The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-07-30
Mack,s wonderfnl Phy-ical pow.r

When Newton ~languiely gazed at the
falling apples. ~curiously wondering
what unseen force put them in motion.
he evolved the princir1. OF gravitatson
which the world has accepted in its
computations through all the years that
have interviewed since that time. No
ene has dared to deny the theory that
he advanced. no one has produced 1
better one.
II the day OF miracles has passed.
there has been a young man in this city
during the past week who laughs at
the rule OF gravity and sets at variance
scientific theories Y. Il. Mack is a
physical phenomenon. He has travel
ed in every CLINE. exhibited in every
large city Of the old or the new world
challenging any man TO lift him from
his feet. He has met all of the strong
men Of the world, Sandow, Cry, Ken
nedy. Sharkey, Jeffries, Fitzsimons.
and others, but none OF these giants Of
strength nave been able TO lift his little
12O pounds from the floor. He has been
examined by such famous scientists as
Virchow in Berlin and Chacot in Paris
and baffied them with his strange pow
er. Virchow calls ability to withstand
strength in the manner that he does
the force OF nerve resistance" Pro-
lessor Sargent. OF Harvard, would ad-
Vance no theory beyond a sort Of per-
sonal magnetism. He cannot explain
Mack's peculiar gift, nor does he know
o he acquired il. When Mack was S
years old. then living in Brooklyn, he
returned from school one day without
the usual merit card which was given
for proficiency in studies. His father
reproached him for his lack of study.
Young Mack i~nVoluntarily threw up
his hands to protect himself and touch
ed his fathers flesh; the father could
not lift him to his parental lap to in
fict the usual punishment, and, struck
with surprise and awe, let the lad go.
From that time on young Mack was
considered as a sort of S~piritualiStic
marvel n raveled oun as such
with a local medium. After he was
IA he began for himself and travelled
all over the world. He once exhibited
before Ii Hung Chang, and the veneer
able statesman remarked that he ought
to be rich seeing that he had such a
grip on the earth.
In giving his exhibitions he does not
seem to exert any force whatever be-
yond a sort of mental action which is
invisible to the observer. He states
that he feels a sort of mental weak
ness after each exhibition which soon
passes away. Mack is a slight young
fellow without the slightest appearance
of strength. and really has but little
aside from his almost supernatural
power. He weighs slightly less than
120 pounds, but giants in comparison
cannot bulge him. He will smilingly
look at the modern SamSons, n with
out e%videncing any fatigne will be the
strongest of them in their efforts to lift
him. He has no reason whatever to
give for his peculiar power; in fact, he
has never stopped to consider what it
is.
Besides the power he has himself, he
can impart his power or whatever it is.
and compel them to resist the strength
of strong men. By placing his hands
on a dog he can prevent him from 60
ing to his master when called. He
formerly could stop a horse from NOV
ing by simply laying on his hands, but
as his power is decreasing with years
he canno always do this now.
Mat Hinkel and several local athletes
have tested the strange strength of the
young man, but could not lift him.
Mack gave an exhibition before a rep
~resentative of the press in a local gal
lery in this city. When a person Of
nearly twice his weight attempted to
lift him he did it easily, but when ask
ed to do so again he could not do IT,
strain as he might. Mack, when he
wishes to resist one, places one finger
| on the neck and one on the wrist of the
other person. The mysterious force
moves quickly, and whether it is mag
netism or what not, the litter is foiled.
1t seems the easiest thing in the world
to one of ordinary strength to lift this
frail boy, but he is not to be moved.
1t is not to be understood that he can
not be pushed or showed, all he claims
is a straight lift, catching him around
the waist and lifting straight up.
During the exhibition Mack placed
his hands on a little street urchin,
| probably weighing seventy-fve pounds,
but the litter could not bulge him. He
next permitted two men to make an eff
fort to lift him, but they too failed.
During this he preserved a calmness
and nonchalance that vas marvellous
considering the resistance that ne had
to overcome-Cleveland Plaindealer.