The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-13
TRICKS OF THE STRONG NAN
4 Good Deal of Humbug About Them
Says a Circus Man.
TRICs OF THE STRONG MAN.

TRIC OF THE MAN
There are tricks in all trades" said
the Did circus strong man, but the
trade of the circus Hercules is mostly
all tricks. Anybody with ordinary
strength can do the feats that seem SO
wonderful when done by these tan bark
Samsons. In fact. few of them require
any particular muscular exertion. but
are accomplished simply by trickery.
THE dumb bells used by the perform
ers are always hollow, and weigh much
less than the figures marked upon them
would indicate. When you see a man
pretending to put above his mead a bell
marked 400 or 500 pounds you may safe
ly conclude that he is trying to fool
you. The very greatest weight ever lift
ed in this way was 245 pounds. Cy-
clops' accomplishing the feat in Cleve-
land in 1892. Genuine dumb bells, close
ly resembling the hollow ones. are
thrown out into the audience for in
spection, but these are never the ones
used by the strong man or woman.
Another common 1eat that arouses
wonder is the breaking Of stones with
the first. Spectators think that a man
who can bring his clenChed hand down
upon a rock and flake a piece off with
one blow must AVE tremendous mus
cles, but IN ordinary man a do this
If he knows how. while, on the other
hand, old Samson himself couldn't have
done it unless he had been put on tn
the trick. II
You will notice that the strong man
always provides a solid piece Of iron or
stone upon which to crack his rocks.
Now, if he held the stone to be smash
ed firmly against this support he might
pound away at it Until doomsday with
out hurting anything but his fist. But
notice closely and you will see that he
holds the small stone a sixteenth of an
inch above the upport and when he
hits it it's the conclusion that breaks
it. Any one can do it neatly after a
little practice.
"a little more real strength is needed
in the feat of lifting a barrel Of water
n two men with the teeth, but no
much. A man of ordinary strength can
accomplish it. To begin with, the water
barrel. which, if genuine, would weigh
with it's contents. about 900 pounds. has
a false top and bottom, and holds o.
enough water so that a little can be let
out of the bung hole to deceive the on
lockers. Fastened to the barrel and to
the waist of the performer, and con-
cealed by a sash which he wears, is a
rope. This is deftly hltched TO the bar
rel when it is lifted UP for him to take
the mouthpiece in his teeth.
1.-The mouthpiece exactly hts his
mouth so that whatever weight comes
here is usually sustained by the jaw.
Here comes the thrilling moment! TWO
men lift themselves upon the barrel
and, with two other sturdy fellows to
support his back and keep his balance.
the strong man slowly lifts the barrel.
Bending back he supports the weight at
an angle Of about forty-fve degrees, APP
parently with his teeth, but ACTUALLY
upon his chest. It's a sensational act
but, as a matter of fact. more strength
is required in the men who support him
than in the star performer himself. Not
more than 200 pounds was ever actualiy
supported by n athlete in this fash
ion.
THE m~outhpiece used in this trick is
employed in all acts where the perform
ers appear to hang by their teeth. 1t is
so constructed that when one gets 1t in
his mouth he cannot let go OF 1T until
the weight is taken of. So circus folks
do not really support their weight or
the weight of any other object by their
teeth. Tt is actually on the neck that
most of the strain comes and the per-
former doing this stunt, very much gets
an abnormal neck development. Nova
days my neck measures sixteen inches,
but When I was in the business it was
nineteen inches around.