Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-20
"A FAMOUS FIVE.

A FAMOUS FIVE.
Three Boys and Two Girls Born Mt the Same
Time.
[San Francisco Chronicle
Queen Victoria's bounty of $15 for ev.
cry case OF triplets appears to have had a
very stimulating effect in all parts of her
extensive dominions.. She has hitherto
confined the reward to cases occurring in
Great Britain, but the wife of an honest
German farmer in the colony, of South
Australia has recently presented an ex-
tremely strong appeal for an extension
Of the bounty beyond the limits of s'the
right tight little island" as Golden called
it. Jacob Schiller, farmer, residing about
thirty miles from the town of Kapunda,
South Australia, appears to have attract
ed no attention beyond the circle of his
friends, who were few and far between in
the thinly settled region where he and
his fellow-colonists from Germany had
settled. His wife, on the other hand, at
tracted attention wherever she went, and
well she might, if the reports concerning
her size, weight and achievements in the
way Of increasing the population are
correct. She is said to stand six feet
four inches in her stockings, and
to turn the balance at exactly 244
pounds and seven ounces. She gave
birth to boy and a girl in March, 1878,
and to two boys and one girl in Septem-
Der, 1875, one child being born between
these two grand events, fact deemed of
so little Importance in her remarkable eff
forts to increase the population of her
adopted country, that local chronlclers
have not thought it worth their time to
furnish the exact date of its occurrence.
Her caowning effort, however, and one
that would, had she lived in America, at
once have gained for her the title of
champion child producer, took place in
October, 1878. She gave birth to three
boys and two girls. Journalism in Aus
tral1a is conducted in quiet, sober man
ner. The busy reporter in search of an
item is an unknown parsonage there. Two
thirds of the newspaper is devoted to adj
vertisements, One-ninth to accounts of
| what is going on Sat home" as they call
England, and the remainder to various
topics. It IS not strange, therefore, that
| the most remarkable fact in Mrs. Schu-
ler's life was not Immediately made pub
lie. A friend of the family wrote a let
ter to another friend and mentioned the
circumstances Of the case. The friend
reported to the editor Of the Nord Aus
traliche Zeitung, published at Brisbane,
and he inserted short paragraph in ref
erence to it. The Australiche Zeitung pub
lished at Adelaide, aenied the story. These
two German journals, the only ones in Aus
tri by the way, fought verbal duel over
the matter for.several weeks, when an
article appeared in the Melbourn Argus
in reference to the matter, purporting to
have come from one who had seen the
mother and children. Finally, the South
Australian Register sent a reporter from
Adelaid to the residence of Schiller, and
he furnished minute report of the case,
proving its truthfulncss. Itappears from
his published account that Mrs. Schiller
was at work about the house preparing
her husbands dinner, when she was COM
PEELED on account Of indisposition to re-
tire to her couch. Her mother called the
husband from his work at the barn, and
he in turn dispatched boy employed
about the place for Mrs. Haines. who
acted occasionally as midwife. This
woman lived about five miles away; and,
though she fastened accordingly. she
did not reach the residence of Schiller
until two children had been born. There
was ample need of her services, .:owever,
for three more little ones were soon added
to the Schuler family. Every one pres
ent appears to have been greatly aston
ished, for, though Mrs. Schiller had al
ready made a reputation in this line, so
great an event was utterly unexpected.
The father of the five is said to have sat
stupidity down and mechanically gazed
from one babe to another, simply saying.
ssMein Colt! mein Gott" There were
three boys amid two girls, but no facts as
to their weight and appearance immedi-
ately after birth are given. All
of them are alive, and are said to be very
healthy Thanks to the wise provision
of Yankee ingenuity in introducing the
nursing bottle, they have all been pro-
vided with an abundant supply Of that
fluid so necessary to the sustenance of in
FAINT life. The neighbors of the Schulers
donated various small articles and money
Ito assist Mr.. Schuler's family, and six
penny subscription has been started in
the colony for their benegt 1t will
probably yield enough to clothe, support
aud educate the five until they reach a
self-supporting age, judging by the result
Of a similar subscription made in the
colonies for Pierce, the sole male survivor
Of the terrible Loeb Ard shipwreck, and
who rendered himself worthy of it by
swimming back into the surf about 2OC
yards and assisting Miss Carmichael, the
only one of the passengers of the Inflated
vessel that escaped, to reach the shore
That subscription amounted to nearly
$4,000. and it is probable that the fund
for the famous five will equal if not ex
coed it, for when the Australian people
undertake to do thing they usually &C.
complish it. A full account Of the case
has been transmitted to the Secretary Of
the Colonies at London in order that il
may be laid before the Queen, and Vic
toria, herself the mother of large fami
", will no doubt suitably reward hel
fruitful subject. Michael Hegarty, the
Australin Barnum, is said to have offered
Mr.. Schiller $3.50 a week and all expens
es of himself, wife and five children tc
travel, but the offer was declined.
A vermonter on Mr.. Evarts.
At the great meeting held in Cooper
Institute in October last, to sustain the
administration of President Hayes, al
which it had been announced that Mr.
Evarts would be present, gentleman