The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-08
MAGIC KNIFE,
champion Butcher Makes a New
Beef-Dressing Record.

New York World.
Paul Tetzel still holds the champions belt.
ana proudly offers to meet all corners. Paul
aetzei comes, OF course, from New York. Not
only this, but the unconQuerable Paul sur
passed MS own previous records and made
d new one. There may be those who can
SUCK a pig or decapitate a hennery Of chick
ems IN faster time than he, but when 1t comes
10 peeling and dressing a Holstein OK Won
had better bank on Paul.
1t was just like a family party. The butch
erS OF New York and Brooklyn, Of JERSEY
City and beyond, brought wives and children
TO their annual oX-dressing contest. It took
place In a big park at Ridgewood. where
mere me were plenty of beer and lots Of room
Tor dancing and love-making.
A howl of disappointment rose when IL was
announced that William Kauf1nger, of Brook
Iyn' champion of that city, had met with
an accident. and could not dress his OK. His
place was taken by William Steinle, q nery-
Gus 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 a razor keenness. The champion,
Ietzel, wore a plain white. undershirt with
snort sleeves. Maurice Mintz, of New York,
Ine worlds champion helper, was announced
as the man to fill this important position. A
big fellow Of three hundred or so. with q
penchant for cigarettes, stepped forward and
smiiingly accepted the applause due to a
Then the band played on, and the first
victim was hauled up to meet its fate. Per-
maps 1t Is as well not to go too infinitely
-SO R&A eAC0Ao1S OuCC uiuk II -DuLCQeTV.
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 heller,
who was certainly first cousin to the light
ming.
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 trice the steer was hanging by
his hind legs. the helper had emptied the car
cass 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 sub
ject. 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 minutes
twelve and a half seconds, said the timers.
But now there came a 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 gestures with which he ordered it's be-
stowal on the stage so that he could, work to
best advantage. The record was 2:40.
III do it in two minutes and a half" he
boosted, "or never touch a butcher knife
again."
Like a cat he sprang upon the carcass. The
hand that held the knife flew as fast as
Paderewskis 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
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 barbecued OK which had been roasting
over pans of coke since 10 a. m.