Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-12-10

THE CARDIFF GIANT AGAIN.-The
controversy about the Cardiff giant wax
es warm. No one is now found SO poor
as to do reverence to the petritication
theory, at least, in. public, but the advo-
Gates of humbug hypothesis are on the
increase. The editor of the Worcester
Spy evidently sits up nights to collect
proof of the modern origin of the statute,
and it is quite the fashion for all late Wis
itors to the giant, scientific and unlet-
tered, to declare against the antiquity of
the colossus.
An intelligent correspondent Of the
New York Sun, who is acquainted with
European as well as American works Of
art, declares that tide face of his majesty
of Cardiff is moulded from a cast of the
face of the great Napoleon. The four
horse team and heavy load story is being
revived again. and is told more circum-
stantially than before; one hull, rela-
tive of NewelPs was seen awhile ago,
carrying heavy iron-bound box tow
ard Newell's and though it is claimed
the box contained machinery, nobody is
pointed out rs having sent or received
any such machinery. A very suspicious
circumstance, also, is that since Mr.. New
ell came into possession of his fortune, he
has len. Hull some $4,000, without
there being any particular reason known
why he should do so. This story is now
| told with such details, that it certainly
behooves the giants owners to disproove
| it if they can. But the most convincing
testimony to the fraud theory is by Prof.
Marsh Of Yale College, who, in letter
to the Buffalo Courier, claims that the
statue was cut out of piece of gypsum,
already water-worn on three of its sides
before the sculptor began, and that the
peculiar position of the statueis owing to
the form of the stone He declares
that
"The rough, water-wcrn surfaces were
not entirely removed in cutting. Por-
tions of them still remain on the sides Of
the head and on the limbs and feet, and
have enormously been regarded as indi-
eating for the work high antiquity.
The tool marks are still very distinct on
different parts of the statue, especially
where they have not been obliterated by
the imperfect polishing which evidently
completed the work. On the more prom
inent portions of the figure these marks
appear as small pointed depressions, but
in the less exposed places, where the pol
ishing was more carelessly done or omit
ted, they are nearly as distinct and fresh
as when first cut. In several places they
are very near or Immediately surromnd
:. ed by the water-worn surfaces, (e. g., in
the opening of the right earl, and there
!, fore are evidently of subsequent forma,
ton. Now, as gypsum is soluble in about
400 parts of water, very short exposure
of the statue in the locality at Cardiff
: would suffice to obliterate all traces Of
tool.marks, and also to roughen the pol
, ished surfaces, but these are both quiz
perfect, and hence the giant must have
been very recently buried where discov
ered."
We give the guesses abont the mon
ster as they come out, and our readers
can take their pick of them. The advo.
Gates of the ancient and modern theories
:. seem to be about neck and neck now
: though it begins to look as though the
latter were coming in ahead. If the
humbug is proved, though, and the gian,
D becomes useless for quilting susceptible
n public, we advise its owner to put on ex
= hibition the man who got it up. H,
Is must be genius, and great mauy peo