Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-02-04
THE DEAD s1AMEsE TWINS,
ligsture that Joined Them I'm Life and
Death--their Social Ways. their Wives
and Families. and their Mental Char
sctcristics--A Living Body Bound to
Corpse. ..s NM, /

"
The death Of tho Siamese twins IN
Noun, Aiery, near Salisbury, N. C.
on the 18th Of this month, ended one
Of the most remarkable OF natura
phenomena. They came to this coun
try in 1929, when they were IS years
Old, having previously becn shown In
Europe. They were born on the coas,
Of Siam, aud their parents lived by
fishing None Of their fifteen broth.
ers and sisters wore dcformed. Al.
though many Of them were twins.-
They made the tour Of the United
States, and, excepting Tom Thumb
we're the greatest objects of wonder,
ment to the people. Nor was the Gu
riosity regarding them confined to
gaping ruralists. To many men OF
science they wero tho first specimen
Of Joined and living human beings.
The heshy 'igaturo which linked them
was about . foot in length, two inch.
os broad, aud four thick, and through
it ran large artery and many veins.
making their circulation Identical
Their breathing. too, was simultane.
ous when they were asleep. They
wore not so entirely one, however. bu,
that each had an entirely sepa rate ex,
istence. Ono could not fcol hurt in.
flicted on the other, the ligaturc be.
ing the only part in which they
were sensitive in common. Their
senses were totally discon nected. -
Much scicntidc discussion arose con.
oernlng thcm, mainly bearing upon
the question of possible separation.
THEIR LIFE IN NEW YORK.
Barnum got tho twins in 1850, and
for several years they were shown in
bis old museum. AT that time they
spoke English vory impcrfsctly. They
were below the medium size. eCkanr
was larger than Eng, and looked sew.
eral years younger. lilo was, too. the
mental superior of bis brother, aitho'
both were ignorant, and had intelli.
genoo that scarcely rose abovo low
cunning. Their faces wsrc peculiarly
repelling, yellow in hue, and closely
resembling those Of the Chinese cigar
sellers OF Chatham street Chang
was the most robust and good ma. a
turcd. Eng was often sick, and al.
ways moroso and peevish. They had
. sleeping room in the museum, US did
tho other curiosilies, and one night A
rumpus was heard in it. On break.
ing open the door, the twins were
found fighting. Eng was on the floor
underneath Chang, who was choking
him. As q rule, however, Chang was y
more foreboaring than tho Irritable
disposition Of his brother warranted
They played chequers together some.
times, and took lcssonS ID EupIish
with slow results. Their pay was
SioO week, which they oQuitably dI.
vided and pu. into savings banks.---
They meyer visited their homo. and
seemed 70 have no care for their tam.
ny. when Eng was sick Chang nursed
MIN, but perhaps did 90 from selfish
motives, us the serious illness of one ~
made II necessary for the we'll ono al.
60 70 go to bed. Chang had some.
th'ng OF an appreciative vein of fun.
ana liked 70 give sonseless answers in
broken English, 10 tho numbcrless
q9estions Of ylsitorr, They remained
with bsrnun until 1855, and Il ~,
os''svcd that they had thcn savod
ABOUT eao, 600 esch. Growing tirsd
o' show life, they decided 10 settle