The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-12-30
The Cardiff Giant interviewed.

UKlc, vi Tic tlUClUlldJl ItUtfS, IcCeUJ- i
ly paid visit to the "great Onondaga
Giant" which he describes as follows:
| found his giantship reclining in
wooden enclosure that looked like an
aquarium from which the water had been
drawn of Enclrcling it was a platform
so elevated as to afford a good view of the
monster There were but few visitors
when was there. The hight of the giant
is 10 feet Az inches, or would be if lie
stood erect, which he is not calculated to do
very we'll He reclines upon his back, with
his right hand pressed upon the side, and
his lett hand pressed upon his back, indi
eating that he died of the liver complaint
aggravated by the bilious collie Ii e evil
IDENTITY died hard, and he has been getting
harder ever since. The right side of the
face is nearly perfect, showing a noble
profile, but the left side is very much worn
away by the action of water, as indeed
is the entire left side of the body and
limbs 1t is the form of a powerfully de-
veloped man who died in the vigor of life
The skull is perfectly smooth, showing
no indication of hair. woods hair re-
storative is being tried by Mr.. Wood to
bring 1T out, but so far in vain.) The ma
terial from which the giant is carved (and
by which the proprietors are carving their
own fortune), is gypsum, mineral con-
sisting of sulphate of lime and u per
cent. Of water. When calcined it becomes
I'i's~to'- # I'tris. If this isa petried giant,
he couldn't be one ~or tue modern giants
who travel with shows. None of them
ever got u per cent. of water in their
| systems in all their lives. They might get
to ne gyp some, but not altogether
| An enthusiastic spiritualist who was
viewing the giant with me averred his
entire belief that he was petrified giant,
and declared that being himselfa medium,
he had actually received communications
from the giants spirit | asked the
medium if | could be permitted to pro-
pound few questions to the giant through
him, and he said l could l propounded
as follows:
O." Who are you?"
A" I'm A. Sumner"
O." Were you always as hard as you
are nOw?'
A" No, simply hard case, that's all.
Now I'm hard all through"
O." Were your parents hard?"
A" Yes, hard of hearing"
O." What is your weight"
A" Three hundred stone"
O." Why did you turn to stone:"
A" Because | didn't know what else
to turn to at the time"
O." What were you petrified with 2"
A" Petrified with astOnishment."
O." Ever have any of the infantilo
Diseases
A" Yes, stone bruise on the heel"
O." What were your boyish amuse
ments?'
A.-"Playing marbles, riding on q
stone boat and running around stone
quarries"
O." What is your occupation -
A" Laying stone at present"
Q.-"Got brothers:"
AYES"
O." Are they like you?"
A" Yes, all in the stone business"
O." Did that stony heart ever feel the
softening power of love? Didst ever hav,
a sweetheart?"
(At mention of sweetheart he sOfteneC
visbly; sigh heaved his massive chest
while something like tear trickled dowI
his stony cheeks (washing away some
more gypsum), but he quickly recovered
and was stone again. He was silent, anC
didn't press the question:
@" How DO you feel now, anyhow ?
Al feel good deal scOrn, especially
on my left side Besides, don't like thi
iIoI life"
O." What is your drlnk?"
; A" Stone-fence."
O." Would you like to throw in
glass now?"
A" No; those who live in stOn
! houses shouldn't throw glass"
O." Was you killed in Cardiff; an
how ?"
Ayes, killed by the cars. Got
$ cardiff in the stomach"
O." Was you ever n rolling stone ?"
Y A" No. And that's the way ] gath
t cred my moss"
h O." Hard feelings toward anybody +?
!, A" Yes, I'd like to punch the head c
: the man that dug me up"
: The interview was entirely satisfactory
c and 1 left with feelings of lofty admiratio
for the stone man.