Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-06-03
Tallest Man and Woman Living =!
Interesting Faote Concerning the
Intelligent Couple--Descrip-
tive Details.

Interesting Faote Concerning the
Intelligent Couple--Descrip-
tive Details.
The Giants Castle-Thelr Furniture
The Clothes they wear-so Yards
OF Silk in Ono Dress!
Their Theory About Giants-A Devout
1 Church Menaber-Their Bridal
Tour Before Queen Victoria.
For some time past the public mind
has been excited by the wonderful stories
which the newspapers Of the country
have published about q remarkable
couple, said to be the tallest and larges,
people In the world. So extraordina airy
were the accounts Of these giants til at, as
it was learned that Capt. NJ. V. Bates and
lady were making the tour Of the west, q
reporter of the Globe Democrat was dis
patched to interview the gigantic couple
and ascertain the truth in regard to them
for the benefit Of our readers. 1t was no
email job, aud it must be acknowledge
that in ali his reportorial experience the
writer had never before been detailed 10
tackle any such weighty subjects.
From the reports, it was expected to
find two very fleshy people of large stature,
90 many Of whom are advertised az Won
ders, but who are, in tact, moustrositles,
:heir immense developments being the
result of disease. No more fallacious
idea could be formed, however, and
when the reporter, after having sent in
his caro-, was politely ushered into the
presence of Capt. aud Mrs. Bates, he
found himself confronted by tive as per-
tectly formed gentlefolk as he had ever
seen. The first impression was one Of
awe, and it occurred to the interviewer's
mind that half the truth had not been
told. A feeling Of insignincance over
came hun, and he appeared to sink to
the l:lllputian dimensions of
TINY JACK THE aIANT-KILLER,
that historical parsonage so dear to the
juvenile mind. Having recovered from
his establishment, the polite and cOurte-
Gus greetings were acknowledged. Capt.
Bates remarked as he extended his
hand, that che was an admirer of
the press" and he fully demonstrated
his affection for it when he allow
ed his one hundred square inches Of
palm to envelope the Insignificant men,
Der of its representative. Mrs. Bates
received with stately, courtly bend of
the body, learned probably In the halls
of royalty, and it is feared that the re.
porter recOiled, as her towering form
yielded, from an unconscious fear that
something was about to fall on and crush
him.
But brief description of these remark
able people must be given in order that
some idea may be gained of how they
differ from ordinary mortals. Capt
Martin Van Buren, Bates was born in
Whitesburg, Letcher county, Ky, Nov.
9, 1916. He is seven feet eleven and one
half inches in height, and weighs AIS
pounds. His father was about six feet
tall and his neither was q lady of ordi
nary stature. He was the youngest OF
twelve children, seven boys and i've girls
and the tallest of his family, except him
self, was q brother killed at Vicksburg
during the war, and who was six feet two
inches in height. No cases of extraor6i-
nary size have ever been known in any
of his ancestors, and his extraordinary
development must be viewed simply as
freak of nature, as it cannot be accounted
for on any scientific grounds.
Nature as usual did not propose to dc
things by halves, and in 1949 Miss Anna
II. Swan was born in Colchester county
Nova Scotia. As the sequel shows, she
was intended as
COMPANION FOR TIE BIG BOY.
her parents were rather small sized
people, her father being but five feet and
four inches IN height and one hundred
| aud forty five pounds, while the mother
u Avn foot nd <xry0 4.
ond hundred and ten pounds when in
robust health. She had three brothers
and tive sisters, all of ordinary size, and
no other case of remarkable growth has
ever been know among her progsnitors
Mrs. Bates was as tall as her mother when
years of age, but she continued to shoe,
upward until today she is exactly the
same height as her husband, seven fee
eleven and One-half inches, her weight
being four hundred and thirteen pounds.
Both the lady and gentleman are per
tectly proportional, every member CORE
spending and aiding to produce a sym
metrical but colossal ii cure. When The
reporter called, Mrs. Bates, who is an ex
csedingly fine looking lady, was dressed
in handsome blue silk, cut in the most
fashionable style, with bands Of delicate
white lace at the throat and wrists She
wore quantity of very elegant jewelry
and her hair was dressed high, thus
making her appear taller than her stately
lord. Capt. Bates is
4 PERFECT APOLLO IN FIGURE,
and quite Chesterfield in manners. He
has frank, pleasant face, giving clea
indications Of the massive heart within
him. His garments are all Of the lates
style, and fit perfectly. He affects only
q neatly waxed mustache, his broa(
cheeks giving evidence Of close init
macy with keen razor.
4 TALK WITH THE GIANTS.
Capt. and Mrs. Bates are people o
more than average intelligence, an,
show that they have improved the oppor
tunitles they have had for acquiring in
formation of people and places durin
their extended travels.
"Do you think you have stopped grow
ing, captain ," asked the reporter.
Capt.-"Well, hope I have. hav
reached the height of my ambition, ant
have got things perfectly well fixed to en-
Joy life as am now"
kep.-"Were you brought up to an,
business ~
Capt.-"1 am thorough granger; I wa
brought up on farm, and now own on,
myself at Seville, Medina county, Ohio
have one hundred and sixty-two acres
in fine shape, and take great pride in it,
Rep.-You have
! A GIANTS CASTLE
on it."
Cspt.-"Yes, we have q pretty goo,
house; the lower story Is twelve and one
half feet in height, and the upper on
twelve feet. Our doorwaYs are eight and
one half feet high, while ordinarily the,
are seldom over six and one half.''
Rep course your furniture com
pares with the buildingW
Capt.-"1n every room we have chair
for my wife and myself, but of course W
have ordinary furniture for our friend
and servants. Our own furniture wa
made especially for US by Herndon, O
Cleveland. The bedstead is eight fee
and four inches long, and five feet ant
six inches wide. The chairs, bureau
washstands, and, in fact, sverythin,
correspond. We experience great dea
Of inconvenience when travelling, on &C
count of the diminutlve size of the ord
r.