The Columbus journal., 1910-08-24
WHIPPED TAElI0N

WIFI UU Jul uOU
4 Contest Between Human and
Brute Strength.
SANDOW WAS THE VICTOR.
Stripped 10 ths Waist, The Strong Man
Wrsstlsd With the Enrassd Animal,
Who Was Alittsnsd and Muzzlsd, and
Thoroughly Subdued Him.
The story that Richard. later term
I'd Occur de Lion" derived his name
from the feat Of tearing q 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 II Rich
ard had the strength Of Sandow and
strove' with the lion under conditions
similar to those under which SandOW
wrcstled with a menagerie lion in San
Francisco some years ago there may
be basis Of fact for the legend. In
the Strand Magazine Mr.. Sandow told
Of the event:
1t was to be q 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. I must tell you, was q par
ticularly fierce animal and only q
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, am told, sent a thrill
through the cities for a hundred miles
round, and in order to be equipped for
q performance which would be found
to attract hundreds Of thousands Of
people I 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 OF the fight by
frightening him. and, realizing how
foolish should appear facing lion
that would not fight. I was DESTROYS
Of making certain that this should not
be the case.
Accordingly the lion was mittened
a 0o1 k,vpt nvn0v- nth th<, oHH 90
six strong men. and I entered the cage
unarmed and stripped to the waist.
What happened was in direct opposi-
ton, to my expectations: bagging his
paws and incasing bis head in q wire
cage only served to enrage the brute.
and no sooner had I stepped inside
than he crouched preparatory to
springing upon me.
His eyes ablaze with fury, he hurled
himself through the afr, but missed.
for had stepped aside. and before he
had time to recover I caught him with
my left arm round the throat and
round the middle with my right. and,
although his weight was $50 pounds, I
lifted him as high as my shoulder, gave
him a 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
lions weak point and my strong one.
II only he struck me once I knew It |
would be my coup de grace, and took |
particular care that he never should.
As ducked my head to avoid the |
blow succeeded in getting a good |
grip round the lions body. with my |
chest touching his and his feet over
my shoulders and Rugged him with all !
my strength. The more he scratched
and tore the harder Rugged him, and,
although his feet were protected by
his claws tore through my
lights and part of my skin. But I had
him as in q wise; his mighty efforts to
get away proved Of no avail.
Before leaving the cage, however. I
vas determined to try just one other
Ieat 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
read, then caught him firmly by the
leck and in one moment shot him
lean over my head, assisted by the
own impetus, and launched
lin before me like q sack Of sawdust,
he action causing him to turn a COM
,lete somersault.
While he lay there. dazed, the door
yas unlocked, and went out, my legs
md neck bleeding and with scratches
II over my body. But for these trifles
cared nothing. I felt that had con-
Iuered that lion and that should have
little difficulty In mastering 1t on the
ext occasion in public.
So thoroughly was he tanned, how
yer. that the great fight lasted but
wo minutes. When he would fight no
more I lifted him up and walked round
he arena with him on my shoulders,
e remaining as firm as q rock and as
Iuiet as an old sheep.
Flower Of the Air.
There Is a plant in Chile and q simi-
n one in Japan called the flower Of
he air." 1t Is so called because It ap-