A THEEE-ARMED MAN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 270, 3 April 1873, Page 8

A THEE E -ARMED MAN.

(From "Land and Water.") Mr Barnum, the Prince of Showmen, has, we hear, been successful in obtaining for exhibition in his Museum of Wonders a great novelty in the shape of a three-armed man, who appeared recently in the States on his way from his native town of Unadilla, Otsego county, to North Carolina, to visit a sister residing in that State. The " Williamsport Gazette" gives a full description of this curious customer, whose name is William Jacobs. He is thirty-eight years of age. Ho has three well-developed arms and hands, the member extraordinary having grown above the right shoulder blatlo. It possesses^ wonderful muscular power, although shorter than the arms proper. His left arm is the weakest of the three, and the arm extra the strongest. . It hangs suspended down his back, and can be raised and lowered at will. No one passing him would observe a deformity. At the age of ei-^ht years he began to exhibit remarkable evidences of superior strength. His fetter was a well-to-do fanner, and the young lad aecoinplisbod tasks that surprised his father. He continued upon the farm, and when sixteen years old was remarked as the moat athletic and powerful young man -in the country. His feats of muscular power astonished everybody in the vicinity. During the harvest he was the most profitable of helps, loading the waggon and at the same time /holding the horses' reins. His laboring apparel opened upon the back, and closed by buttoning, the same as a child's apron. He possessed remarkable agility, and could perform feats that would have astonished the champions of the sawdust ring. Bending backwards, he would bring the weight of his body upon this extraordinary arm, and throwing himself feet upwards, would balance with the utmost precision. Seizing ihe limb of a tree with this same arm, he would raise his chin to a level with his band and then slowly lower his body. This he would repeat fourteen times, when losing his hold of the limb, he would catch upon an under limb, and perform the same feat three times. During this exhibition the mascles of the arm would protrude until they apparently seemed ready to burst. Other tricks of strength he performed were equally remarkable. When the guns of Sumter sent forth the defiant notes of rebellion, Mr. Jacobs became a volunteer, and was one of the first to brave the leaden storm of war upon the plains of the Manassas. He so distinguished himself by bravery that his commanding officer recommended him for promotion, and soon after he received a commission as captain, ranking as ono of the best drill officers in the division to' which he was attached. At one time, soon after pay-day, some of his company became beastly intoxicated. He peremptorily ordered them to their tents, but the spirit of rebellion was rife, and they threatened an attack upon their commanding officer. Repairing to his quarters he stripped himself for battle, ttnd appeared before the men, to their surprise, with the arms in full play. He went at them in sledge hammer style, and in a few moments tanned the insiibordinates and -sent them reeling to their tenta At the close of the war he returned to the farm, and has since remained there. There are other children of the family that were deformed, but not to an extent so marvellous. His eldest sister was knocked -kneed, and his brother had a crooked foofr — both of these cases being cured at the Orthopoedic Hospital, Philadelphia. His father has never seen a day of sickness, and hi"! mother is an aged lady of great enwr -Xj\A ambition. He is a mah of ri.<; Conversational powers possesses a ru'int'of information, and is, especially agtf:«abie. The stranger finds no reserve, a/id a familiarity suddenly springs up without effort. He takes great pleasure in relating anecdotes of ln's boyhood days.

An American gontlc.ll.4ll un* rajently been lecturing upou tho " Newspaper Press," and among of.hor very fae'isjble things he said :: — •' ft a newspaper writer be faithful to his trust, honest, fearless, and independent, he mu<*t make enemies, and powerful oue3,*' which is a decided truth, clearly expressed.