San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-12-06
MAGIC KNIFE.

champion Butcher Makes New
Dressing Record.
Paul Tetzel still holds the cham
pion's belt, and proudly offers to meet
all corners. Paul Tetzel comes, of
course. from New York. Not only
this, but the unconquerable Paul sur
passed his own previous records and
made a new one. There may be those
who can stick a pig or decapitate a
hennery of chickens in faster time
than he. but when it comes to peel
ing and dressing HOlstein OK you
had better bank ON Paul.
1t was just a family party. The
butchers of New York and Brooklyn,
of Jersey City and beyond brought
wives and children to their annual
sx-dressing contest, 1t took place in
4 big park at RidgewOod, where there
was plenty of beer and lots of room
for dancing and love-making.
A howl of disappointment rose when
ID was announced that William Kauf-
finer, of Brooklyn, champion of that
city, had met with an accident and
could not dress his OK. His place
was taken by William Steinle, ner-
vous individual in blue jumpers and
red shirt. He carried a long steel
hanging to his belt, and in a case at
his side had various knives ground to
q razor keenness. The champion Tet-
eel, wore plain white undershirt
with short sleeves. Maurice Mintz,
Of New York, the worlds champion
helper, was announced as the man to
INN n nj
low of three hundred or so, with a
penchant for cigaretts. stepped for
ward and smilingly accepted the APP
pIause due to a skillful executioner.
Then the band played on, and the
first victim was hauled up to meet its
fate. Perhaps it is as well to go too
infinitely into particulars concerning
the butchery. Suffice 1t that Mr.. Steer
lay at length dead upon the platform,
with his head well and truly off his
shoulders and the hide started all
around by the deft hand of the help
er, who was certainly first cousin to
the lightning.
Then the Brooklyn man went at
him. Deity his sharp knife ran to
and fro under the skin. peeling it off
without a break or wound. In a
thrice the steer was hanging byv his
hind legs, the helper had emptied the
carcass and the butcher went to work
again to remove the rest of the hide.
But the spectators murmured. They
felt that justice was not being done
to the subject. And when at last the
beast had been cleft in two with a
huge Ratchet and Mr.. Steinle said
Three" and feebly touched his cap,
the applause was faint Five min
utes, twelve and half second, said
the timers.
But now there came feast indeed.
The champion was in the lists. How
proudly he swung his crescent knife.
With what a lordly air he surveyed
the swinging carcass Of the dying OK.
What mastery there was in the ges-
lures with which he ordered its be-
stowal on the stage so that he could
work to best advantage. The record
was 2:40,.
'Tll do it in two minutes and a
half" he boosted, cor never touch a
butcher knife again"
Like cat he sprang upon the car
cass. The hand that held the knife
few as fast as Paderewski's playing
a scherzo. You could scarcely follow
its movements Right and left and
at every sweep a yard of pelt stripped
from it's place upon the animals body.
And presto! In 2:26R, less than the
time he had allowed himself, the task
was done and the big park rang with
shouts of his admirers.
And then all hands adjourned and
Toasted on a barbacued OK which had
been roasting over pans or coke since
10 n. m,-New York World.
rnATs COATU