Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-28
THE DEAD SIAMESE TWINS.

The death Of the Siamese twins in
Mount Aiery, near Salisbury, N. c..
on the l7th Of this month, ended one
Of the most remarkable of natural phe-
nomena. They came to this country
in 1929, when they we're l8 years old,
having previously been shown in Eu-
rope They we're bora on the coast of
Siam, and their parents lived by fish.
ing. None of their fifteen brothers
and sisters were deformed, although
many Of them were twins. They made
the tour of the United States, and,
excepting Tom Thumb, were the great
est objects Of wonderment to the peo-
pie. Nor was the curiosity regarding
them confined to gaping ruralists. To
many men of science they were the
first specimen of joined and living
human beings. The flesbly ligature
which linked them was about foot
in length, two inches broad, and four
thick, and through it ran large ar
terry and many veins, making their
circulation identical. Their breath
ing too, was simultaneous when they
were asleep. They were not so en-
.irely one. however, but that each had
an entirely separate existence. Their
senses were totally disconnected. One
could not feel hurt inflicted on the
other, the ligature being the only part
in which they were sensitive in COM
mon. Much scientific discussion arose
concerning them, mainly bearing up
on the question of possible separation.
Barnum got the twins in 1850, and
for several years they were shown in
his old museum. At that time they
spoke English very imperfectly. They
were below the medium size. Chang
was larger than Eng, and looked sew
eral years younger. He was, too, the
mental superior Of his brother, although
both were ignorant, and had inteili-
gence that scarcely rose aboye low
cunning. Their faces were peculiarly
repelling, yellow in hue, and closely
resembling those of the Chinese cigar
sellers of Chatham street. Chang WI 8
the most robust and good natured.
Eng was often sick, and always morose
and peevish. They had a sleeping
room in the museum, as did the other
curiosities and one night rumpus was
heard in it. On breaking open the
door, the twins were found fighting
Eng was on the floor, underneath
Chang, who waa aokiny him. AS a
rule, however, Chang was more for
bearing than the irritable disposition
Of his brother warranted. They play
ed checkers together sometimes, and
took lessons in Euglish with slow re-
suits. Their pay was 800 a week,
which they equitabIy divided and put
into savings banks. They never visit
ed their home, and seemed to have no
care for their family. When Eng was
sick Chang nursed him; but perhaps
did so from selfish motives, as the
serious illness of one made it necessary
for the well one also to get to bed.
Chang had something of an appreciative
vein of fun, and liked to give sense
less answers, in his broken English, to
the numberless questions of visitors.
They remained with Barnum until
1855, and it is believed that they had
then::saved about $40, ,000.each. Grow
ins tired of show life, they decided to
settle down in warmer part Of the
United States
In their travels they had been in
North Carolina, and its climate had
pleased them. So they bought two
plantations, and secured wives to com
plete their domestic establishment.
Here they took the surname of Bunker.
They were then bachelors of forty
They married EngIish sisters, aged
twenty-six and twenty-eight. The
girls had been servants, and it is said
that Lancashire dialect still clings to
them. The making of the double
match involved much trouble, for al
though the twins were not unduly ex-
acting, it was hard to find women who
were both willing and at all desirable.
There was no love-making before the
engagement, the courting was done by
proxy aud correspondence, and the
ladies' had seen their future husbands
only at show in London when they
accepted the offer of marriage. The
twins based their choice upon likeness
es forwarded by their agent, who gave
assurances of the respectability of the
girls. All having been arranged they
were brought to America, the twins
paying their expenses, and the marriage
solemnized quietly in Salisbury. The
wives were not beautiful, but were
strong, healthy English working girls.
The domestic lives of the couples were
peculiar. Each family had its own
house, servants, and domestic establish
ment. The plantations were owned
and managed separately. although in