Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-11-10
6eneral snttlltssnre.
THE ONONDAGA GIANT.
A sfupendous Hoax.


A Syracuse correspondent writes to thu
New York Herald the following exposure o.
the 'OnondaSa Giant" mystery:
IL hes been the custom for several years
for Frenchnen to come from Canada anc
work during the season in the quarries o.
Ononcaga- Three years ago a Canadian
py the name of Jules Geraud came to On
ondaga TO seek work. Geraud was a mono
maniac. His one idea was that he was an
artist destined to rival the fame of Michael
Angelo. He was taciturn and of retired
habits He inhabited secluded shanty,
and when not at work in the quarries al
WAYS retired to it No opersOn was ever in
vited into his cabin, and people passing it
on the Sabbath always heard the mallet
and ehisel at full play. This first excited
10 wonder. but when the same sounds of
labor in the shanty were heard month after
month. until late at night. the curiosity OF
people was awakened. This thing con-
timed for nealIy three years, and the most
active eur. r.osity- seeker never penetrated the
n stery of Gerauds labor. ,n
In the month Of October, 1868, Geraud
was missed for several days from the work
OF the quarr:es. An American by the name
of George Hooker. a feliow-laborer, actua-
ted by spirit OF philanthrophy, visited
fering from q low form of fever; he brought
him food and such medicines as he thought
his case required, as Geraud refused to see
a physician About a week from his first
visit Hooker visited Geraud in the night
and found him very near his end. Geraud
expressed himself grateful for the attentions
of Hooker, and told MIN he would reveal to
him a great secret. He requested him to
pass behind a screen that divided the cabin
and look at his beautiful statue-the most
beautiful statue in the world, Geraud said.
The ruiing passion Of the poor man was
strong in death. Hooker did as requested.
He saw lying before him an object covered
with large and ragged piece of canvas; be
raised It, and TO his astonishment, uncov-
cred the colossal statue of a man lying on
his back. He returned to Geraud and ask
ed him who il was. Geraud's eyes cleaned
wildly as he answered. "It is ST. Paul. ~
GeTaud requested Hooker in the most i'm
passiOned terms TO swear not to reveal the
secret until he had been dead a week.
Hooker, wishing to oblige the dying man,
con, piled.
T'nat night Geraud died. But four per-
sons "A. ended the funeral. Hooker amobg
the number, the three others being Cana
dams. The fifth night after the burial of
Geraud the cabin was observed to be on
FIRE. No one paid any attention TO it; but
Hooker, who had not seen the fire during
the night. on passing that way in the
morning saw that the cabin was burned.
He walked up TO the spot, expecting to
find tke statue of St Paul, but to lis utter
amazement not a vestige of it was to be
be seen; it had vanished as completely as
If il had been soap bubble, instead of n
ton of carved stone. This mysterious dis
appearance so impressed Hooker that he
wished to keep the fact of the statue a Sc
cTet. Beside his superstition, which was
actively aroused, he drea led tse laughter
of his companions If he revealed his dis
covery.
Hook,r has been employed as teamster
IN this c. > A few days before the discov-
cry of the statue, Hooker had an attack of
acute pneumonia On frame weakened
by exposure and dissipation the disease
made rapid progress. The news of the dis
covery few like wildfre, and was much
talked of by those in attendance on the sick
man. He was deeply affected by the dis
cOyery. On the day it Was rumored that
Professor Hall, the State Geologist, was to
visit the scene of discovery, Hooker made
an urgent request that hisphysiGan be sent
for DIR. - fastened to his bedside.
Hooker asked the doctor if he thought he
would recover; the doctor replied that he
could not live much longer. Hooker then
told the doctor he would reveal the secret
of the Cardiff giant. DR.. then told
Hooker that ne should like q responsible
witness present. DR.. - therefore sought
me, as he knew 1 took deep interest in
the subject We both repaired to the house
occupied by Hooker, near the west suburbs
of the city. We found the patient but little
excited, and, IN the opinion of DIR. -,
perfectly sane. Hooker then made the
statement which 1 have above detailed.
After / had written it, almost In the very
words of the above, read il to Hooker,
and he then affixed his mark to the follow
ing dying declaration:
|. George Hooker, knowing myself to be
near my death, have heard read to me the
above statement, and it agrees with the
statement already made by me, which
solemnly declare to be truth. 1 have heard
the description of the Cardiff giant, and
believe Z to be the same statue found lying
In the cabin Of Jules Geraud at Onondaga
GEORGE HOOKER
WitIeSs-TaoaI-As B. ELLIS. -. .r-
This faisl es all positive information re-
garding this wonderful hoax / now come
TO that part OF the history which is a '.mys-
teTy."
One year AGO, about the time of the burn
ing o. Jules -Geraud's cabin, stranger
came to the hotel in Tully for guide to
the house of Newell, at Lafayette. A wagon
an guide vers .here furnished him. At
ter travelling te within sight of Mr.. Newelis
10 use, he paid and dismissed the guide,
and proceeded on foot This was the last
seen of our mysterious stranger. A few
days alter-some of my informants say
two, and others say three days-a wagon
containing u large box eleven feet long Was
observed to be making its way towards
New Us house. Several veracieus wit
nesses are willing to swear 1t was Newell s
team.
There the substantial part of my narra-
tive ends. am confident the publication
OF this statement viii bring ont further
facts. Several parties were mixed up to-
gethe- ia perpetrating this fraud, and fear,
q powerful emotion in human nature, will
compel some of the parties to furnish the
missing links in the chain of facts / have
detailed above The most surprising thing
about this is the magnitude of the hoax
All attempts at humbugging sink into
ipsionifcapce by the side o. the "Cardif
Giant" Richard Adams Iocke's moor
hoax and Poe's story, "Hans Phaal," art
simply moonshine when compared with the
cool effrontery of this Cardiff hoax. Ply
sicians. geolosists, lecturers and savani
rave visited the statue of poor, half crazy
Geraud, and returned dumbfounded. Twill
close this narrative by saying that Newell
and his sbsttors have persistently refused
10 allow any person, competent to decide
she question of this being petrefation O
work Of art, to inspect it. Prof. Hall, Wit
was allowed q few moments of examination
was pledged to reserve his opinion unit
permission was gwen him to make it known
The King Of Italy's four predecessor
all abdicated in favor OF their successors
namely: Victor Amsdeas !. in 1880, Charlie
Emmanuel IL in 1902, Victor Emmanue
/. in 1881, and Charles Albert m 1s4s; AM