. The following articles were
selected:
From Chemist Wichelns, 1872 reen-
wich street: Rough on Rats (arse-
nic), indigo, copper vitriol, iron
vitriol, chrome kali. From Elmer &
Amend. Eighteenth street and Third
avenue: Phosphorus, verdigris.
To this death dealing mass was
added several punches of common
sulphur matches and a section of
paving stone picked up in the street.
several heavy porcelain plates, two
ordinary drinking glasses, a lot of
coal and coke and a box of printers
ink, possibly the most nauseous COM
pound ever placed upon the market.
CHALLENGE TO DEATH.
At o'clock the physicians present
seated themselves in a semi-circcle
about the awful feast in such way
that every movement of the poison
eater could be observed. Vetrio stood
in a cleared space away from the table,
under a strong electric light and not
lOuI leSl llOiI lIe lleiICdl JURY.
Gentlemen" he remarked finally,
ION what shall 1 begin? L have no
choice or any order of consumption.
You name the article and I will begin"
The physicians heads went together
for a moment and then DR.. Goelet said:
"1'ry that glass" He pointed to the
drinking glasses, just such as a gentle
man has thrust at him when he remarks
''The same" The glasses had been
broken into several pieces. Without a
moments hesitat ton Capt. Vetrio pick
ed up the plate Of glass. DR.. Walker.
of Georgia, selected a piece, Ind the
strange meal was begun. The human
ostrich bit off a piece about an inch and
a half square, held it for a moment be-
tween his lips. and then crunched it
into a mass. The teeth crunching the
brittle stuff made a nerve-trying sound
that could be heard out in the hallway.
Capt. Netrio shot out his tongue. 1t
was covered with a WhitiSh, glittering
substance. the glass crushed into
thousand tiny bits. Then he gulped,
and when his tongue and mouth were
again inspected all was gone. Another,
a third, and then a fourth piece of
glass went the same way. To prove
conclusively that nothing was left in
his mouth Vetrio drank water sufficient
to satisfy the jury. When the water
was taken from his lips it was Grim
son. The glass had cut his mouth
slightly.
~That's very unusual he remarked.
"Tve been eating glass for seven
years and have cut myself only few
times"
HAS it had no effect? Have you
never suffered from internal hemor-
rhage?"
Never" answered Vetrio.
"What is the largest quantity o .-r~
you have indulged in at one time :"
"a half of quart champagne bot
tle.'