The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-20
A SON OF ANAK.
The Wonderful Size and strength OF
Gabriel SaiIca.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
Easton. Nd. Dec. BON the Talbot
county Debt Book. for Quit Claims, Mich
aelmas, 1855" made by Col. Edward Tigh-
man for Henry Hollyday, Esq. represent
ing the interests of the late lord proprie-
tor, showing what was due on quit claims
at that date, appears the following entry:
GABRIEL SALES,
Rich Range, 800 acres, 6s Cd.
DELPHI, 100 acres, 2s Cd.
These farms were in what Is now and
was probably then called oxford Neck
on the left-hand side Of the public road
from Hambleton to oxford, in a pretty
and rich agricultural section. Since
Sales day, among other owners of the
land was John Leeds Kerr, some time
United States senator.
OF course no one living ever saw Ca
brlel Sales, nor ever saw any one that
did see him. He left no descendants, and
as far as is known to the narrator or to
the people he has talked with, there Is
no one of his kindred living. But his name
Is as well known to this generation as
that of any of his contemporaries-better
known than nearly all of them. The sto-
ries told about him and the traditions at
taching to the place keep his name In re-
membrance.
He was a mighty man in tallness and
strength, measuring, we are told six feet
eight inches in hight and of splendid phys
ical and muscular development. Many
stories are told of his feats of strength,
the best one of which is this: The fame
of this powerful man had gone far abroad.
II had even reached New York city, where
exaggerated stories of his feats and Prov
ess has been told among men who consid-
- ola
selves The most notorious pugilist in
the country at that time was big and
powerful New Yorker named Garth, or
Goerth He was a man of science In the
pugilistic art, had whipped many a man,
and had never been bested himself He
heard so much about Gabriel Sales and
what he could do. he got mad and deter
mined to find him and whip him. One
hog-killing day i'm a November a stran-
ger rode up to the Sales house Are you
Mr.. Gabriel Sailes?" he demanded yes;
whatll We have?" said the Eastern shore
man to the New Yorker, and he was not
a bit startled at the latter's reply. my
names Garth; am fighting man from
New York; l have heard Of you as
fighter, and I have come all the way
down here to whip your 'All right" said
the Eastern shoreman, walt a minute
until / kill this beef" In those days, and
frequently in these. 1t was the custom TO
wind up the proceedings of hog-klling
day by slaughtering beef for Christmas
The animal this time was a big OK. He
was brought up in front of Sailes who
struck him between the eyes with his
right fist and knocked him down. After
cutting the ox's jugular, he turned about
to announce to the New Yorker that he
worthy was riding rapidly out the lane, on
his WaV back to New York.
IT is not related of him that he was par
Hcularly cruel to his slaves But he must
haze been pranky with them. 1t is told
that when they asked Mas GabrieP for
a holiday he would exclaim Holiday ye
black rascals. Yes, We shall have holi-
day and would then compel them TO
climb up On top the barn and sit straddle
of the roof-ridge all day. Twenty years
ago a gentleman, then seventy-five years
old. told the narrator that his father when
a small boy, had seen the negroes sitting
a-straddle the top of Gabriel Sales barn
like so many crows.
But the most singular freak OF this most
extraordinary man was connected with lis
death and burial He had his coffin made
while yet alive. 1t was made of two-inch
white oak stuff, cut and sawed In the
midnight hours in a grove of white oaks
on a headland called. THE Devils Keep
I 4
rected-the writing Is stilI extant-thaC "a
lug OF whisky be placed In one end Of the
coffin and a plug of tobacco in tho other.
so that if the devil comes IN at either end
ne will stop to take a chaw or a drink, and
I will get out at the other" Most fantas-
tic notion. but II Is said that il was done
for the purpose of showing what he
thought Of rum and tobacco, Of which he
used TO say. "They ore a parr of the dew
ips Diet. and not nj for white men to use"
In the early part Of this century the grave
was opened through the curiosity of some
skeptical people. who affected 90 disbe-
lieve the story The thick oak coffin was
there. both ends OF II were open, and In one
end was a jug A record OF the fact and
the findings was made at the time. Another
Of the fantastic directions was that the
crave should be dug north ana south, In
stead OF east and west, ana a holly tree
! planted al each end. This was done. The
| hollles are hying yet-big aud venerable
! troes. He died about i7G0.
whoever writes the biographical annals
| Of talbot county and leaves out mention
| Of this remarkable man leaves ms work
| incomplete. These are a few Of the stories
and anecdotes some serious, some cOmicaL
] tradition keeps alive from generation 90