Wilmington journal., 1874-02-06
From the New York Herald.
THE SIAMESE TWINS.
MEDICAL MEN QUIBBLINc WHILE
THE BODIES ARE DEC0M-
RnelMA
THE INQUEST DISPUTE.

THE INQUEST DISPUTE.
Interesting Resume Of the Pub.
lie and Private Life and So
cIaI Relations ofChang
and Eng.
MOUNT AIRY, Surry Co., N. c., !
January "a, 1874. !
White the outside world is exhibit.
ing a deep interest in the death of the
Siamese Twins, and while the scientific
medical men are fretting over the un.
solved problem of the Ggament that
connected them, their bodies are slow
ly but surely decomposing in the box
in the cellar of Eng's house, four miles
from this point. A more thoroughly
bungled job than the "boxing" pro-
cess could not we'll have been executed,
having for its object the preservation
of the bodies. In the first place the
viscera were allowed to remain in the
bodies. There was no injection of any
kind of preserving agent. Had DIR.
Hollingsworth used sulphate of zinc,
corrosive subimate, or, in fact, any
good disinfectant, the bodies might
have been KEPT in state of rreserva-
tion for an indefinite period. Then,
instead of packing the bodies in ice or
placing the charcoal Immediately
around them, they were laid i'll the in
ner box in the same manner that a
corpse would be in coffin. This box
was closed and then put in an alright
tin case, and the latter was
PACKED IN CHARCOAL
in a still larger wooden case. Now
any ons having practical sense knows
that the charcoal on the outside of the
tin, can have no preserving effect
whatever. The large box containing
the charcoal, the tin, inner box and
the bodies was then placed in the
cellar of Eng's house. where it is said
to have been Temporarily buried
about one foot under ground. Thus
the matter stands at present and the
only hope for tho scientific world lies
in an effort that is now being made,
but of which cannot yet make public
mention, to compel the authorities to
hold an inquest over the bodies, by
which the present mystery as to the
cause of Chang's death may be ex-
planned.
On the Thursday evening previous
to their demise the twins rode from
Chang's house Zone mile) to Eng's
house. The evening was damp and
cold. and Chang having previously
had a slight attack of pulmonary pneu-
monia, the exposure on this occasion
is alleged to have parcipitated his
death. But that is too vague and the
facts scarcely Justify such a conclu-
sion. On Friday evening, the 10th
inst, Chang, when he retired, was in
his usual condition as partially par
alytic invalid. No apprehension what
ever was felt for his safety, nor did he
himself seem to be alarmed or any
worse than on any preceding night.
In the morning he was found dead,
being present but a little
negro girl, who was asleep. In two
hours after this discovery Eng expir-
ed, and if these circumstances do not
an inquest, then the laws pro-
viding for such legal investigation in
the case of mysterious death ought to
be abolished.
During my brief stay OF few hours
here have had conversation with
Mr.. r. s. Gilmer, a lawyer, who was
acquainted with the twins
and their families, and from him OBJ
tanned quite a number of facts con-
nected with their history yet nnpub-
lished.
THEIR ADOPTED NAME.
AS is already known they were born
in Siam on the 11th of May, 1911,
where they lived until 1929, when they
were brought to the United States by
q sea captain named Coffin. This per
son claimed them as his property and
exhibited them for a lie elgthy period,
realizing handsomely from his enter
prise, the twins implicitly believing he
had as perfect right and title to them
as to any other goods and chattels he
How long this continued
my informant was unable to say, but a
man named Bunker appeared, who
knew the circumstances of their origin,
and who interested himself sufficiently
in their behalf to free them from the
species of slavery in which they were
held by Coffin. This done they adopted
the name of their patron, and began
giving exhibitions themselves under
the style and title of the
FIRM OF E. 4 c. BUNKER.
Their pecuniary and otherwise bril-
liant success is now a matter of his
tory, with which all the readers of the
Herald are familiar. Nearly every
civilized nation in the world was visited
by them, and the medical men Of
every country acknowledged them to
be the greatest living natural curl, sity
Of the age. 1t was during one of their
tours through the United States, trav-
cling as they did at the time in an
open barouche of their own. that they
visited place called Trap Hill, in the
adjoining county of Wilkes. Here
they made stay of few days
and here it was they made the
acquaint ince of family named Yates,
with whom they became very intimate
and friendly, the attraction being two
young ladies, respectively named Sa-
rah Ann Yates and Adeline Yates.
This was in 1913. In a very short
time. Eng evinced a decided liking for
Miss Sarah Ann, or Miss Sally, as she
was called. A courtship followed, and
to make the story short. Eng proposed,
was accepted by the damsel, and a
marriage was the Immediate result.
CEang, though a partner of Eng in
everything else, was not a partner in
his connubial joys ana felicities. of
which he was constantly reminded, and
this state of single blessedness became
very irksome to him. He grew miser-
able and quarrelsome, and nothing
could be done to please him, and this
sort of companionship was quite dis
agreeable to the newly-wedded pair.
How was it to be remedied. was the
question that ngitated Eng's and his
wife's mind, when, suddenly, one day,
with a wOman's tact, a bright idea
struck Mrs. Eng, and she lost no time
in communicating it to her husband.
She had a panacea for all Chang :
woes, and this was that he should
MARRY HER SISTER
Adeline. Eng smiled serenely at tt q
proposition, Chang frightened mp at
it; but the next question that present
Ell itself was, "Would the young lady
agree to como into the family as a wife
as well as peacemaker ?" Mrs. Eng
said. "Leave all that to me; I will fis
that" And sure enough she did. By
her persuasive eloquence, Miss Addy
was won over, and in two weeks from
tho 1oto of Enoso