The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-03-05
-A5out the Dead Giant.

Mr.. James Murphy, ir., giant who has
been keeping a restaurant at Isl South
Chester street, on Feli's Point, in this city,
for a year or 50 past. died ea.ly yesterday
morning of a bronchial affection or cons
sumption. Mr.. Murphy was born in Wat
erfoYd, Ireland, and was therefore full
bloodcd Irish giant and a large one, stand
ing neatly eight feet in his stockings. lie
was tliiity,three years Of age and unnar-
Iied. Some months agp, when he was in
comparatively good health, he weis he'd 351
pounds. He had weighed more when his
health was better. He had been in this
country twentyNfoUr years, having been
brought here by his father and mother,
who still live at the house on Chester street.
! The giant travelled three years with Bar
mum as one of the great living curiositics
of the world. Inlds professional career lie
visited every part of this country, from
Maine to California and the extreme South.
After terminating his engagement with
Barnum, the giant travelled with circus,
where he contracted the bronchial disease
which finally ended his life. When in
good health, lie had fresh, pleasant face,
aud, like ali large men, ard part icolarly
all giants except those of the story books
and nursery tales, was as amiable as he
was great i'll stature. He had a very
youthful expression of couDtenance, coal
black hair. and his hands were so large
tha. one of them could cover the head of
an ordinary man, just rs an ordinary hand
would cover an orange. His feet were not
so large propArtionately as the hands, but
beside an ordinary shoe one of his shoes
! would seem to be sufficient habitation
for ''the old woman of the story book.
( who 'had so many children she did not
know what to do' When the undertaken
came to measure tie dead giant for his
coffin il was found that the deceased was
full eight feet long. Surely the measure
of man is correctly known when he is dead.
! The coffin viii be nearly eight and half
feet long. TIE body was visited by hun
dreds Of people yesterday, The giant beiug
we'll known on Fcl's Point, where Ie was
justly esteemed foI lis an3iab}ity, especial
Iy by the children who after The first
shrin!5age, generally LIKED to Le taken in
his arms and elevated so far above the
| heads of their parents as he could convcn-
ieutly hold them. Sonle Of the little boys
in the neighbOl hood knew him only by the
name of The Clint" The body lay in
small room, about twelve feet square,
against the south wall, feet towards the
west, stret ching almost across the apart
ment, from side to sido. Candles were
burning At TIE head and foot ami sides of
the corpse, which was covered with Il black
pail, with large white cross on the breast
and crosses i'll the corners of the cloth
The father of the giant, who is sixty five
years of age, probably older, is a large
man. When az his bost lie stood over six
feet i'll his stockings, though Ec is now a
little bent. The mother is not large wo-
man, being not above the medium size for
the sex. She is nearly her husband 5 age.
Both the old people are in good health,
and seem vigorous for their Years. Includ-
ing the giant, they have had born to them
five sons aud three daughters. One son
only is ailvc. Some of tho children were
understood. Only one, son. attained to
the size Of tie father, except the giant,
who exceeded the growth Of tie parent by
nearly tyo feet. Tie funcral will take
place on Monday, and the burial will be in
the cemetery of tlie Holy Cross Baltj~
O. NJ o.