While YVinnio Johnson weighed nearly two
hundred pounds more than Cornelius did after
his death, she was practically incapacitated
for anything but her profession of a. museum
freak. Cornelius, on tiie other hand, was an
active man for liis size and possessed the
strength of an ox. Ho wits tho proprietor of
tho Sawkill liouse, which is still standing and
is being run as a hotel by his daughters. Ho
was only forty-four years old at the time of liis
death, and until a few days before that event
always enjoyed robust health. Numeroussto
ries are told of liis many eccentricities. In
spite of his great strength lie was an arrant
coward and peaceable to the last degree.
Ono day according to tho local legend, some
workmen wore digging a sewer in Main street.
Among them was a strapping big Irishman
from Port Jervis—a quarrelsome bully—who
had more than a local reputation us pugllst.
He had heard of the Pike county giant and
made up his mind that before ho left town ho
would measure Btrength witli him. He did
not have long to wan. One afternoon Cor
nelius happened to bo in tho neighborhood of
the sewer wlien lie was espied by tho I’ort Jer
vis bruiser, who hurried out of the ditch and
confronted him on tho sidewalk.
“Stop,” lie shouted, as lie faced him ; I want
to spake wid ye.”
Cornelius halted, as ho was Dado.
"So ye're the Pike county giant, are ye?”
Cornelius was too much astonished to reply,
“Well, I'm the Orange county bully, ami
I’m goin’ to lay ye out afore I go back to mo
work.”
“I d-don’t want to stammered Corns
linn, his teeth chattermg witli fright.
