THE CHAMPION EATER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8129, 24 May 1912, Page 7

THE CHAMPION EATER

CINCINNATI MAN’S WONDERFUL , FEAT. A man with the digestive powers of an ostrich has been unearthed at Cincinnati. The gourmand, whose name is John Breen, entered into an argument with a saloon-keeper named Ben Benz one evening concerning Ms holding capacity,, with the result that he made a wager of 50 dollars, that ho would i consume 360 of the biggest bananas obtainable in the city in 30 days, and that he would wind up his feat on the tMrtylirst night by eating five dozen hardboiled eggs and two dozen raw oysters. The wager was promptly accepted on the terms that Benz was to provide the eatables, Breen to recompense him for the expense incurred should the attempt prove a failure. But the latter proved equal to the occasion. Each evening he went to Benz’s saloon and demolished a dozen monster bananas, interspersing these with from four to six glasses of beer. During his thirty days’ ordeal, he did not suffer the slightest illelfeots, but slept well, and during the day ate well. Quite an assembly gathered in the saloon on the thirty-first. night to see the champion eater do his star turn. Looking fresh and cheerful, Breen calmly proceeded to eat the five dozen eggs and two dozen, oysters,. which feat he easily accomplished, with the aid of three bottles of stout, and which he capped by eating six bananas, “just to wind up in good fas Mon." He then went home, slept for five honrs, and next morning was at work as usual.