Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-19
FarsweII eMt.
RARQFIEE..D
Elmer 5itsood, Claiming to be tha Strongest Man in the World, Does Stunts to Prove Ills Claim.

A dance was held in Ridings' hall Wednesday evening. Music was fur nished by St. Paups orchestra.
 An article on Eliner Bitgood, claim ant of the title Of strongest man on earth, appeared in the Providence Journal recently. It was written bv a Journal reporter who visited MT. Bit- goods place in Voluntown, and de- scribed the feats accomplished by .tIlis strong man.
 Bitgood's home and asked the direc- ton to certain house. Elmer. who was ploughing in the fields, near his home without the aid of any horse. is said to have picked up the blow and pointed out the direction with it as though it was a small stick.
 Another story widely circulated here IS that three of the Bitgood brothers rode to Norwich and obtained a s,,D- ply Of provisions. They bought a bar- rel or crackers and on the way home they dug into them until the crackers nad all disappeared before reaching
 Any of the Bitgood brothers is cer- tainiy large enough to eat a good sized meal.
 At present Elmer Bitgood is living on the Jewett City-Plainfield road.
 MT Bitgood performed most of his marvellous feats of strength on his little farm in Voluntown, near Beach Pond. At this place Elmer has erect ed platform composed of planlxing set upon four fence posts He has covered this platform, with common held stones weighing a ton and plae- Ing a small stool under the platform he is able with the greatest ease to raise the platform clear of the posts He has often placed more stones up- on the form lifting 1t from the posts
 About six years ago MT. Bitgood said that he loaded the platform with stone swefghing 4200 pounds and lift ed 1t clear of the posts
 He has many other strength tests to his credit besides back lifting. Or one occasion he loaded stone drag with II2O pounds Of field stones and drag ged it twenty-five yards. Chain l breaking is 8 common sight for any, 1 one to see accomplished at a circus but the way and the ease with which I Elmer Bitgood does. the trick is moi seen very often at a circus. He can pick up 250 pounds with the I little finger of either. hand. He car muscle out S6 pounds in one hand and fifty in both hands: s05 pound: l is his present record for lifting 2 l dumbbell over his head with bott hands and 152 pounds with one hand. He has pushed a dumbben of 2O( l ROuHdS III WeISnL rom his shoulder straight over his head ten times 1T twenty seconds.
 | MT. Bitgood says: There may be some people who are stronger thar what I am, but as yet I have failed 1 to meet one. I have a perfect righi to claim the title until someone car prove that am not worthy of it.'' This champion is. only about s1 years of age and stands five feet eigh, l inches in height. He weighs about l 225 pounds and his biceps measure 2( 1 inches in circumference.
 MT. Bitgood is very willing to gc through his performance for mos anyone and he Is real modest ir speaking of his achievements. Local Notes.
 A man claiming his name as Will. Hams and hailing from Rhode Isliand was held up by Officer Allen Thurs, day. He was later let go as he wa. not the man the officer was lookins for.
 Robert Fletcher has purchased s new motorcycle
 Devotions were held at St. John: church last evening.
 William Burleigh of Providence, R l.. was business caller here Thurs. day.