Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-16
GkEhA MET GREEK.
HOW THE CONTORTloNlST'S GREAT
 SCHEME CAME TO GRIEF.

It Was Money Making Game Until Hyde and Smith Laid Trap to Beat It-Once That the spaniard Didn't Untie Himself Inside of Two Minutes.
 In down town cafe, where theatrical men sometimes gather, half dozen old timers sat one afternoon last week. They had talked about everything when one of them suddenly asked:
 Say, boys, did I ever tell you about that game that Jim Hyde and Ike Smith put up on a Spanish contortionist about 10 years ago?'
 Tho others had not heard tho story, SD the speaker resumed:
 ''It WAS away back in 1884. The theat- rical season had been very dull. Many managers were on their uppers, and, as for the ticket speculators, they couldn't mako living Hyde and Smith were specula tors Both had families depending upon them for support, and for months they racked their brains for some scheme by which to mako money. They finally hit it, but they he'd to lay low for sonc time afterward, as the man they made vic- tim of threatened to shoot them on sight.
 Tn 1884 tho Arion saloon, on lower Broadway, was quito resort for sporting men. Olo nlSDI t WHY HULL walked into the saloon and got in conver- sation with couple of sporting men.
 |" Would either of you gentlemen like to make little moneyf' he asked. Both remarked that they were not at all averse to increasing their capital, and then the lit tie Spaniard unfoldcd his scheme He was a professional contcreionist, he said, and ill addition to being hblc to twist himself into all sorts of shapes, he was also ablo to wrigglc himself sout of any rope with which ho might be tied. His scheme was to have tho two men make bets on his ability 10 do it. The men fell right into the scheme.
 "Tho next night tho Spaniard went to the saloon again and announced that he would bet $25 that no 10 men in the place could tic him so securely that he could not free himself in two minutes. Jack Johnson, 0 gambler, took him up, and the two sports succeeded in placing about $500 in bets. The Spaniard let himself bc tied up with rope and was then placed in big potato bag. Tho mouth of the bag was tied securely, and with watches in hand tho crowd watched the bag. There was ono or two wriggles and then the Spaniard shouted to be let out Tho bag was opened, and out stepped the Spaniard, carrying the rope i'll his
 
 hand
 ''The scheme proved veritable mint for the two men and tho Spaniard. Ey cry night they visited a different saloon and went through the same game.
 Jim Hyde and his friend Smith heard of the Spaniard and devised little scheme to beat the man at his own game and di mnish the bank rolls of his packers. Both Hyde and Smith were broke, and as it needed money top put their scheme througa they went to an old physician who was q sporting man himself, and who was known as Dr. Stitch Hyde laid tho scheme be- fore him and finally succeeded in getting something like $1, 900 from him. Smith borrowed several hundred dollars from 6 friend, and then the two went around to the Arion and waited for the Spaniard and his friends to show up. For three nights they waited, and on the fourth night they were rewarded. The Spaniard came sauntoring in and made his usual offer. He repeated it several times beforc he got any answer, and then Hyde jumped up and said:
 Do you mean to tell me that you can unite yourself in two minutes if I tie you up?
 "'Yes replied the little fellow.
 Fletcher can't, said Hyde. 'Bctchcr wine for tho house that you can't
 m go you and $25 on the outside, returned the Spaniard.
 '' Done, said Hyde, and then the fun began. Smith began bawling out that he didn't believe it could be done and then tho Spaniard's packers offered to bet him money that it could. Hyde bet more and more, and finally Smith and Hyde had about $1 800 wagered on the result Those who had seen the Spaniard before looked In pity on the two men. The Spaniard said nothing, but sat quietly ill chair, while somebody got rope and somebody else procured a big potato bag
 "Then he stood up and Hyde and Smith began to tic him. They tied his hands tightly together behind his back and then wound tho rope securely around his body His feet were then tied and more rope wound around his legs. It looked impossible for the man to escape, I but he never once stopped smiling, and his packers looked equally confident. When the tying was through, the crowd edged up close to the bag to see the man put in. l
 ''No, you don't exclaimed Hyde. . Everybody must stand at least 10 feet back 1 don't propose to have any accom- plice get in here.'
 ''The Spaniard and his packers insisted that the crowd stand back, and when everybody was at o respectful distance Hyde and Smith picked up the Spaniard and put him into the bag It was noticed that Hyde let one hand rest over the mans face and that he kept one hand in the bag after the Spaniard was in and while Smith was fooling with the strings. It seemed as though the two men took more time than was necessary to tie the Spaniard up, but the job was finally done, and then Hydo and Smith stepped back and waited.
 "A hundred men had their watches out, and hundred pair of eyes watched the bag. Only once did the nan inside make B move, and that was when the bag was first laid down. After that there was a deadly stiffness everywhere. One minute passed and not O sign from the man in the bag. The time heightened into x min ut6s, and still no move. Every one in the room felt decidedly nervous, and it was aI great relief when the two minutes Y0 up and Hyde sto1 to t1
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