Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-05-02
WIZARD WITH SWORD,
Major Gearheart of PENNSYLVANIA
HIGHLY Skilled

rl9hly Sktlled.
Major c. I. Gearhcart of Danyille.
Pa, an otlicer In the Pennsylvania
national guards, noted as the most
expert swordsman In the pennsyl-
vania militia, during the recent In.
augural parade in Washington per
formed n number Of feats calculated
to sustain his reputation, Many OF
the Pennsylvania members OF con.
gress, including Representatives Polk,
Green, Packer and others, are familiar
with Major Gearheart's history and
his experiences as manipulation of
the sword and raper and were pre-.
pared to put his skill TO the test IN
the parade. Mcssrs. Green and Polk
invited number of friends to witness
the Iarade from their rooms ut the
Driscoll Tho company was all
primed for the occasion, and when the
twelfth Pennsylvania, with Mr. Gear
heart MS major came by, tho Major
riding a fine bay horse, tie visitors
were rea ~ to lombard him. A loud
cheer attracted his attention and he
looked up to the windows Down
came an orange flung by Representa-
tive Polk with sweep OF his sword
Major Gearhoart severed tho orange
In two parts. Another followed,
thrown by Representative Green.
Again the orange was cut In half.
His browning feat, however, was
whea Miss Groon, ono of Mr.. Green's
sisters, threw banana which re-.
yolved end over end. He caught II on
the point of his sword, aud, as the
regiment passed down the street, he
calmly peeled and ate t.
While tho friends OF Major Gear
heart were pleased with this per
formanco, they were not surprised In
tho least, MS they were familiar with
his skin with the sword, Whom quito
a small boy Mr., Gearheart became ne.
qunintcd with French mnitre
darmcs named Paul nescullins,
teacher of the sword In "A French
regiment MIR, Genrhoaw took to the
weapon and practlccd for years with
the napier and broadsword ms "A form
OF exercise and amusement. lie
mover though he would have use for
| his accomplishments, but his interest
| In the weapons led him into the
national guard of Pennsylvania, and
when the Spanish war broke out he
was commissioned captain, with Rep.
| resentatiyo Polk as frat lieutenant
| In the Twelfth Pennsylvania volunteer
| infantry, The regiment never went
| beyond the boundary of tho United
States, but the experience In camp at
| Chlckamauga was almost az much as
on battlefield.
| The members of the Twelfth Penn.
| sylvania especially Representative
| Polk, tell many stories of Major GeR.
| hearts skin with tho sword and
napier In camp, Major Gearheart
had n set Of rapicrs of the most ex.
quisItoly tempered steel One night
when the boys had been talking about
his skill with that weapon he was re-
quested to give an exhibition. He ut
first declined to do so, but when some
doubt was expressed ms to his famil'
larity with the raper he took the
button from the point of one OF tho
set He then took n dime and fasten-
ed IT against board, Standing at
guard he drove the Jagged point Of
rapicr through the dime. Again he
took coin and again he perforated IL
Mt the first stroke. This was repeated
time and time again, until all the
small coins in the pockets OF members
Of the party had been utilized On
| the sixty.seyenth coin he missed tho
stroke aud Mr. Polk says he was so
chagrined that he broke the rapier In
| pieces.
Another time according to Mr..
Green the Major was involved In
difficulty with hot.blooded south.
| crner stationed at the Chiekamauga
camp. The southerner thought of
challenging Major Gearheart and hts
| friends explained TO him the folly of
undertaking a duel with man who
could drive the point Of rapler
through silver coin. But the
/ goutherner had been educated at
military school and was proficient in
the use Of the brOadsword himself. so
| thought he would choose that weapon.
Ills friends, however" said Mr.. Green.
Concluded to show him tho folly Of
| undertaking combat with Major
Gearheart, and they arranged quietly
for the latter TO give a few samples OF
| his ability One evening a crowd as
| sembicd at hts tent to see the exhibit.
| ton. Among the spectators was the
southerncr. First Major Gearheart
| placed a piece Of pine board upright
| In the ground. Then, with his sword
as an ax, he sliced II into sections
scarcely quarter Of an inch I'm width.
lie then tossed an apple into the air
and severed II in two as IL descended.
Placing an orange on pointed stick,
with two sweeps Of his sword IL fell In.
90 three parts There are other tricks
which he performed said Mr.. Green.
but ! cannot enumerate them now.
II Is sufficient to say that we heard no
more Of the proposed duel "