The New York herald., 1879-12-30
A HUMAN MONSTROSITY.


FRIaHTFUL DEFoRMITx OF A. MICHIGAN
PAUPEg--A MAN WHO Is HALF TURTLE, WITH
FINS LIKE FISH. $sii.'
A correspondent OF the Chicago Inter-Ocean OF the
27th, writing from Battle Greek. Michigan. tells
remarkable story Of the discovery Of monstrosity
in tho poorhouse of that State. known as 'the
turtle man." The correspondent says he visitedthe
poorhouse to satisfy himself TO tho truth Of the
numerous stories he had heard regarding this crea-
ture. The keeper of the institution introduced him
to the monstrosty calling the four ieet high dwarf.
who stood before him. by the name of Samuel
Keene. He says :--Kcene, at the commsnd of the
keeper. managed. by singular side movement OF
the body and pushing his slouch hat from his head
by his queer shaped claws to make a courtesy AS
he stood before It's. bareheaded. he presented the
most wonderful specimen Of man amalgamated with
the animal Kingdom that be imagined. On
speaking with him ho apparently understood every
word, but lacked suihcent intelligence to frame
reasonable answer. just as o dumb brute can COM
prehend but cannot give an Intelligent reply.
In stature this singular being is short. thick
set. and fiat rather than round His legs
and arms are short the hands turning out
ward. the same as turtles. and instead Of fingers
the widened palm ends in webbed claws The feet
are fashioned in the same manner and when he
walks it Is with sidelong, ambling gait, moving
the entire side of the body IN the peculiar
q tortoise In his actions and talk he has q slow,
measured Jerking style The inside OF his dirty claw
or fin which he held out to shake hands with. was
| of yellow color, also his feet and
stomach the skin having the same ribbed appear
and color OF the under part OF u turtle 1t
| reported that he had shell upon his back. but
upon examination it was found to consist OF tough
harder each year. and may soon become ossaed.
The peculiar color Of different portions Of his body.
some being dark and others white, has led to the
conclusion that his flesh is mutikind Of differ
ent construction in tissue Although 80 small he is
Of s IS SS
OF the neck with aat face and head coming
to point on the top, the same rs that OF q snake.
He is almost constantly moving his head eyes
from to side. The back portion of his Uranium
with short bristly. black hair but hair grows
any other portion of the body; no whiskers mus
tache. only few bristles At each corner Of his
mouth. The nose is fiat. like an Ethiopian's. The
mouth extends from jowl to jowl. very wide. and
furnished with full set Of teeth He constantly
out. and it lis this, more than anything else. that
causes his uninteligible jargon. But the eyes
whites are excessively large and rolling. the pupils
small and black, look directly ahead. and possess
piercing and elistening from underneath the broad
eyebrows. In temper he Is perfectly docile and
harmless unless aronsea ;, 20 wnen ne Is saen
scarcely ever says anything unless spoken to, and,
when young. never mingled with the boys or en-
gagged in Juvenile sports. His parents were very
poor, and both died when he very young. He
has brothers and sisters well oil in worldly goods
and respectable but they to support him, and
he is psuper upon the charity or the town.
CAUSE OF THE DEFoRMrTY.
The cause this terrible deformity is said be
fright received by the mother to the chlds
birth. 1t furnishes Of the most startling proofs
Of prenatal influence on record. The parents re-
sided near Diamond Lake, and, being very poor.
often caught fish for food. While fishing out Of
boat day. with her hands just touching the
water and holding the line, an enormous TURTLE at
tracted by the moving fingers. suddenly jumped up
and bit her. She never recovered from the fright,
ward. it had indebIy stamped upon it's entire body
the form Of the turtle 1t was not so noticeable at
but with Its and
ticeable was it's desire to creep even
after it could walk. Afterward. upon examination
found to be double anG turned outward, like . tor
toise. AS the horrible truth grew upon the mothor
the child became loathsome to her, and it proba
bly, to shame and grief that the early death Of the
| parent was due. During boyhood 1t was found i'm
possible to educate the boy beyond few words
| which he utters hourly. As he has memory Of
| facts or incidents. he cannot tell even his age or
anything connected with his life. and oil is to him
blank. He exists only in the present. and like the
brute. seems to have care for the morrow or sor
row for the past. In summer his greatest delight is
| to 60 in bathing, and lie will remain under water
q long time When boy he had to be constantly
watched lest he should drown hts friends feared
hood rs he had to be fe his claws or Ans not being
large enough to grasp food but lately he has learned
to feed himself He IS fondest OF vegetable food and
fish, but will eat anything he secs the rest OF his
! fellow-companions eat. He seems to have no pas
sion affection and cares no more for the opposite
than for his own He takes the greatest pleasure
! which is the only sense he seems to possess--in
| tending baby. and for our amusement. the keeper
brought in an infant. Sans features lighted up
| with a smile which would have done credit to an
Egyptian idol His mouth opened still further and
his tongue protruded as ho saw the child. Sitting
down in chair and crossing his dwarfed limbs to
form cradle he tcnderly took the poor unfortunate
infant left the steps few days before and began
to rock It with his knees while he made most sim
guar low fnumbling noise, which he called singing.
Sammy he is called by all the inmates. has very
little idea Of the great world. All his world Is the
| house and farm on which he lives. He seems to
| possess but little emotion and upon the an
nouncement OF any ones death. takes IL oalmly
| call to dinner. He seems to bo simply one grade
above animal life and At argument for Darwin
could be wished. We wero informed that Barnum
was negotiating for him companion to his tat