The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-25
THE PETRIFIED GIANT.
A sTUPENDOUs HOAX.
The Statue WAS Made by a Crazy
Canadian.

SYRACUSE. Oct. %, 1869.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
Our city OF saline fame has been profoundly
agitated the discovery of statue Or petrfac-
ton at Cardiff about thirteen miles from this CITY,
The general impression among experts has been
that the work Of either the Jesuits an extinct
people. will say that the anatomical details are
quite perfect, and the general appearance of the
statue Is well calculated to deceive. l viii not go
into any details regarding the discovery, your
readers all well acquainted with 1t, as my
object in addressing you Is TO make expose OF the
whole transaction.
1t is deeply LAID scheme to make money and per-
petrate an enormous fraud upon the community.
Ever since the discovery of the statue have been
profoundly impressed that there O 'nigger in
the fence" somewhere. l nave visited the scene
OF the discovery three times, and each time /
away impressed more fully with the conviction that
the statue Is not of ancient date and has moi lain IN
the place OF Its discovery any length of time. My
proofs are few, simple and convincing. And first
the locality.
The statue was found not more than two and a
hall feet below the surface and but few yards be-
hind Mr.. Newell's barn. Now, this ground had been
for long time used as garden spaded ana
pioughed up for years, and a ditch, fully as deep
the statue was buried, had been dug OBJ
liquely the very spot where the discovery
made the remains OF which may still be seen, and
still this wonderful object had escaped discovery.
The alleged discovery was made while digging q
well. No man In his senses would, for moment
dream OF making well In this spot but few yards
from his barn, where the entire surface wash and
subsurface drainage would run directly into 1t.
In digging the well the first part OF the statue
struck the feet Now the strange thing occurred
Of making the next effort to remove the earth
directly over the head, and they never missed it,
thus knowing where to find the head. The geological
features OF the soil prove conclusively that the
statue was recently placed where 1t was found
1t was found In an auvium belonging to the pre-
sent geologic period, and is made up Of loose
gravelly soil. small pebbles and light drift WOOD
This Is resting upon clayey subsoil. Lying both
above and under the statue were branches OF pine
and nemlock, the usual growth Of timber in THIS
locality, in good state Of preservation.
On my examining the earth on both sides OF the
excavation observed branch Of hemlock about
three inches through the surface decomposed to
about the depth OF onefourth OF an inch
This branch had been cut Off about two inches
from the sides OF the pit, and the
cut extremties were decompoaed to the same
depth as the rest Of the surface. This branch had
not been cut through at the time the woud-be pet
rifaction was exhumed, but was cut Off to remove
1t out OF the way the time 1t was buried in order
TO place it at sufficient depth. These facts, militat
ing against the antiquity OF the statue. were the
results Of my own observation, and will leave it
to your intelligent readers If they do not establish
my theory without consideration Of the facts am
able to give OF its history
It has been the custom for several gears for
Frencnmen to come from Canada and WORK during
the season in the quarries OF Onondaga. Three
years ago Canadian by the name OF jules Geraud
came to Onandaga to seek work. Geraud was o
monomaniac His one idea was that he was an
artist destined to rival the fame OF Michael Angelo.
lie was aciturn and OF retired habits. He inhabited
secluded shanty and when not at work in the
Quarrles always retired to it. No person
was ever invited into his cabin, and peo-
pie passing 1t on the Sabbath always heard
the maet and chisel at full play. This
first excited no WONDER but when the same sounds
OF labor In the shanty were heard month after month
until late at night the curiosity OF people
awakened. This thing continued for nearly three
years, and the most active curiosity seeker never
penetrated the mystery OF Geraud's labor :.
In the month OF october, 1868, Geraud was missed
for several days from the work OF the quarries. An
American by the name OF George Hooker, fellow
laborer, acuated by spirit OF philanthropy visited
the shanty of Geraud, and found him suffering from
q low form of fever; he brought HIM food and such
medicines as he Thought MS case required, as GeTaud
refused to see physician. About week from
his first visit Hooker visited Geraud In the
night and found min very ,nr 6e mis- end
OF Hooker, and told him he would reveal to him
great secret. lie requested him to pass behind
screen that divided the cabin aud look at his beaut
full statue-the most beautiful statue In the world,
Geraud said. The ruling passion or the poor man
was strong IN DEATH Hooker did as requested. lie
saw lying before him an object covered with large
and ragged piece OF canvass he raised It, and to his
astonshment uncovered the colossal statue OF man
lying upon It's back. lie returned to Geraud ana
asked him who 1t was. Geraud's eyes cleaned
wildly as he answered, ut IL st. Paul" Geraud
otaI thn fn,pa
swear not to reveal the secret until he had been
dead week. Hooker, wishing to obliRe the dying
That night Geraud died. But four persons
attended the funeral, Hooker among that num-
ber the three others being Canadians. The flfth
night after the burial of Geraud the cabin
was observed to be on fire. No one paid any atten-
ton to it, but Hooker who had not seen the fire dur
Ing the night, on passing that way in the morning
saw that the cabin was burned. He walked up to the
spot, expecting to lind the statue OF St. Paul, but to
his utter amazcment not vestige OF 1t was TO be
be seen; it had vanished as completely If 1t had
been soap bubbe instead or ton or carved stone.
This mysterious disappearance so impressed Hooker
that he wished TO keep the fact OF the statue Sc
cret Beside his superstition, which was actively
aroused lie dreaded the laughter OF his companions
II he revealed his discovery.
Hooker has been employed as a teamster in this
city. few days before the discovery OF the statue
Hooker had an attack OF acute pneumonia. On a
frame weakened By exposure and dissipation the
disease made rapid progress. The news OF the DIS
covery flew like wildare, and was much talked OF
On the day 1t was rumored that Professor
Hall, the State Geooglst was TO visit the
scene OF the discovery, Hooker made an urgent re-
quest that his physician be sent for. Dr.. -
FASTENED to his bedside. Hooker asked the doctor
II 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 we should
ike responsible witness present. DIR. - therefore
sought me, as he knew took deep interest IN the
subject We botn repaired to the house occupied by
Hooker near the west SUBURBS OF the city. We
found the patient but little excited and, In the opin
ion OF DR.. -, perfectly sane. Hooker then made
the statement which have above detailed. Alter
had written IT, almost IN the very w0rus OF tho above,
l read 1t TO Hooker and he then alxed his mark To
the following dying declaration:-
George Hooker, knowing myself TO be my death,
have heard read to the above statement and
with the statement already made by me- which soemny
declare to be truth have heard the description of the
din giant aud believe to DO the lying IN
the cabin OF Jules Geraud ut Onondaga.
GEORGE HOOKER.
Witncss-THoMAs b. ELLIS.
THIS finishes all positive information regarding