The Opelousas courier., 1901-05-04
GIANTS IN A CONTEST
CHICAGO SAID TO HAVE THE &c.
CEST POLICEMAN ON EARTH.

The other day a st. Louis editor dis
covered a wonderful young giantwear-
ing the blue uniform and brass but
tons of the st. Louis police force-a
stalWart son Of Anak, impressive in
his official trappings and a terror to
evildoers. With a flourish of boastful
delight he sent forth a challenge to the
students Of giant greatness in other
cities, calling on them in words that
rang a defiant note to produce the
equal OF superior Of the st. Louis Co
Hath.
The towering specimen OF gianthood
offered by st. Louis is Patrolman Muir
ray P. Davidson, Twenty-Five years
old. His height is six feet two and a
half inches, and his weight POI pounds.
The challenge in his behalf was di-
rected to the police chiefs in other big
American cities.
Have you any officer in your city
that will beat him?" said the letter.
The proud boast of st. Louis that it
had the biggest policeman on earth
was destined to early humiliation.
Chief Ripley. of Chicago, read the
challenge. Then a sardonic smile I'M
coiled itself upon his usually impertur-
bable face. He touched an electric
button and asked for Edward Mar
TIM. In response Martini was speedi-
ly ushered into the chiefs presence.
The latter proudly surveyed his sub
ordinate from the ground up, his
gaze seeming to rest on the ceiling
when it had reached the giants head.
"What are your dimensions, Mar
tini?" asked Chief Ripley.
81 am six feet three inches in
height" said the policeman. "My
weight is 317 pounds, my chest expan-
sion eight inches"
THAT will do" answered the chief,
with a lofty wave of his hand. at
beats the st. Louis giant, and we can
rest OF u laurels until we hear from
some other precinct"
He is thirty-six years old, and a Ia
tive Of Wisconsin. His record, di-
mansions and photograph were
promptly forwarded to st. Louis, to
the great chagrin Of the champion
giant Of that town.
1t was only a day or two before a
Ohio giant entered the lists. This was
officer F. X. Starrett, a member Of the
Columbus police force. But he failed
to carry off the palm. He easily beat
the st. Louis giant in every point ex-
cept height. His principal measure
ments are: Height, six feet one inch;
breadth Of shoulders, twenty-six
inches; chest and waist girth, each
ifty-fve inches; calf Of leg, twenty
inches; thigh. thirty inches. He is
thirty-nine years old and weighs 347
pounds. The Buckeye giant has thirty
pounds the better Of Chicago's biggest
policeman, but the latter is superior
and more impressive in height. Yet
be lowers the proud standard that was
raised by the champion giant Of st.
Louis.
There are doubtless many other
blue-coated giants that will be heard
from before this interesting contest
Is ended. 1t is natural that men of ex-
traordinary strength and proportions
should seek and find employment ON
the police force of large cities. A year
Or two ago, just after the reorganiza-
ton of the Broadway squad In New
York, it was said that Archibald Tag
CART and Harry Graham, at that time
roundsmen in the squad, were proba-
bly, the biggest policemen in the world.
Graham was the tallest man on the
New York police force, being six feet
six and a half inches IN height, but his
weight was only 245 pounds. He was
so tall and thin that he was called the
lightning rod cop. In every point ex-
cept that Of height he is outclassed by
the Westerners already referred to.
Taggart, in every way except in
height, was q larger man than
Graham. His measurements were:
Height, six feet five and a half inches;
chest, forty-seven inches; waist, thir-
ty-seven and a half inches. His
weight was 27S pounds.
Still. all modern Goliaths are not
found In the police ranks. When EN-
peror William made his celebrated
tour Of the Holy Land, two years or
more ago, he took with him for spec
tacular purposes the tallest man in the
German Army. This German giant
was reported to be seven feet eight
inches in height. Prince Frederick
Henry, eldest son Of the Prince Re-
gent of Brunswick, who recently at
tanned his majority, is the tallest of
the Hohenzollerns, being over six feet
three inches in height.
Oswald Ballins is now said to be one
Of the greatest giants Of the German
Army. He is q Bavarian by birth,
tw~enty-three years old, and seven feet
one inch in height and still growing.
He weighs 300 pounds and is, unlike
most extremely tall men, in perfect
health. He was recently married to
Miss Beemen, a native Of Tonquin,
| China. Her mother was a German,
and her father a Chinese. She is con-
siderably taller than most women,
being six feet six inches high, and
when last heard from was still grow
ing at the rate Of two inches a year.
Hassin Ali, who gives Cairo. Egypt,
as his home, is said to be eight feet
five inches tall. His head is thirty-one
inches long. He married a Mahom-
metan lady who was six feet high at
the age Of fourteen.
Miss Ella Ewing, the Missouri giant
ess, who is eight feet four inches in
height, recently completed a house for
herself at the town Of Gown, in that
ctn4n Hnr nnm house has doors ten