The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-05-24
A FREAK OF NATURE.
An Ohio MonstrOsity, With an Animals
Nature and a Voice Like Cyclone.
C~hillicothe Leader.

An Ohio Monstrosity, With an Animal
Nature and a Voice Like Cyclone.
Chinicothe Leader.
Marvellous as are the ''freaks" gath
cred together by the show people
they haven't anything in the way o.
human curiosity to compare with /,
remarkable being confined in the coun
ty infirmary OF Pike county. The
creature is a man, but his right to thai
title rests solely upon the fact that he
was born of woman In every other
respect he differs from his kind, and
possesses no attributes in common with
ordinary representatives of his sex. He
bears upon his person, in his habits
and vocal organs, all of the character
lstics of a bull, in as nearly a perfect
form as it is possible for a two-legged
creature to possess them.
This remarkable being is named
John and is forty years old. He is the
son of very respectable parents, who,
at the time of the monsters birth,
lived in Pebble township. Twelve
years ago the mother who gave birth
to the unnatural object died, but the
father is still living. Prior to the
mothers death John was watched and
cared for at home, but since her de-
mise he has been confined at the in
Urinary. The existence of the mon
strosity is known to comparatively few
people, and many of those who do
know of his being have never seen
him, being deferred from visiting his
cell because of the terrible sight that
would meet their eyes.
Haines, or "John," as he is called
by everybody who has occasion to
speak about him, has been confined in
the infirmary for twelve years. He is
of medium height, with a very large
head, and the forehead strong and
bold, with a strongly marked ridge
running down the center of it. The
sides Of the head are flat, running back
almost at right angles with the fore
head, while the top Of the head
slopes backward and downward at a
sharp incline, leaving the Uranium
without brain room. His face is dark
skinned, heavy and british in express
sion and very repulsive. The eyes are
like those of a bovine, and roll about
in his head in an animalish sort of "a
way. A heavy mouth, in which rest
less tongue is almost constantly rolling
a quid, strengthens the creatures like
ness to a bull. His large ears stand
out from his head like those of an
alarmed beast.
The long, thick and bushy head is
covered by a close growth of short,
coarse, stubby hair. His shoulders and
breast are remarkable features of the
monster, they being extraordinarily
thick and heavy. He has a remarka-
BILE depth of chest, the formation of
which bears a strong resemblance to
that of his shaggy counterpart. From
the breast downward his body gradu-
allv tapers to the thighs. His lower
limbs are slender and joined together
like those of a noble steer. The feet
and hands are those of a man.
John is q remarkably strong and
vigorous combination of flesh and
bone, and prior to his confinement in
the inirmary he was noted for his
wonderful speed on foot. He would
dart away from his home into the
woods and run like a hound for miles,
making the air melodious as he went,
believing like a bull. His actions are
all governed by instinct. His reason is
an infinitessimal quality.
He lacks the power of speech, and
the only word that he can say that pos
sesses meaning to his hearers is "bac-
ca" He is intensely fond of tobacco,
and the first thing a visitor hears when
nearing his apartment is the cry,
ssBaccal Bacca!"
When he IS given II piece of the pal
atable leaf he tears it into little pieces,
putting them into his mouth II at n
time. He rolls the tobacco around with
tongue like u cow treats a quid of
grass, and finally swallows the mass
tobacco, saliva and all. Tobacco is a
luxury that fills the poor creature with
keen delight, and when he sees a pouch
produced his eyes roll in pleasurable
anticipation. John is kept in constant
confinement in a little eight-by-ten cell,
entrance to which is had through a
barred door of heavy hickory strips.
Just in the rear of this is al Enclosure
twenty or thirty feet square, and I'M
rooted. The fence surrounding it is
about twenty feet in height. This is
Johns exercising yard. He possesses
the instincts of a bull, and is strongly
affected by changes of the weather.
He becomes greatly excited just before
a rain, thunder, snow or wind storm,
and will plunge out into his exercising
pen, tear around at a fearful rate, paw
no the earth, and believing most
frightfully. He has a voice of wonder
full powerful power and the bullish
noise he makes can be heard for a mile
around. They cannot be distinguished