The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-04-18

WDen he TetuTneu, Hull Sdiu tLdt Ddl uutu
said he wasn't going to buy pig in a
| bag, and he would send out a man to
look at Hull's invention.
"Barnum did send George Wells, of
Bridgeport, who came quietly, stopped at
Cases hotel, and let it be understood that
be was horse trainer who came to look
at some Hambletonian stock in the neigh
borhood. Case took him out driving, and
in the evening he was taken into the ice
house. where he viewed the wonder. He
departed on the early morning train.
| Hull told me that Barnum, if he was sat
istied, was to pay $4,000 down and have
certain share in the giant and share the
expenses of planting, etc. He also said
that Wells had expressed himself as more
than satisfied; in fact, he was perfectly
astounded, and he believed Barnum would
buy.
''The bargain was made, and the day
after | saw the giant-that is, March 10
the giant was wrapped with great many
wards of cotton cloth, and put in
box we'll bound with iron, which
was provided with false bottom
on steel springs. The box was
marked the machinery and directed to
Bridgeport, Conn.,, l think to George
Wells. At midnight it was put in wagon
and taken to Addison, eleven miles dis
tant on the Erie road. Hull made q Sec
ond trip to Bridgeport, where, on March
&c, an agreement was drawn up and signed
by the stockholders of the Giant com
pany, Barnum, Hull, Wells, and Case.
Hull went to New York April 8, and
Joined w. A. Conant, who was in Bar
NUNS employ. They shipped the giant
to Colorado Springs, and then re-shippei
it as local freight to Pueblo. Hull WAS
absent about six weeks, and on his return
told me that the giant was successfully
planted l believe that Conant went as a
doctor or professor in charge of party
in search of geological specimens. CO.
nant remained to watch the deposit, and
got a position as station agent on the
Santa Fe railway.
'Some time after his return, Hull told
me that the giant was just as ready to
dig up then as it would be in five years,
but that Barnum had gone to Europe and
would not be back till August. 10 June
Hull got letter from Conant, charging
him with being ndiscrcet, for a hunter
had told him (Conan) that the tall man
(HulD had said he wouldn't be surprised
if they found petrified man there some
day. Hull denied this. tried to reach
a settlement with Hull. To make the
sale to Barnum he had been obliged to
conceal from Barnum my knowledge and
interest. l could make no arrangement
with Hull, getting only promises, and ]
al I hau nal,
my hands of the whole business, and
when he got ready to bring the giant to
he surface he would need to keep an eye
on ME.
II subsequently got letters from Hull
and Conant urging that matters be hushed
up till he could gee and settle with me.
Here are the letters-the originals.
was not disposed to take any more prom
Uses, and so telegraphed to Hull if he at
tempted to move the giant l would ex-
pose the affair. He returned post haste,
arriving in Hornellsvile Sept. 4. l met
him on the street, but should not have
known him if he had not spoken to me;
he was cleverly disguised. l refused to
have anything TO do with him, and sent
him to my attorney. Before the latter
he brandished revolver and threatened
to shoot me, and then offered to settle by
giving me one twenty-sixth part of his
interest. He drew up a contract to that
effect, and then returned Immediately to
Colorado.
when Hill reached Pueblo, he found
that Conant, who, as he expressed it, had
been 'fooling with the giant had broken
off the head and one leg. Hull was en-
ragged, and a quarrel ensucd. However,
the giant was skillfully mended and the
discovery was made according to tie
plan. Barnum appeared on the ground,
and offered 100000 for the find, which
Conant refused with scorn. The people
began to laugh at Barnum, and he offered
a reward %. $4,000 to any man who
would prove the giant was made BY chsel.
OF course he hal them there. Then came
the test Hull told me that Barn paid
Prof. Taylor 500 and his expenses to go
out and bore into the giant. Hull had
lent an attentive car to the talk Of scicn-
tifc men, aud was astonished TO learn
that kind of crystal ought to be found
on boring into the arm of petritied
giant Hull obtained crystal to cores
pond, and by sleight of hand exchanged
it for the dust of the boring implement
which was first handed to him by Prof.
Taylor"
Mr. Cox said, in concluding his story:
When the giant arrived at Quincy, Ill.,,
Barnum, who was then in Washington,
ordered it To be brought to New York,
aud its subsequent history is known.
\ CURIOUS EXPERIMENTAL curious