Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-21
STRANGE FREAK OF NATURE.
A Western Dwarf With Turtles Head
Two Headed Children, a Boy With Feet
Thirty-SiX Inches in Length, and Dog
With Human Head-A Combination OF
Horrors.
New York Start

With a human Head-A Combination Of
Horrors.
New York Star.
Recently Star Reporter called at the
store of MIR. John Wallace, taxidermist,
of North William street. Mr.. Wallace,
| am in search of monstrositles, said the
reporter "Have you had any here lately
to stuff"
"For the past twelve months l have
only had one or two to speak of, but l
have had pretty good number during
my years of experience. 1 don't care to
have them abont the place; they are so
repulsive. Besides they don't sell. Cen
orally they are made up in wet prepare
tion-alchohol. When 1 have them they
are ordinarily fixed up by me for private
parties or museums. have had some
funny cases in NY time, too. Calves
with two heads occur pretty frequently.
Then had colt once with one eye, and
that in the middle of the forehead.
Chickens and dogs with three legs are
very common. A few weeks ago stu1f-
ed three-legged dog for customer at
Paterson; but that was beaten by cat
had upon one occasion with eight legs
and two heads. Then, let me see, 1 have
had also snake with two heads; a pig
with two bodies, two tails, one head and
SIX legs; COW with mans arms, and
fingers like claws, and duck with five
legs. 1t was eight months old when the
poor thing died."
$50 on with your catalogue, please"
said the reporter.
That's about all I can remember
now;' and lady customer coming in at
that m oment with deceased Tabby, Mr..
Wallace's memory was not put to further
test.
Mr.. Francis Uffner, one of the leading
collectors and agents of monstrosities,
was then seen in the Bowery, at the
American Museum, No. 29S.
"You have been pretty considerable
time IN the museum business, Mr.. Uf-
ner, 1 believe?"
''Yes; getting on thirty years. It was
I who first introduced the M1dgets and
the Kentucky Giant into American socie-
ty. Many a curious freak of nature
would never have been heard of, it had
not taken them under my parental care"
"Have any recent cases come under
YOUR observation?'
81 must explain my method. adver-
tise every week In the Clipper for all sorts
of novelties and specialties in the way
of monsters. Then if 1 think they may
be worth anything, and any individuals
will come out of private lite to be exhib
tied, get them to come on TO New
York, where they will be of
most service 10 the business from
their odd qualifications. Generally
must insist upon a photograph
being sent on. I suppose I have some
thirty to forty photographs now Of re-
markable curiosities. A fortnight ago
had sent on from Council Bluffs, Iowa,
dog with human head, but as he was
stuffed 1 would't touch him. Here's
queer case. Look at this photo. A child
seven years old with head larger than
her body. What head Why, it is fit
for a Pythagoras. I sent the account of
her to Barnum, but she died before we
looked her up. Her head killed her. l
had lately an offer from the parents Of an
eleven-year male child, named Taylor,
living at Canton, Ohio. He is a boy with
enormous feet, each of which is about
thirty-slx inches long. His father sent
me on diagram of his feet. They were
whoppers, and no wonder he was unable
to walk. DR.. Kane OF Pitspurg, informed
me Of leopard boy. He's spotted all
over; is only twelve yearsbld, and was
raised in Mississippi. The Turtle Man,
of Michigan, beats any thing I have yet
heard of in the shape of monstrosities."
'The Turtle Man?' that is queer
name," said the reporter.
"Yes, but it is warranted by facts. The
Turtle Man, of Battle Creek, Mich. is
now in the poor. house there, and was
christened Samuel Keene. He is dwarf,
about four feet in height, and has the
most queer kind Of walk you ever saw.
He has back composed of tough layers
of bony cuticle, which are growing hard
er and harder every day. Some Of these
cuticles are white, others dark. The most
extraordinary thing about him is his
head, which Is a perpendicular continual
ton of his neck He has flat face and
nose, Just like negro's. His mouth is
Il rare UlSS oue "IliCu s5EeS lloll oai W oai'
his tongue lolllng out all the time. Then
his eyes are large and rolling, with small
black pupils. His arms and legs are
short; his fingers are webbed claws, and
they turn outward just like a swapping
turtles. The inside of his fns-for that
is what they are-are yellow ocher in
color, and so are his stomach and feet.
His skin has the ribbed appearance of
the under part of TURTLE
'.How old is he!'
"About thirty-two. This unfortunate
being understands what is said to him,
but he is only dumb brute after all: ne
can't give reasonable answer to any re-
mark. He's short, fiat and thick-set.
"What do you consider to be the rea-
son of his extraordinary appearance?"
asked the reporter.
well, in Michigan, they say, his moth
er was frightened just before he was born.
This is how they report it happened. His
people lived near Diamond Lake, and
mainly subsisted on fish, which they
caught themselves. One day his mother
was out on the lake fishing; her hands
laid over the side of tie 1eoat; suddenly
q turtle of enormous size jumped up and