Blind Item #10

This wrestler and strongmen was from north of the border but used a nickname evoking a far away land. In the late 19th century he won the "Championship of the World. Whenever he had a battle, he always insisted on getting paid in gold, rather than paper money. Not long after his victory over he took the first ship back to Europe. It was on a ship, where he was one of 600 passengers that drowned when the ship sank. It is reported that he fell overboard while passengers were being evacuated to lifeboats. He was dragged underwater by the weight of his money belt that contained between $8,000 and $10,000 in gold coins. He drowned before the crew could get to him. surviving passengers claim to have seen him throw women and children overboard trying to reach the lifeboats; however no mention of this was included in the official report and is generally assumed to have originated by his manager and promoter, who went on to become a successful Broadway producer.