Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-08-25
whipped THE LION
"A Contest Between Human and
Brute Strength.
SAMDow WAS THE VICTOR.

Stripped to the Waist, the Strong Man
Wrested With the Enraged Animal
Who Was Mittened and Muzzled, and
Thoroughly Subdued Him.
The story that Richard. later term
I'd Occur de Lion" derived his name
from the feat of tearing live lions
heart out of its body is usually re-
garded today as apochryphal. At this
distance of time 1t is impossible to
tell what was the truth. But if Rich
ard had the strength of Sandow and
strove with the lion under conditions
similar to those under which Sandow
wrestled with a menagerie lion in San
francisco some years ago there may
be a basis of fact for the legend. In
the Strand Magazine Mr.. Sandow told
of the event:
1t was to be a struggle between
brute strength and human strength.
Merely in order to prevent the lion
from tearing me to pieces with his
claws. mittens were to be placed on
his feet and a muZzle over his head.
This lion, | must tell you, was par
ticularly fierce animal and only
week before had enjoyed a dish that
was not on the menu-his keeper.
Well. the engagement was accord
ingly made and "A Lion Fight with
Sandow'' widely advertised, The an
nouncement, l am told, sent a thrill
through the cities for a hundred miles
round. and in order to be equipped for
a performance which would be found
to attract hundreds of thousands of
people / decided to rehearse my fight
with the lion beforehand.
/ had it in my mind that the effect
of mittening and muzzling the beast
might be to put him off the fight by
frightening him. and realizing how
foolish | should appear facing a lion
that would not fight, l was desirous
of making certain that this should not
he the case.
Accordingly the lion was mittened
and muzzled. but only with the aid of
six strong men. aud l entered the cage
unarmed and stripped to the waist
; What happened was in direct opposi-
tion to my expectations; bagging his
paws and incasing his head in a wire
cage only served to enrage the brute.
and no sooner had stepped inside
than he crouched preparatory to
springing upon me.
His eyes ablaZe with fury, he hurled
himself through the air, but missed,
for l had stepped aside. and before he
had time to recover caught him with
my left arm round the throat and
round the middle with my right, and,
although his weight was $50 pounds,
lifted him as high as my shoulder, gave
him huge hug TO instill into his mind
that he must respect me and tossed
him to the floor.
Roaring with rage, the beast rushed
fiercely toward me and raised his huge
paw to strike a heavy blow at my
head. AS his paw cut through space
felt the air fairly whistle and realized
not only my lucky escape, but the
lion's weak point and my strong one.
If only he struck me once knew it
would be my coup de grace, and took
particular care that he never should.
AS l ducked my head to avoid the
blow l succeeded in getting a good
grip round the lions body, with my
chest touching his and his feet over
my shoulders and hugged him with all
my strength. The more he scratched
~ ko ho hsr1 TN Nd
although his feet were protected by
mittens, his claws tore through my
tights and part Of my skin. But had
him as In a wise; his mighty efforts to
get away proved Of no, avail,
Before leaving the cage, however,
was determined to try just one other
feat Moving away from the lion,
stood with my back toward him, thus
openly inviting him to jump on me.
At once he sprang right on my back.
Throwing up my arms, gripped his
head, then caught him firmly by the
neck and in one moment shot him
clean over my head, assisted by the
animals own impetus. and launched
him before me like a sack of sawdust.
the action causing him to turn a com
plete somersault.
While be lay there. dazed, the door
was unlocked, and / went out. my legs
and neck bleeding and with scratches
all over my body. But for these trifes
I cared nothing. felt that l had con-
quered that lion and that l should have
little difficulty in mastering it on the
next occasion in public
SO thoroughly was he tanned, how
ever, that the great fight lasted but |
two minutes. When he would fight no
more lifted him up and walked round /
the arena with him on my shoulders, |
he remaining as firm as a rock and as
quiet as an old sheep.
Different Style.