The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-10
TEE CARDIFF GIANT.
The Question of Fraud-AGldavifs Of Mr.
Newell and tae Men Employed to dig the
We'll.

The Question of Fraud-AGldavits of MIR.
Newell and tae Men Employed to Dig the
Well.
From the Albany Journal, Dec. s..
The theory fraud IN relation to tue recently I'M
eartned colossus, though 1t mas many advocates, Is
really the theory least susceptible OF demonstrato
There are certain circumstances connected win the
examination OF the giant which, 1t seems To us, rem
der the assumption that he was buried recently ior
purposes OF gain ubsurd. In order TO enable the
puonc TO Judge nnderstandngly upon tals point, we
snbIon some OF the material portions OF certain am
davlts which nave been made by persons VINO VIII
messed the discovery OF THIS huge curiosity ad VINO
have lived In neighDorhO0d for many Years They
are all men OF responsibility and chs acter and
their averments Dsar the impress OF tfutIuine ana
sincerity. Un.ess we believe that these gent emen
nave deliberately perjured themselves, we must
accept their sworn statements as conc usive upon
the point IN question. That Is. That the ppea 'ance
OF the nit from which the statue was tax n, ID the
condition of the soil in the neghbornood, wee such
as to Incompatible with any recent burial OF The
image.
resides Cardiff in the town of Laiayete, county Of
onondaga the farm formerly owned by James Van sns
tina. he took Of said farm IN tho spring Of 1857
6y William Wright for SIX years and pre-
Rensselaer, Mcintyre After he describes the section OF the
prior the discovery OF the stone he had to
dig well adjacent to the farm and engaged the Necessary
said well the morning OF the 18th Of ocober they en
stone for laying up the We'll actually engaged
work while Eiinons Nichols engaged digging it,
Smith A. woodmanson who the premises, to lay
he M that ss s.
hard substance with his shove the south side
e
and deponent were present a. ms time nas Inc esrsn was
pumped the hole the deponen further deposed that
for three and The earth
been dug or escavaed in any manner, to the know
that the soil fp' over and SIDES said
that iSer un sh had
knowledge that said image was lying at the place where y
without his knowledge he has been in the
resided on has team, with box heavily
am Wright deposes that he ia sixyve years OF age
and has lived the farm where the stone giant was DIS
mostly covered with heavy timber and al the place where
the giant discovered was wet marshy place. AMI Tor
passa6e; tina. he lived upon the question some
a Seen hed hs and dan and Cultivated h
few years. that in fall ana spring the place in question Is
than two rods from the place where The giant
lay @ s says a he saw the o hole and image
about three feet, he present time and
dsponsn says that strata Of earth plainly aiscernbe
each and every part Of said excavation and the
Of SAID pitt that careful observer Of the so in which said
son above and around the said giant had been
disturbed since its original deposit ,na' wasm de-
width have deposited said giant: The deponen. also
That he the ather-inaw OF the NeWSl
that he has visited the farm least and often twice
week. and that ne has been engaged In mill said pit
several situated that he could the
where giant found and he knows deposit of
the size weight said giant could by possibility
been placed there without his knowledge;
yised with Newell the place where he should his
well, and that IT located the said place.
Smith A. Woodmanson, who lay the wall OF the
well, swears that he present when the giant
being uncovered that the soil showed signs
having been disturbed since Its original deposit and that the
OF cay gravel, a,lavia soil and ctysaue mould APP
pcarel in perfect and regular layers that image OF tie
Size and weight of the In question could possibly have
been deposited In that place without the knowledge
people and neghbors In the vicinity.
Henry Nichols who the laborers employed In
digging the well, the fact that limb
ended partly the body OF the giant and that the giant
could possibly have deposited there without
ing said limb and that the soil has been disturbed
he believer
William S. Houghton deposed that the root limb
toned extended from the side of the pit to point the
right elbow OF the giant thst of helock,
three and half inches in diameter; thar it would have
possible have placed the said image under this lmb
SIDE opposite the root He also deposes that the of
earth the sides and OF the pit well defined the
following orderClay gravel alnvia SOIL vegetable mould.
Alldavits OF other persons have been taken, but
they are mainly corroborative OF these facts and
winch evidently establish the antiquity OF the sCar
Diff Giantn at least beyond the memory Of those now
living.