T? 20 THE PTTTHBURG DISPATOHj SUNDX"' OCTOBER- . 1892. TC? ipsj&t&f'' SULLIVAMALL RIGHT- Expert Gricr Says the Great Pugilist Can Be Made ' as Good as Ever. 'BECKED BY TK1INING. He Jfcd Been Starved and Exhausted Before He Met Corbett ENOUGH TO EDIK A- HERCULES. -.The BluTT 5hat Made the Ix-Champion's I ip I bed Saved His Ufe. A WAKXI.VG FOE AMATEUR ATHLETES tWTITTTV FOR THE ntSeA.TPtt.1 There is a lesson in the downfall of John I. Sullivau at New Orleans important to every admirer of the perfect physical man. That he as poisoned is nonsense. He was starved and overworked by his trainers. A magnificent human engine was male almost powerless bv ignorance of its supply of fuel and the requirements of its working parts. "When I was called in to see the prize fighter alter his s-oat and terrible ordeal. I was imnu'd'ate'.v, in enteritis; the sick man's room, struck In- the stertorous char acter of his breathing and the congested turgid and eprcMonles aspect of his face. I regarded this state of afUirs with appre hension; it suggestel to my mind the very serious condition of eirculatio 1 associated with a stroke of apoplexy. It was this con dition mat led to the belief union; his friend that the iallen gladiator had beea poisoned. Cut I found no trace of poioa: besides, it would have required a Venetian poisoner, pro foundly skillful in his art, to have admin istered such a dm;. It would have beea necessary to give itfin nicely graded, exact 'lantities to produce the effect simply of 'do; that sense of weight in the arms, oss at the old accustomed strength and chiefs ot blow, and to produce in the aqpnd round, betore Jorhett couia nave done anv damaie. that quivering of the thigh muscle, described to mc privately by an intelligent patient of mine from Provi dence, It L (This phenomeuon of tremor was observed by many others, though not recorded in the papers.) Made Jliin Perpire Too SIuclu These ideas ran in my mind, even before putting my hands upon the patient. After subjecting him to an exhaustive examina tion, and during the skillful manipulations of the mabsur par excellence ofXevr York, whom I had engaged for the case, I found a physical condition which gave me aa ample solution of the manifestations displayed in the ring when the all conquering pugilist of 12 rears was vaiuly attempting to excr rise ins old-time strokes on the agile, ath letic, radiant young glaliator whose mus des and form were au idetl picture of per fection. I s:iv I lound aa ample solution without report to any theory of foul play, Fi.rther ot poison or otherwise. I found his ssin somewhat dry and harsh, ind in a toneless, inelastic condition, with andcrlying layers of fat, probably au inch Jiick, oier the abdominal walls and back. If the pores or perspiratory tubes of John L Sullivan's body were placei end to end ,hev would aiHiuat to over 2000.000 inches. ir about 33 miles in length, and" e'xeessivo lte of these tubes is as pernicious as de icient action, and it will be seen by what olUws that the reduction in weight which he trainers aimed at was accomplished by nelting, or, more properly, speaking, ixidizinz the fjt of his body, tficreby throw ng excessive woik upia tne lunctions of hese pores in the abundant perspiration vhich lolloned Here may be mentioned the imprudence if the trainer, in allowing Sullivan to bathe tally in the New Orleans City water. A riend of mine, once resident in India, could lot make out how he was perpetually roubled with ague, while other British esidents around him were fiesfrom it, until n older resident chanced to find him bath n; in a pool near his bungalow. "How ong have you carried out this practice?" jsked he. "Every morning sitiee I hkve ecu here," was the answer. "You're an ss," was his complimentary rejoinder; "no tonder you have the ague, the water you jive been daily bathing in is full of jalaria." He discontinued the practice ud was ever after free Irnm ague, though e lived in that same spot lor years. There "Wat. Nerroas Exhaustion, Too. Sullivan's whole muscular system was in relaxed rendition and did not react to timuli, as vigoro is iii'icjl.ir fibir alwavs ees. Murcie has inherently a property iiieh is called us irntabilitv, in virtue of 'hich i: is canable of rc;.o'iding to stimuli, liif rcfu'alto respond to stimulus indicated ervous exhaustion as well as muscular itigHe. Healthr nutrition depends upon the roper nutrition of cells. Can the cells of ulhvau's body have received proper nutri ioii dunng Ins six or eight weeks ot vio :nt, unreasonable training, while his hodv eight was being rejuccd from 246 to 212 ounds? Wnat does healthy nutrition require? A roper supply oi food as to aualitv and uautity, sufficient to build up and repair le constant waste which is going on in the vmg bodv. Could a bdy undergoing finch rapid aste inib.be sufficient 1oi4 to repair said aste and el bs m a condition to undergo le extraordinary and peculiarlv exhaust lg cxercis lor srch a heavv built man? Tiif commonest intelligcace will answer, 'o, for it is ewneut he could not be fit for ich exertion with the lull stomach of ilids and liquids which the cells in Ms ody would be craving for. Supposing ifficient iood were given him, the quantity ould be prodigious, and he would be, to se 1'roC Huxley's word, "in the condition ' the merchant ho las nbuii'Iant assets it cannot get in his debts in time to meet is creditors." MiMH.ui'hTrcmendons I.uug Power. Food is necessary because it is the fuel hich the lamp of life requires in itsburn ig. Just as the wick is consumed, and the in tne combustion oi.both, so tbe name animal life combusts or burns the vere ble and animal substances taken into the oruach. The air we breathe into our lungs intaius oxygen. This oxygen combines tti or burns the muscles or other tissues the body. This oxygen ii taken up by ic blood circulating in the lungs, anil icreafter carried in its circulation to the irious tissues. The lnng breathing ca tcity of John L. Sullivan is particularlr .tensive, therefore the amount of oxygen isorbed in deep breathing would be great, eater than ordinary. The heat produced the combustion of fat and other tissues anld be correspondingly great, heuce the cessive perspiration. Oxygen, then, having been taken in cessive quantities into the tissues, the ocess of combustion of the carbonaceous el supplied them by the food will go ori ire or less quiekly, according to (he iture of the bodily exertion. Let me. ustratc this. Assuming that air inmired a person in a lying position is represent- I ed bv the integer 1, the learned Dr. Ed ward Smith finds the air inspired in a sit ting position aa 1.18; standing, 1.33; walk ing one mile per hour, 1.9; walking three miles per hour, 3.22; walking six miles per hour, 7; riding, 4.5; swimming, 4.33. In other words there is nearly twice as much air taken into the lungs bv a man while toddling one mile per hour as when lying in his bed, while it he exert himself to the extent of a brisk walk if six miles per honr he takes in seven times as much air as when lying on his csuch. Laterally Starved Day by Day. The various mcvements brought into play in the living body .during athletic exer cises, expend energy or force, the steam, so to speak, of the human locomotive. The locomotive requires renewal of fuel as the steam becomes exhausted, it can therefore be easilv understood that without adequate fuel the'engine would gradually reduce the pace until at last it stopped. It has been seen in the description of John I Sullivan's exercises, that the weight of body, which in the thousand daily skippings of the rope, be had "to lilt, involved an ex penditure of energr and force requiring an amount of food to be stored away lar greater than could be utilized in the time by tne animal economy without clogging its func tions. Had such an amount of food been consumed it could not fail to produce dys pepsia, languor and the thousand ills result lag therelrom, and a man in such a condi tion would not be fit for the excessive exer cise he was dailv called upon to perform. Hence it is absolutely proven to my mind that John L. Sullivan was, day by day, starved, owing to the great amount of exer cise demanded and the relatively tniall amount of food wbicJi he could consume. Formation of blood demands proper xnd adequate supply of lood. The muscles, like other tissues, are nourished by that wonder ful and complex fluid which Holy Writ says is "ihe hie. The illustrious John Hunter demonstrated that .it is blood which nourishes tissues by grafting the spur of a cock into the comb. Sullivan's Muscles Lacked Tone. Muscle must have, a sufficient supply of nervous influence. There are cells in the muscles having nerve filaments finer than anv silken thread, and tnese find their way, wonderful though it seems, through the spinal cord direct to the brain. You will to strike, say a ball, with your rignt hand; tne determination is formed in the brain; an electric discharge is emitted; thence it flashes along these nerve threads of spider-web fineness, to the muscles; ther contract and the ball is struck. But if the nervous or electrie discharge is im paired or interrupted, the muscle is unable to respond, however Strang the will to strike may be. Now, there is always a continuous, though gentle description of electric or nervous discharge passing into the individual muscles, in virtue of which they are kept in a condition of tonus or tone. It is this tone or tonicity which keeps the muscle in a ready condition for instant action. Want of tone is popularly expressed by the term flabby, I think. Having led up to the subject in this way, it will now be understood what is meant when I say that Sullivan's muscles lacked tone. The experiments of a host of physiologists have proved that if muscles are stimulated to a point short ot'exhaustion, that is, if the work they are called on to perlorm is ceased before fatigue ensues, the con tractility and healtbv vigor of muscle is en hanced if a sufficiently long period of rest intervenes belore work is resumed. On the contrary, if this stimulation or work is car ried beyond or even to the point of exhaus tion, progressive deterioration of the muscle contractihtv ensues. It is this contractility which yields the force and impetus to the muscle ot action. Ilcrcules Could Not Have Stood It. The muscles ot Hercules himself, suppos ing they had been subjected to such strain as Sullivan's without sufficient rest and nourishment, would have become non-eflec-tive. Look at the blacksmith's bare arm at work in the smithy; see how the muscles stand out like cords, or, as Longfellow says, "firm as iron bands." Hoir came they so? By iteady exercise, proper nourishment aud adequate rest. The necessity for proper rest cannot be urged too much. I have the pleasure ot reckoning among my intimate friends a distinguished surgeon who once mrs a blacksmith, and who lost the power of his arm by overwork. His massive right arm lost its power to lift the heavy hammer. Why? Because, the firm which employed himhaving received a large colonial order for plows, subject to their being shipped bv a certain time all hands had to work day and night lor a week; and when my friend felt his arm getting weaUer, hia pride and determination would not allow him to yield; besides, the extra pay was a great' tempta tion to hold on. The order was completed, but rest was then of no avail that arm could never more strike the heavy blows the manufact urer of hand-wrought plows required. Did the trainers oi Sullivau ever pause to consider that they were dealing with a hu man being subject to the ordinary laws of nutrition and repair of waste? In the first place it is clear that they did not understand the evil effects on the hu man constitution of alcohol, which, oer 2,0'JO cars ago, was kuownJto the barbarous Kelvetii, for Caisar wote of them: "Wine they do not permit to be brought among them, because they are coninced that by thet article, men are enfeebled for enduring fatigue. " The Trainers' Notion About Fat. Thev did find, however, that the then champion of the world, in their estimation, was too obese for fighting. Did they ever consult any ot the many excellent experts as to how this surplus fat was to be reduced, with the least expenditure of lorce, with out deteriorating the general health, and wrhout producing exhaustion? I cannot suppose that this was done. X have no per sonal quarrel with those gentlemen, whom I Lave never seen. I hear them praised on all hands, and 1 am sorry I have to give ut terance to views that must be unpleasant to ttiem. But I must say that the condition in which I found the ex-champion was such that he could not have been in a fit condition when l'e entered the contest. In this I am borne out by Mr. McKeon, the masseur, whose practical knowledge has been gained by handling scientifically from boyhood up to the present involving the experience of nearly a quarter of a century tne muscles of pugilists; athletes and ordinary men, iD oimucas ouu u MCdlLU.. Finding, therefore, that the ex-champion was too heavy for the fight with Corbett, it appears to me that the trainers object was to remove the obesity, thinking tliere was nothing in the shape ot exercise too difficult lor the champion ot a hundred fights. In lact, they thought his colossal frame was maae oi auamaut. as anything more un reasonable than the thousand daily skip pings of the rope which was imposed upon the willing but daily tortured and exhausted frame, until it found voice in such terms as "it is jrorse than penal servitude." The large quantity of carbonic acid gas and other waste products given off could not be thrown out or excreted by the skin they were taken up by the veins and carried into the circulation this gave extra work for the lungs, embarrassed his breathing, and helped at the last to bring about con gestion. It will be remembered that I -alluded to the difficulty the ex-champion experienced! in opening his mouth and protruding his tongue My opinion strongly is, that had his limbs received similar blows to thSse in flicted on his lace and neck, the ex-champion would have been as nnable to move them as his faws. For a comparatively slight injury in their exhausted condition would cause a kind of paralysis with rigidity. The Case or Private Iarns. The immense power of resistance which muscles in full tonicity possess may be fitly illustrated by the recent punishment of Corporal lams at Homestead, when every. muicie oi nis oody was thrown Into con traction, yet none gave' way. Though a still more striking illustration is recorded by Peicy, in his Journal Gaurale dt Mediein, where a person with wry neck was sus pended by the head with'a"vlew of patting the muscle pu the streteh, the rpsult being the separation of the muscle from its inser tion, but no laceration of its fibers. T.h.e SW&smpion's principal sonrce of pain arose from the mnieles of hit legs;' there were no bruises or contusions to ac connt for this, and the only explanation possible is that his efforts at self-defense threw these muscles into the most powerful state of contractility capable in his ex hausted condition. The quivering or tremor of his muscles and his tottering gait cany to a physician's mind, accustomed to the phenomena of exhausted muscle, the most absolute conviction that before a blow was struck the man was unstable, because ex hausted. Again, overwork reduces" the nervous Eower and thereby strikes at the root of ealthy activity, which was in this cue ac centuated'by previous luxury and indul gence, which are no less pernicious in'their power of weakening the sources of energy. It has been shown above that excessive body heat was generated in the 'training of Sullivan, and it is a well-known physio logical law that " long continued heat, whether internal or external, lowers the energies. So it can be appreciated that the locale of the fight, the previous indulgence, and the severe training, all combined to make this moaern Samson as helpless as an infant, the Delilah in this ease being his own par ticular friends. -He thus unconsciously verified the adage, "Heaven defend me from my friends." One Blow Saved Sullivan's litre. The only bruise on his face was a purple discoloration over the righl upper eyelid. There was a slight abrasion of the mucous membrane .ot the upper lip on the right side, internally, and a deeper one on the mucous membrane of the lower lip" on the left side. There were no teeth smashed. A smart knuckle blow, probably directed acglewise. on the right nasal bone near its articulation to the frontal bone, caused an irregular, sinuous, lacerated wound of about one and one-half inches in length, the edges of which had been neatly brought together by the Coroner and City Physician ot Xew Orleans. There was no fracture oi the bone nor dislocation from its fellow of the other side. Putting all the symptoms together which Sullivan exhibited, it is my opinion he was ou the verge of cerebral hemorrhage in the rintr. When I saw him his circulation indicated congestion of the brain. Probably the blow of Corbett on his nose, cutting through the facial vein, saved his lite by relieving that congested condition. It may be aked by physicians how I account for such a danger, assuming my diagnosis of the blood condition of the pugilist to be that of temporary passive congestion. My answer is that Sullivan, in virtue of his strong will, would cause ex cessive nervous discharges to be evolved from the greatnerve centres. These failing to produce correspondingly forceful contrac tion of the muscles would cause excessive determination of blood to the brain, in creasing the blood pressure .and tension in the cerebral circulation, so that if there were a weak spot rupture would surely ensue. Is it not probable that such a weak spot exists, since Sullivan, in his reference to what he designates "a dreadful illness," confesses to having had some form of paralysis before his fight with Kilrain, which compelled him during six weeks to use crutches? Massage to Get Sid of Fat, Can better means be adopted whereby a heavy man may not be called. upon to skip a rope a thousand times daily? Yes. Sci entific massage could have been employed for that purpose, and such a method would have removed all his snrplns adipose tissue, aud at the same time have consolidated the underlying counective tissues, Brought about a beaitby tone of contractility in the intimate structures of his muscles, and at the same time refreshed instead of exhaust ing him. For promoting a healthy condi tion of the skin and rendering the tissues firm, without tanning them, in my opinion, there is nothing like a solution of gla cialine. This should be rubbed iu by the masseur, adding, when necessary, varying quantities ol arnica or witch hazel, and at other times combining the glaeialine with a hvdrocarbonsuch as vaseline or.preferably, albjline. Sullivan, if he had devoutly obeyed the laws of nature in the matter of "living sob erly and righteously, to the glory ot God," would be in his prime next year. HUli to soar and deep to dire Is given to man at ttnrty-flve. " Has be impaired his energies by the life lie has led? I can state that I have tound no organic disease so far as my examina tions have extended. What arc his chances if he re-enter the ring? I am not an advo cate of pugilism, but I must state this: If Sullivan will totally abstain from all intox icants, and live wisely, I believe that his loriner muscular power will return; but as to whether he could conquer Corbett I have no opinion to offer. Hon ever, I have no hesitation in saying that the task the train ers undertook should have been spread over as many months as they took weeks. Sullivan Not a Used-TJp Main. Further, I believe that, the previous training notwithstanding, if Sullivan had rested tor a fortnight betore the fight, even without massaging, his muscular system would have regained much of its lormer power of forceiul contractility; lor the re cuperative power of his system is wonder ful, as was evidenced under my very eyes. I can state that whatever may have been his debauches and orgies, his great vital capacities have enabled him to throw off their effects, to such an extent that there are no appreciable changes in his arterial system. .An aphorism in medicine states "a man is no older than his arteries." My view is that Sullivan is not a used-up man. Too great emphasis cannot be made on the statement of the necessity tor conserving and developing the latent energy resident in the muscles. Muscular effort must never be prolonged to the extent ot great fatigue, unless a. corresponding amount of prolonged ab-olute rest is given immediately after, since it Ifas been unquestionably proved that overwork reduces the nervous power aud thereby enfeebles the organs so called into play. A simple illustration of this may be seen in the writers' cramp So the blows Inflicted on the enfeebled muscles of Sullivan's neck and jaw by Cor bett produced a similar stiffness by reflex action of the muscles, which was only re moved by the massage applied. Healthy athletic exercises involves periods of great tension or contraction of muscles alternated by periods of relaxa tion. Nature herself has given the cue as to the relation which should subsist between activity and rest. Should Rest a Third or the Tims. Prof. Gairduer, of Glasgow University, was the first clear exponent of the cycle performed by the heart during each beat; he devised a clock, now universally used, whose face indicates that about one-third of the cycle in health is devoted to absolute rest Let there be, therefore, an imitation of nature's methods and divide labor, re freshment and rest so that one-third of each day is devoted to absolute rest The Duke of Wellington defines the hours of rest as "six for a man, seven lor a woman and eight for a fool." But I would rather be a fool in the imitation of nature, than follow theDuke of Wellington's idea of manly wisdom. Tbewdrkofan athlete should embrace such exercises as call into play all the mus cles of the body, and as there is no single exercise which accomplishes this, and as variety is always charming, let him h-ing the changes in the gymnasium on the dumb belts, horizontal bars, trapeze, the leaping pole, the vaulting horse, the elastic ladder, climbing the rope, the rawing ma chine, and varying these exercises now and then with fencing and boxing. All the ap parati for such exercises may be found in any of the modern gymnasiums. Advice for thoToung Athlete. Before commencing such a course of breathing the muscles, so to speak, the young, athlete should consult the director or teacher of the institntion as to the defic iences'in his muscular development; and having ascertained hit weak points, let him concentrate his efforts toward remedying his short comings, but to extend his exer cises gradually, always remembering the possibility of defeating Ms own ends by over exertion. Supposing our athlete Intends to compete in some trial of strength, skill or speed. It is obvious that he must place himself un der special training of the muscles topit called Into, requisition in the contest, but let him bewnreagainst such excessive use of hia muscles as to produce ".that.tired feeling" which Sullivau expressed and looked and should there be quivering or trembling in his muscular frame let him be warned thereby against entering into the eoutest, for, as an able authority has said: "ZSrectness, firmness, good balance of body and mind testify to a. man, as, to a race horse or game cock." X Outside the gymnasium there is no human exercise tq cheap and eo salutary as walk ing. The work-can be still more,varled by running, riding and swimming, and, under proper advice, climbing steep ascents. As suming that tbe'athlete is in tho hands of an experienced master of a gymnasium it is unnecessary to emphasize the greater value of light weights in dumbbells, Indian clubs, eta, over tne heavy weights which the in experienced think necessary. Conclude ex ercise with sponging or bathiqg, followed by a rundown. N Becreatlon, Food and Sleep. ' -Labor being over the period of refresh ment arrives. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." The beneficial effect of innocent fun and thepleasant inter course of man with man ts abundantly proved in every one s experience. Relax the mind therefore before refreshing the body with food. Befreshment should be partaken in pleasant company, if possible, but if perchanoe the athlete is solitary, a good book will help digestion, and prevent the hurry of mastication. Let him remem ber that he has or should have 32 'teeth, and that Sir Andrew Clark's advice to Mr. Gladstone was, that every morsel should have the impression of each tooth. As to the character and quantity of food, this will depend upon the tendency of the athlete to leanness or obesity. Every one knows that "tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," is more effective when wooed a few hours before midnight Nothing more pro motes color and freshness than being up with the lark in the morning and seeking for the ambrosia distilled from leaves and flowers ere yet the sun has evaporated their glistening dew drons. W. F. Grier, M. P. Master in Surgery (Glasgow Univ.), Author of ''The Germ Theory'' etc. PATCHING TJP A LION. The Figure Which Stood for Centuries In Venice Made Good as New. One of vthe most wonderful pieces of mechanical work ever undertaken by human, hands has. just been completed abroad. The celebrated landmark of Venice, the Lion of San Marco, has during tbe past mouths', been greatly missed from the top of the mighty column of the Marcus Place by strangers visiting the city of lagoons. Last year when an examination of it was made, it was found that the statue ' had fallen into more than SO pieces, which, were liable to come down at any moment This discovery gave rise 'to a desire on the part of some ot the city lathers to transfer the original lion to the Civil Museum, and to make for the Marcus column an exact copy of the historical monument But tbe Vene tians were strongly opposed to this, and '&fz- urged that the original lion should remain in its place. Thereupon SIg. Luigi Vendrnsco devised a plan toyepair the damaged mon ster. With infinite labor and care the de cayed atatue was lowered, to the ground and its fragments carried totthe arsenal. The experiment' by which it was thought the loose pieces could be reunited by a smelting process proved a failure. Giovanni Bontempi, one of the finest mechanics ot Venice, was called in, and resolved to repair the fallen hero by welding the pieces to gether in the presence of several of the mu nicipal officers. More than 350 screws were used to reunite the separated pieces of metal, and the crack and interstices were filled out with an inside lining of bronze. This difficult piece of work was brought to a happy close with marvelous skill. Noth ing cin be seen of the repairi externally, and as of old the Lion of San Marco bids the stranger welcome as he enters the beautiful j city of the Doges. DECLINE 07 THE NEGE0 BONO. Owing to Growing Education the Young People Neglect the Slinstreh Boston Ir.inscrlpt. J The vounger negroes, born in freedom, have a loathing for everything that pertains to slavery. They regard the old slaves with contempt, and because the youpger ones can read and write, they set the older ones down as being too ignorant to be considered, fogetting that they were once efficient' workers, and averaged superior in murals and manners to their descendants. One of the results of this is, tbe dying out of tbe rich, -melodious negro songs not the songs of the "negro minstrel" type, which were totally unlike the real article. This is a very great pity, ns these songs were wild aud charming beyond comparison. In slavcryHimes the negroes were encour aged to sing. The wheat was reaped to the singing of the reapers, and the best singer generallv headed the row. The ones who could pick the banjo or scrape tbe fiddle were peculiarly privileged. Here is a. strange piece ot folk-lore: For many years even long before the war, the fiddle-playing and banjo-playing had been dying out among the negroes, owing to a superstition that "de devil is a fiddler!" The very old people have noticed this. The master of the mansion cays: "In my father's time, and when I was a boy, tliere "were very few reg ular musicians, and at parties, unless it was a graud affair, a lady played the piano, ac companied by a gentleman on the violin, and monstrous jigs and reels they plai ed tea, But when it got too much like work, almost anybody's carriage-driver .could be sent for out ot tbe kitchen, who could fiddle enough to dance the Virginia reel by. But when I grew up, negro fiddlers were scarce among tbe plantation hands, except the 'professionals,' who were free negroes. They have been grow ing scarcer, owing to this superstition about old Pluto. "Among the city negroes the piano is the favorite instrument, as it is so mu.ch easier to acquire a certain proficiency on i,t than on tbe violin. In the country, though, it is generally thought unbecoming, at least for a 'church member' to play the violin, if not actually an audacious communication with Satan himself. But it involves neither deadly in nor any spiritual risk whatever to play the" accordion or the 'lapor-iau,' as they call it The ' 'cor'jou,' consequently, is a very popular instrument" Weeds s Fertilizers At trie West Virginia Agricultural Ex perimental Station a number of experiments have been made to test the value of weeds as fertilizers, that is to say, as containing nitrates,, phosphoric acid and potash. Among the best are the bitter-dock, com mon thistle, crowfoot grass, sheep sorrel, sweet clover, burdock, ox-eye daisy, wild lettuce, wild carrot, yarron, wild flax, briars and lobelia. Observatory on Monte Boss. A small observatory is to be erected soon on the very snmmit of Monte Boss, which has sn altitude f 15,581 feet, and is, next to Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps. The station will be named, the "Queen Margaret," alter tbe Italian Queen, and will eonslst of a three-roomed hut con taining the., necessary instruments and a bedroom-arid kitchea- FACES IN THE WELL. Virginia People Declare They Have a Spiritual Maaife3tatiQn. CROWDS COME TO WITNESS IT. Looking Glass Held at the Top Produces Pictures ia the Water. 86 RATIONAL UPWNATION IET PntlTTSS TOB THIS DISPATCH. I t HIRD party politics and Colonel J. Dey er's well are close competitors for pub lic attention in Southampton coun ty, Virginia. The well is at Colonel Deyer's home at Kildare, Handsom's station. Last May to be precise, May 2 the wonderful properties of the well were discov ered, and its fame has been growing ever since. A few days ago upward of 3,000 people visited the well and saw all manner of uuctnny things in it. They all swear they did, at any rate, and whaj is more, believe what they saj. I heard of the well in Norfolc, some50 miles awav, and was assured by ex-Congressman George Bowden that he had seen tho face of his father reflected in the water of the well in broad daylight Mr. Kenton Murray, of Norfolk, who occupies the posi- tion ot secretary to Governor MeKinney, A. fact Frtquently Seen. told me that he had met and talked with a number of people who had visited Colonel Deyer's farm and had seen in the waters of the well the faces of relatives who were dead, coffins and other things not pleasant to contemplate. Mr. a & Not tingham, the publisher of the Norfolk Landmark, confirmed the statements made by Mr. Murray and Colonel Bowden. Discovery of tho Well's Properties. A few days afterward I met Colonel Deyer, who after a hile reluctantly told me how the peculiar properties ot his well were discovered, and, evidently nettled at my look of incredulity, said: "I shall be pleased to have the representative of The Dispatch come ontto Kildare and investi gate the iiiatter thoroughly." v As Colonel Deyer's stor'v of his well is the best one, I repent It ns'he told it in the presence of Mr. Murray, Mr. Bain and Mr.' Nottingham. "The first of last Mavr" said. Colonel Deyer, "our house servant, Susan, said io my uaugincr, ituss lizzie, 'xou know, Miss Lizzie, if you takes a looking glass on the first of May and goes to the well and holds the mirror over the well, back down, the face of your future husband uill appear on the surface of the water.' "This is an old superstition in Virginia, yon know. Mrs. Deyer and Miss Lizzie laughed at the notion and dismissed it from their minds. The following dav, Monday, however, Susan started to the well to draw a pail of water at noon when Miss Lizzie picked up a mirror and followed her. Laughing all the time at what she regarded as the absurdity of the thing, she held the miiror in the position, indicated, and Susan looked into the depths of the well"at the same time. ' A Hand With a Diamond King. "In an instant, she and her mother de clare, they saw a hand wearing a diamond ring steal across the patch of shadow thrown on the suriace of the water bv the face of the mirror, and in alarm Mis T.i'tt!. dropped the glass into the well. They fished, Tliey Saul This Was Dr. ludor. the mirror out, and spent that afternoon holding the mirror over the well and saw a number of things faces of people, flowers and a beautiful white casket "I was awav from home at the time in Richmond, and when I returned a few days later my wife and daughter told me of the occurrence. I laughed at the story exactly the same as vou gentlemen are doing now, but did not laugh i hen that afternoon my daughter took the mirror and proceeding to the well held it in the position described and bade me lAok. In a minute or so a shadowy something appeared on the sur face of "the water, apparently rising from the bottom of tjie ucil, and I distinctly recognized the face of a neighbor who had been dead for two year". I looked around to see if my wife and daughter wero play ing tricks on mc, but saw they were just as much startled as myself. All that niter noon I spent looking in the well and saw a number of objects. I am not superstitious and do not believe in spirits, so I tried to find a natural explanation of the things I saw in the well. Every theory I advanced was in turn exploded,' and I am just as much in the dark to-day as I ias six months ago. ' Too Many Visitors for Comfort "The negroes about the place spread the story in the neighborhood and the neigh bors began to come to see tho u ell, and from them the news of the queer sights to be seen got carried alt about, over into North Carolina, for instance, until lately people drive from miles around, some com ing a distance of 50 miles just to seethe faces and things in the well. All this Is ii great source of annoyance to me, lor the well is the one situated nearest the house, and we have not lived.in contiort since the tacts about the well got ont." Colonel Deyer told the story in a way that strongly impressed one with bis entire truthfulness" and sincerity. He evidently believed what he said. If there n as any humbug about the well he was no part; to it Colonel Deyer has a war record, too, and his title is a genuine one. For four years he fought on the Confederate side and often in the thickest of tho tray. I did not question his veracity, but the old 'saying holds true, "seeing is believing." I took the Seaboard and Enanoke Railroad from Norfolk aud devoted two days to an exam ination of tbe well. I arrived at Kildare after a drive of a mile through the woods, during all of whleh I was regaled with stories ot tbe peculiar things tbe driver 1 I iff: WiimmU IMlAWlf iWf iJff' bad seen in the .well. At the station I had the same experience. The station agent and a helper were all witnesses to the .un canny things the well made visible. What the Correspondent Saw. Colonel'Deyer welcomed me, and. in re sponse to my asking to be shown the well, at once called his daughter aud together with his wife we proceeded to the well, which was situated about 60 feet from the house and off to one side. - A colored man servant who stoodnear looked in the well with us, and as Miss Deyer held the mirror he exclaimed! "FoahGawd, dere's a bottle!" "What kind of a bottle?" I asked. "A green bottle wid silber on de top on He was right Faintly gleaming on the snrfaoe of the water, but still distinctly -visible, I saw a champagne bottle appear ana tnen mysteriously sine into the depths of the well. The rest of the party saw the same things. The "bottle was only one of a hundred different 'objects inanimate and animate that appeared on the surface of the water of the well during the 48 hours I spent examining it It is a curious fact that the faces nnd objects that appear in tbe well can only be seen in the daylight, and the brighter-the sun is shining the more dis tinct they become. In all the haunted houses I remember ' utter darkness was essential before the ghosts would con descend to roam around and clank chains and do other blood-curdling things. Nothing Kemarkablo About the WelL Colonel Deyer's well is just an ordinary well, such as j ou find on almost every farm in Virginia, similar in appearance to 51 other wells on the plantation. The other The White Crffln. wells, however, will not reveal a face. I tried them all aud so have others. The causes that bring these curious shapes to the surface of the water iu the "spook well," whatever they may be, are missing in all the other wells on the iarm. I cannot explain why it is so, but just have to give it up, as I did SO theories that suggested themselves to me during the hours I spent peering down in the well, climbing down into the well and examining everv inch of -ground for mirrors and other devices known to tricksters and so-called mediums. . I left Kildare considerably more aston ished than when I arrived. The story of the old gentleman who, after listening to a touch yarn of which the narrator said, "It is true", for I saw it myself," replied, "Well, I must, believe it, then, but I would not believe it if I saw it myself," occurred to me. I saw the well myself, I saw the things I have described therein, but I am utterly unable to account for them. One of the faces xeen was that of the old gentleman with a skull cap. I saw it as istinctly as I have seen my own counte nance in my mirror. "Dr. Tudor," said Mrs Dever, and "Dr. Tudor," echoed Miss Grace Pettit, of Nor follj, one of the party engaged in looking in the well at the time. "Describe Dr. Tudor," I said. She gave me a description of him which fn the most minute particulars corresponded to the face that appeared in the well. Each One Wrote What He Saw. Imagination plays a large part in these sort of sights, and to make sure that what I saw was not influenced by the exclamations ot people about the well I had the group write on a piece of paper a description of what each member saw in the well. There was a startling correspondence between (hem alL "I see a white coffin," "I see an old man looking at a white coffin," "I see a coffin and an old man," were the words thev wrote. What I saw was a white coffin with a figure of an old man looking down at it. fn a minnte the coffin nasscd nwar from "the shadow on the water and Miss Pettit said, "I wish it would come back with the lid off." "Look!" screamed Mrs. Deyer. There was the coffin with the elliptical lid gone and under the glass could be dis tinguished the face and shoulder of a young girl. The sight was too much for the nerves of Miss Pettit, and with a little sigh and a shudder she sank in a heap fainting. During that afternoon a great many faces appeared. Ouce the back of a negro man who had apparently been flogged, with the gashes bleeding, was the spectacle pres ented. There wus something very peculiar about some ot these visions. I noticed, tor instance, that the head and sbouldtfrs of a man or woman would appear in one position, go away and reappear again and again in half a dozen different positions. A profile view would be piesented, a rear view, front view, add top view even. It seemed as if a recognition was, eagerly sought I noticed that the flesh generally exhibited the peculiar appearance presented by the skin of drowned people. It Baffles All Investigation. Miss Deyer, who has acted as medium for mot of people who have visited the well, scouts the idea that "she alone can get the phantom frees in the well, and I fancy she is right. She has held the glass so long that her hand is steadier. I noticed that when Miss Pettit acted as the medium her hands trembled so that nothing could be distinguished. The use of the mirror might lead some to suppose the objects seen in the water wero reflections from objects lying about the ground or place. I thought so, too, until I had the mirror held below the edge of the square box that surrounds the well, totally snutting on everytumg outside oi it, anu stilj the aquatic visions appeared. I thought that perhaps it was the mirror that did the trick, so I procured a piece ot window glass.and, covering it with a piece of dark cloth, went to the well at 8 o'clock in tho morning and tried it, and with the same result The morning experiment was taken with out the knowledge,of Colonel Deyer or his family. "What the "Well Is IJke. " The well itself is the one, as stated before, that supplies the household with drinking water. It is supplied with water by eight springs and generally has about 8 to 10 feet of water in it. ' AYhen I was there the depth ot water measured just 8 feet. Above that to the top ot the well the dis tance was 22 leet The diameter of the well is'3 feet. So clear is the water that the white sand bottom caif be plainly seen when the sun in shining. I saw the bottom distinctly and noted a few things that had fallen iu'it The walls of the well are of red brick, covered with moss, and over the well, dangling from the end of the well sweep, hung a bucket that might have done for the model ot the "old oaken bucket" of poetic tame. Colonel Deyer told me that the well was on the plantation when he bought it in 1865. and he understood that the well was origiiially dug in 1800 The well has been cleaned every year, and the time for cleaning the well' is at hand now, but Colonel Deyer says: "If that well js cleaned I will have to do it myself. There is not a servant on the plantation that will go near that well alone, and ns to going in it no money would induce them to make the venture." S. What Whalebone Really Is. The Baleen whale is the producer of what It known ns whalebone, and it Isn't regular bone at all. This variety of whale has a broad plate running along the sides ot the mouth, which is given to them iu place of teeth, and from this whalebone is procured? The length varies from one fool up to 13 feet, the latter being found Onlv in tbe larg est whales, 2swv$J- 4 , "" WltlTXK-N TOE BYLK WEEKS Copyright 1892, CHAPTER IX THE THIRD VOYAGE. When he landed in Cadiz Columbus found that popular favor had departed from him. The people had come again to distrust him and his schemes and the dis satisfied adventurers who had already re turned from the'New World had by their appearance and their talk done much to turn tbe tide against the Admiral. But he found a kindly letter from his sovereigns inviting him to appear before'them. His journey to the Court was less brilliant than on the previous occasion, but still he made much display of gold and of captive In dians. The sovereigns received him well and readily accepted bis explanations of the condition of things in.the colony. The Admiral asked for more ships and supplies and although his request received atten tion there were vexatious delays in grant ing them. But the contract that was made with Columbus when he sailed his first voyage was now revised to his benefit, and other arrangements were made to push the work of exploration and to advance tbe welfare of the Admiral and his family. But volun teers could not be got for the new voyage, io prejudiced had the people become against Columbus and again criminals were pressed into the service. Even the Court officials, who were directed to assist in making ready the ships, threw every obstacle that was possible in the way and endeavored to prejudice tbe minds of Ferdinand and Isa bella against Columbus. It was the 30th day of 3Iay when the third voyage was entered upon." Six vessels set sail from Lucar de Barrameda. Colum bus took a more Soutbernly co.urse than ou any previous voyage, still with the idea up permost in his mind of finding countries where gold, silver and other precious met als abounded. On the 31st nf July he sighted tbe island that he named Trinidad, off the northeastern coast of South Amer ica. This country delichte.l him and he spent several weeks coasting about. He even landed on the coast of Paria, but never for a moment thought that he was on the continent that it had been his soul's de sire lor so many years to discover. His supplies beganto run short and his health began to fail so that he was compelled to give up further explorations and turn to ward San Domingo. The knowledge of the great western contincut thus escaped him forever. Columbus found a bad state of affiirs at Hispaniola. Durinsr his absence there bad been much energy displayed by the Admir arl's brother in exploring the country and in bringing the natives into alliance with the Spaniards. But jealousies had arisen in the colony, and there was much sickness and scarcity of provisions, because every body was so eager to hunt for gold that crops were not cultivated to help out the stores brought from Europe. The Indians were compelled to become Christians against their will, and they and their fam HIm wata treated with thft fre.itftst erueltv- As a result the natives arose against their I oppressors, and there were battles in which both Indians and Spaniards were killed. This ended, of course, in the overthrow ot the Indian chiefs and the destruction ot sev eral of their villages, and finally the little colony bad an Indian warfare on its hands. After a time this trouble quieted, but then one of the Spanish leaders started a consnlraev against Bartholomew Columbu3. led out nianv of the troops and set up a mil itary establishment by himself. Affairs were getting worse and worse, when tbe for tunate arrival of ships from Spain saved the colony from destruction. This relief was only for tbe moment, however. The Spanish deserters had allied them selves with several of the Indian chiefs aud again the entire island was in tumult, so that a military expedition into the interior again became necessary. The Indians were defeated and many of them were taken prisoners. A demand was made upon one of the principal chiefs for a complete surren der upon penalty of having his lands laid wa.te with fire and sword in case he should, continue hostilities. His reply shows to what a point of desperation the Indians had been brought by the oppression ot the Spaniards. He said to the messenger w ho was sent to him: "Tell the Spaniards they are bad men, cruel and tyranical; usurpers of the terri tories of others and shedders of innocent blood. I desire not the friendship of such men." Unhappily all this was too true. To such a condition had the Spaniards bronght the country and its people during tho few years they had been in it. But the end was in evitable. The Europeans were all powerful nnd soon they had their enemies crushed and the warfare ceased. , This was the condition of things when Columbus arrived again at Hispaniola, brok en in health and anxlousin spirit. There was an affecting scene between him and his bro ther. The two threw themselves into each other's arms and wept with joy. "Thank Heaven,!' said the Admiral fer vently, "that lam spared once m6re to meet jou. And how is it with you and my col ony? Well, I trust" , Bartholomew was silent for a moment. He hesitated to break the bad news to his brother, worn, weary and sick. Your friends are all well and eager to greet you," he finally answered. -But'the Admiral suspected in a moment that something was wrong and he demanded: "Tell me what has gone amiss. Tell me now." "We have had troubles," answerod Bar tholomew, "but we have had successes. And now that you have returned, all will boon be well. Rest now, ami when ynu are recovered from the fatigue of the voyage,, we will talk ot ths affairs of the colony." And the Admirai yielded to the firmness of his brother, upon-whom be- had learned J St Insisted on Wearing Bis Chains. THE DISPATCH. AND PAUL LATZKE. fcy the Authors. 1 to lean, and rested. When the story of tho condition of the settlement was revealedto him he began to feel tbe weight of dis couragement more heavily upon hira than ever before in his life. "He was impressed with the gravity of the situation, and there were moments when he felt already settling down upon him the shadow that wa3 des tined to cover him for the rest of his life in care, humiliation and disgrace. The Spaniards who had rebelled and who were living in the interior wild lives ot dissipation under the leadership of their chieftain, Boldan, refused to submit to tha authority or Columbus. All appeals to them were for a long time in vain, but. finally the Admiral felt compelled to enter into negotiations with them tor peace upon their own term", for the complete destruc tion of the colony wa3 threatened by the feud. Finally it was settled that some of the rebels who desired should be 'sent home to Spain, while all should be pardoned and Roldan placed in his former official position of power and honor. Grants of lands and other property were given to the offenders who seem to have gained more than those did who had re mained loyal to Columbus. It had taken a long time to settle all this trouble, and the Admiral had meanwhile, sent letters to his sovereigns relating the difficulty and asking for encouragement avid assistance. He asked aLo that his sci Diego, who had now become a young nan; should be sent out to him as a companion! in his declining years. In September anot her squadron of four vessels arrived at the island. This was: commanded bv Alonso de Ojeda, who, in stead of joining Columbus, seemed to be bent upon independent exploration and slave catching. The expedition had the sanction of the Bishop of Fonseca, the per fidious adviser of Ferdinand and Isabella, and was intended to work without refer ence to Columbus and his authority. The squadron remained near Hispaniola only a short time, and then sailed away, taking; back to Spain a careo of Indian slaves. This incident is chiefly interesting from the tact that on board oue of the vessels was Amer igo Vespucci, already a celebrated Floren tine merchant. This was his first visit to the western hemisphere that was destined to immortalize his name at the cost of Co lumbus, who was thus robbed of the fame that was his due. . There was another revolt, which wasonly ended when Columbus caused the execution of the ringleader and the imprisonment of the other mutineers. That put an end to all further troubles. The island became qniet, and even the Indians were now peaceful and inclined to submit tamely to Spanish rule. It was while in the midst of these cares that, as he records it, a voica came to him in the night time saying: "Oh, man'of little faith! "Why art thou, cast down? Fear nothing. I w'ill provide for thee. The seven yeaTs ot gold are not expired; iu that and 'in all other things I will take care of thee." The superstition that had controlled Col umbus at all times in his career moved him to feel comfort at this which he regarded a an announcement from heaven. He little imagined how delusive were these words and how surely misfortune was closing down upon him. Enemies in the Old World were not conquered so gasily as those in the New World. In Columbus absence they were active at court. The reports of the disturbances in Hispaniola aided them in poisoning the minds of their sovereigns against the Admiral and when some of ltoldan's mutineers got home with their stories of the poverty of the new conntry Ferdinand turned against the enterprises that were costing so much money and had failed thus tar to bring back the wealth that had been expected. And when the cargoes of slaves that Columbus had per mitted to be brought home to Spain arrived even the patience and good will of Isabella t were exhausted. t "What power has the Admiral thus t( give away my va3sals?" was her exclama tion, and forthwith she set the slaves free and consented to the appointment ot a com mission to be sent out to investigate the condition of affairs in the New World. Don Francisco de Bobadilla was chosen for this duty dnd great powers were given to him. lie was directed to look thoroughly into everything, to assnme Charge of fortresses, Bhips, etc., whenever he might consider it necessary, and to arrest any persons whom he wished. In fact, his instructions were of such a nature that he could supersede Columbus and deprive him of all authority at any moment Thus equipped he set sail about the middle of July, 1500, and in a month arrived at San Domingo. He at once assumed control of aflairs there with out waiting to investigate, deposed Colum bus' lieutenants, confiscated all property and demanded the surrender of tbe great Admiral Broken by this action of his sovereigns anil thcir.representative, Columbus yielded without hesitating. Bobadilla immediately had him put in irons. Scarce could anyone be found who would do this work, such a feeling of compassion had arisen in the hearts of all ut the sight of the great com mander in misfortune. At last, so it is said, "a graveless and shameless cook, with un washed front, rivetted the fetters with as much readiness and alacrity m though he were serving him with choice aud savory viands." Columbus' two brothers, Diego and Bartholomew, were also placed In irons, while no other one ot all those who had re belled and had been at the bottom of all the disturbances were touched. The injustice and the ingratitude of his sovereigns and the outrageous conduct ot Bobadilla struck to the heart of Columbus, but he uttered no words of complaint. The prisoners were' placed in charge of Alonzo de Villeio, with instructions to take them to Spain. When he went to the prison after them they supposed that they were to be led out to execution. "Vlllejo," slid Columbus, "whither are you taking me?" "To the ship, vour excellency, to em bark," answered Villejo. An exclamation of relief escaped the lips of Columbus. '-To embark? Villejo, do you speak the tnHh?" "By the life of your excellency, it, is trtw.." Then the Admiral believed him and went with him joylnlly. The abusive shouts of their enemies followed the prisoners to the ship, and they set sail for home. Columbus wore his chains tile, entire vojage, although the mater of the caravel through sympathy offered to remove them. "No," said the Admiral, "their majesties commanded me by letter to submit to what ever BcdnulJIa, should order in their name; by their authority he has put upon me these chains; I will wear them until ther shall order tnem to be taken off me, and 'I wil preserve them as relics and memorial ot the reward of my services." 2b be continued next Sunday. J - .
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