The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-17
FAST MAN WITH A RAZOR.
Eastern Barber's Record is Seventeen
 Slaves in Thirty Minutes.

Shaves in Thirty Minutes. New York Sun.
 Seventeen boards cut from the chins of as many longshoremen in Frank Baia s record in the competition for the gold medal offered by a sporting paper to the barber who should shave the most men in thirty minutes. The record was made last night in Bala's shop at 323 Furman street. Brooklyn, before a notary public an official timekeeper and threescore wit nesses.
 About seventy-five men were crowded into the shop last night when the trial began and people were standing three deep before the windows. The subjects naturally. were about the toughest, from a tonsorial standpoint, that Furman street could produce. In fact, only those whose boards rasped with a manly harshness as Bala ran his fingers over them were admitted.
 Andy Dean was the first man in the chair. He had about five days growth of beard, which shaded almost impercep tibly on each side into a short, bristly black mustache. Baia laid out six razor: that had been prepared especially fol the slaughter, tucked a few towels under his belt and picked up the loaded lathel brush.
 Are you ready?" called out Jim Lake the timekeeper.
 Yes" said Baia.
 "Go!" roared the timekeeper, and Baia made a downward jab with the brush that scattered lather from ear to the other. Two quick swipes with the brush on each cheek, a hurried chasing of fin. gers over the raspy mat and the long shoreman was ready for the razor. Two strokes finished the left side of the face two more cleaned the right side and 8 ez tzp- ..I,f or11 aAnl bare
 Andy never murmured.
 Done" cried Baia.
 "One minute and forty seconds" sang out the timekeeper, and then there was loud applause.
 John Nesping, whose beard Is red, was the next man up, and he also was turned out in one minute and forty seconds bleeding only slightly from gash on tiie chin.
 John Cowan's capillary adornment was easier and 1t went down in one minute and fifteen seconds. Joe Packard and Jim Mccarthy were finished in about the same time. A Frenchman who couldn't speak English. but who knew that he needed a shave, was the sixth man. He came out holding hIs face in his bandanna and jabbering volubly, John Keeler, Pat Herring and Tommy Williams were fin ished up in fairly quick time. Baia was warming to his work now and he trimm- ed Jimmy Hennessy's face In exactly one minute, the best time made. Jimmy had considerable blood on him at the finish. An unknown man then took the chair.
 "One minute and sixteen seconds, said the timekeeper as this one got up.
 Louis Bey. Turk. came out in quick time with part of his promising young mustache gone. The McNally brothers were finished up in less than three min utes and two other men were done in just about as good time.
 One minute and ten seconds more," the timekeeper shouted, But Baia had run out of subjects.
 Quick" he screamed. as he changed razors and the timekeeper himself was pushed into the chair. Baia took the last bunch of hair off his chin just as the gong sounded.
 He was cheered to the echo. Then. just to show that he wasn't down and out, he cut a mans hair in two minutes and fif- teen seconds and shaved Buck Busteed. the man with the iron beard, who is barred out of all Furman street barber shops. in just one minute and ffty-ffve seconds.