New-York tribune., 1879-09-04
THE STONE NAN or TAGHJNIC.

HISTORY OF ANOTHER PIECE or YANKEE SMART
NESS WHICH DECEIVED THE DOCTORS AND
PRoPEssOEs-MASKISD's LOVE OF HUMBUG IL
LUsTRATED AGAIN.
lFRoH ~ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT oP THE rnibUshl ]
TRUMANsBURG, N Y, Sept. 1.-The prin-
eipa topics aton ia this vicinity OF late have
been the revelations which have recently TO nsn
in regard to the stone at Taghgnic Fs'ls 1he
circumstances attending the disclosure call To mhd 'e
old adage When rogucs fall out honest men ge' tnei
dges not that wish TO be understood as sugIAen
ing those concerned IN this matter as rogues Far DO
from me 10 do that But the persons Interested nave
come 10 some Misunderstanding In regard 10 division
of the spos and those themselves asgreyed
resolved 20 reiaiae by exposing the fraud TGo result
has been some amusing developments. Inc rear iScS
In the case are ~ olOws TIE figure was made by one
Ira Dean an ingenious mechanic employed Ia the Gregg
Iron Works, this Village The idea occurred 70 MN
while experimenting upon composition for eementins
celr-bottoms. lie has a brother. Alans0n Dean, VINO
has acquired some local celebrity as woodcaryer aAd
wno last Winter exhibited collection OF ' Bibic
Beasts =" III Ithaca, Johannesburg Emira, ana neign-
boring places, the images beng designed 10 reWesent
beasts rpoken OF IN Rove atoms They were good
pieces work It ia probable tnat these experiences
were OF service to his brother producing missing
nk.r The ingredients used In the makeup Of the
stone man were iron filings and lathe iurniags. pn-
ve1zed and sfted, the sand aud grit thrown down Dy
erndstOncs the works, ioes blood, bone meal, some
supLuric acid, phosphate Of hme, AMI some
other materials which Dean keeps secret ~ 1t would
damage the cellar-bot.oms business to maze then
known.
In his Ast attempt AZ producing prahstoric man ne
tried mold the figure found that this would not
do lie thon formed long shspclcs naSs or the COM
position and carved II out Dy asnd using an ordinary
knife willie IL SOFT and last,, and tken chsel S
it grew harder finishing with flies. pumee stone and
sand paper. After the figure Completed 1t waS COW
Of aul ula a.fgr of ar
blood carboo acid aud whites Of eggs The hoof or club
foot which was OF much speculation, was
formed purpose, WAS also the difference in 'he
lengths OF the and ubim The reason given FOR
this was thar the Cardiff giant created suspicion Dy
be,ng TOO perfect and chance OF successful mpo-
sition would be improved by producing nisshapen
figure with the appearance OF having been distorted and
battered by upheaya and Commissions ofoary ages
The affair not baked or subjected to the action OF
hre AZ any stage Of ITS manufacture.
Thr. or four days pretended discovery the
object was conveyed by nigt II the place determined
upon for ia resurrection, accompanied by four ne res
idents of Trumansburg An excavation had already
been made near the spot located for the proposed
find The soil Is and graycy, and the side OF the
excavation dag Into atcraly leaving The sod above.
and the old stump, which ~ much stress mas reen
oid intact aud undsturbed. After planting the body,
the cavity was hed In and :amped nrmiy ana
tine stone LETT 20 Ls sluplbers un-
was the morning Of tho I'd OF July last Any disturb
VI the soil would escape attention on account OF
the digging and work when nad been gong on there Tor
time before II u reported mat foTty-three py
sicians visited and closely examined the curiosity
ana Us surroundings and nat OF hat number overthr,y
committed themselves TO belief IN its genuin eness as
a petI1factiOn Of some living being Modest common
people Who INDUCED IN doubts were annhated with
loon OF owlike gravity, smile OF superiority. or the
remark they understood anatomy tney Gould see
thar such a specimen not the work OF man IL j
now ia order thtse SOlOns 10 rise ana explain now
wisdom is justified of her children One professor or
Cornell University, told, was led 20 give his opln-
ion nat the thing had certainly once lived ana Dreatned
Willard Asylum for the Insane was also represented ID
the rapEs OF faithful. and delegation a.. experts
from that institution gave the fraud cerune1te oi re-
spectsbilty. As huDbug ib can certainly be called
success but II Is not the first fraud that
success has made respectable Whether the venture IS
a success financially have no means OF knowing bnt
aud that in moderate degree II has proved to
he suQl