The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-09-16
A MoNsAROsITY.
A Child Born with the Head of a Cat
and the Feet of Chicken.
From the Joplin Mol Bulletin,

rTOul Int Joplin t-siO-J DuiietH.,
Nature, when in festives mood, per-
forms many odd freaks, but the most
wonderful Of which we have ever heard,
was the birth of "a strange monstrosity
about two weeks ago, and not half doz-
en- miles from Joplin. The circum-
stances were related to us by physi-
clan whose reputation for truth and We
racity cannot be questioned. At the
request of the unfortunate parents, the
physicians name, as well as theirs, will
not at this time be made public. About
l o'clock a. NJ, 23d ultimo, Dr.
was summoned to attend Mrs.
who was monentarily expected to be
confined. Arriving at the house, he
found three or four women gathered
there in a state of great excitement, and
on inquiring the cause of their agita-
ton, he was shown to the bed side,
where he found the lady in state of
nervous prostration. After administer
ing the necessary remedies, which sue
ceeded in quieting her nerves, he was
shown into another room, where he be-
held strange looking being, which the
lady had given birth to a few minutes
before his arrival. Even the doctor,
sights, was shocked at this. Wrapped
in its swaddling clothes lay the child,
weighing about eight pounds, with q
head whose forehead was well develop
ed, but whose mouth, lose, eyes, ears
and general countenance was the exact
counterpart of cats, though the eyes,
from their dazzling brilliancy, looked
much like q serpent's. The body, arms
and hands were well formed and natural,
and SO were the legs as far down as the
knees. From the knees they bore an
almost exact resemblance to q leg of a
chicken-the foot wasas near chicken S
foot as can be imagined-and the infant
would contract its toes just as chicken
would. Its head and neck were covered
with growth of fine black hair, the
body and limbs looked like a chicken
when plucked of its feathers; the cries
were those of a cat. Other peculiarities
were noticeable, but, perhaps, it is best
not to make them public at this time.
It is said that this unfortunate circum-
stance was brought in this wise: Some
five or six years ago, while the parents
resided in another state, the lady was
Watching fight between a cat and a
rooster in an adjoining yard. Two boys,
aged ten and twelve years, respectively,
were watching the contest with great in
terest. Finally the cat caught the
chicken by the neck, and instantly dis
patched him; the other boy grabbed a
light ak, and, uplifting it, rushed to-
ward the younger, saying, Oh you
your cat killed my rooster, and I'll kill
you The younger brother, in attempt
ing to escape, stumbled and fell. at
this stage of the proceedings, the lady
fell to the floor in swoon, but recover
ed only to pass from one spasm to an
WHICH COAGlllutd 1OI SSNG1sti
and the result was the birth of this
monstrosity.
The parents wished the child put out
of the way by violent means, but, after
a deal of persuasion and promises of a
large sum of money, the doctor was al
lowed to retain it, provided he would
never make its parehtage known, or ex-
hibit it for two years. He has hired an
old negro man and wife, who live at an
out-of-way place on the Arkansas line,
to raise the infant. Less than q week
ago he heard from it; and it was grow
ing finely. There are other interesting
matters connected with this case, which
we will lay before our readers, in a few
weeks, if permitted.