Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-26
Handy with Els Jaot-Kniss.
Ist. Louis Republican.

One oftIie most eccentric characters in
,souri--if not in the entire Mississippi
lley-is William Yohe, Of Kirkwood.
lie better known AZ Bill the Whit
l." Bill claims to be the champion
ittler in the world. With an ordinary
d.knife he has demonstrated his ability
make almost anything carpenter, a
,net-maker, or wood-carver can make
eht full set of edged tools. He occu-
II 5 an old church in Kirkwood. which
has filed almost complely with Curl
},ities OF q novel as well as useful charac-
4ter with the aid Of his trusty bone-han-
died knife. The spectators who take the
trouble to visit this museum will find
the collection a. interesting an the pic
tures,of : famous art gallery. A short
time ago Bill made the announcement
that be would throw the church doors
open on certain day in order
that those who desired to see his contri-
yances might crafty their curiosity.
After that date no person would be ad-
mitted, as he proposed to begin the
greatest undertaking Of his life, viz,
the construction Of great automatic
concern, that would surpass anything Of
.the kind the world had ever seen. The
population Of Kirkwood, with scarcely
an exception, accepted Bills invitation,
ind ali day during his reception the
church was filed weth people. Ever
S|nce that eventful day the people Of
Kirkwood have looked upou Bill as the
Eighth wonder Of the world. A Repub-
ican reporter visited Kirkwood yester-
day and had very pleasant interview
with "Bill.' Bill was sitting ON q
bsnch with section Of cigar-box on
dAe hand and his favorite bone-handled
knife in the other. whiting away as
though the destiny of the world de-
pended upon his ability to complete his
work. The blade Of the knife he used
was about an inch long and tapered all
the way from the hilt to the point.
"Well, Bill" said the reporter. "thsy
say you are the champion whittier of the
world"
.sYes, and am willing to whittle any
thing against any man living. There is
only QUE other whittier on the face OF
the earth who can ever approach my
work, and that person is Monkey John,
Of Chicago. Monkey John would
not whittle against me, for he and !
have whitfield together and he knows
what can do. / was born in st. Louis.
on Morgan street. in the building
occupied years ago by the old Mound
City Bakery. When in my teens ! be-
! c5me the apprentice Of millwright. but
before my time was out, atthe beginning
Of the war, / ran away and joined the
Union army as member Of Capt. 9. w.
oenn's company. While serving as a
jldier 1 had one Of my toes Of my right
foot shot of, and could have had a
osusion had seen fit to apply for one.
IHowever. I had little pride that
\ prompted me to vow that I would never
call upon Uncle Sam for assistance as
long as could use knife and obtain
livelihood by whiting. II may appear
strange to you, but 1t is true neverthe-
less. that never knew had any extra
ordinary gift for whittling until ! had
reached my twenty third year. Then !
made . toy house for my sister. which
WAS 90 universally admired that de-
termined to manufacture other curiosi-
ties. The first piece of Importance l
Whitfield was q complete model Of the
Castle BinQen on-ths. Rhine. Thi. piece
vas flushed in 1873, aud contained $50
tindows. II is now owned by gentle
nan residing in Clay county. The next
piece was the model of the steamship
Bristol. copied from an engraving on
hand-bill.
II defy any artist to eclipse my work
with either 4 pencil or brush. An artist
may draw picture as perfssV as ne
psssibly can and hand it to me 70 repro
duce in wood, and will improve on the
picture. Some think because they can
make wooden chain with knife they
, are great whittlers. There 10 no trick
: making simple chain. as the man
vkho can make one link can make forty.
scroiling IL by far the most difficult work
( man can do with knife. can carve
uerfectly 4 leaf or an animal. With q
sjmple pocket-kuife have made over
800 models, which occupy places in the
Patent Office.
ABOUT year ago made the model
az steamship for parties in Europe.
Thev were 90 well pleased with it that
! they paid me $3.50 for my work. This
model was run by steam and could travel
Through the water at the rsteof sixteen
miles an hour. My aptitude for whit
Uslinr is as natural to me ~ an ear for
nusic is to some other men. After q
/ rece OF work is finished ! often look At
with astouishment and wonder how l
/ liver succeeded in making IL 90 complete
/ 4 every detail. cannot draw, and know
,ext TO nothing about mathematics, yet
" proportions 10 every piece OF work !
fake are always remarkably correct.
lVhen look at picturs which / in
nd to represent in wood l unconscious
measure its proportions with the eye.
will wager my life almost that can
fnittIe out any automatic contrivance
liver invented in the space OF year.
4Until this year was not aware that
Ysnything more than living could be
made by whittier, but now entertain
different opinion. The most ] ever
made ON a piece prior to this year was
400. which was cleared on rattle. In
two weeks can complete in every detail
the model Of any ship ever built, ana
viii construct any kind OF machine
ever invented and make it run ia ar
eight ounce bottle. All this sounds very
strage to you. yet every word OF II u
true"
= - s.