The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-07-25
HWY. WIZ. .HI,SI. .MrE EKIEEl.
The Curious Things "a missouri Han mas
whittisi oat.

+ One of the most eccentric characters
in Missouri not in the entire Miss
issippi VALLEYS William Yohe, OF
Kirkwood. He is better known as Bill
the Whittier" Bill claims to be cham
pion whittier In tho world. With an
ordinary penknife he has demonstrated
his ability to make almost anything q
carpenter, a cabinet-maker, on wood
carver can make with q full set OF
edged tools. He occupies an old church
in Kirkwood, which he has filled almost
completely with curiosities of q novel
as well as useful character with the
aid of his trusty bonehandled knife.
The spectators who take the trouble to
visit this museum will find the collec-
ton as interesting as tho pictures OF a
famous art gallery. A short time ago
Bill made the announcement that
he would throw the church doors
open on a cartain day In
order that those who desired to see MS
c~ontrivances might crafty their curios-
ity. After that date no person should
be admitted, as he proposed to begin
the greatest undertaking of his life,
viz, the construction of a gigantic au-
tomato concern that would surpass
anything of the kind the world had ey-
er seen. The population of Kirkwood
with scarcely an exception accepted
Bills invitation, and all day during his
reception the church was filed with
people. Ever since that eventful day
the people of Kirkwood have looked
upon Bill as the eighth wonder OF the
world. A Republican reporter visited
Kirkwood yesterday and had a very
pleasant interview with "Bill." Bill
was sitting on q bench with a section
of a cigar box In one hand and his ia
vorite bone handled knife in the other,
whiting away as though the destiny
of the world depended 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
nit TO tine point.
well, Bill, " said the reporter, "they
say you are the champion whittier OF
the world"
Eyes, and I am willing to whittle any
thing against any man living. There is
| only one other whittier on the face of
the earth who can even approach my
work, and that is Monkey John, OF
| Chicago. Monkey John would not
whittle against me, for he and / have
whitfield together and he knows what 1
can do. Twas born in st. Louis, on
Morgan street, in tire building occupied
years g by the old Mound City Bakery.
When in my teens / became the appren-
tice of a miliwright, but before my time
was out, at the beginning of the war, ]
ran away and joined the Union army as
amember of Captain G.. w. Penn's com
papy. While serving as a soldier / had
one of the toes of my right foot shot off,
and could have had a pension had ]
seen fit to apply for one. However,
I had a little pride that prompted me to
vow / would never call upon Uncle Sam
for assistance as long as / could use a
knife and obtaia a livelihood by whit
Ting. It may appear strange to You,
but it is true nevertheless, that
[ never knew that / had any ex-
traordinary gift for whiting un-
Til I reached my twenty third year.
Then I made a toy house for my sister,
which was so universally admired that
i determined to manufacture Other
curiosities. The first piece Of impor-
1 lance I whitfield was a complete model
of the Castle Bingen-on-the-R Rhine,
This piece was finished in 1873, and
contained 500 windows. It is owned by
a gentleman residing in Clay county,
Texas. The next piece was the mode
OF the steamship Bristol, copied from an
engraving on a hand bill
Z defy any artist to eclipse my work
with either q pencil or brush. An artist
may draw a picture as perfectly as he
possibly can, and hand it to me to re-
produce in wood. and I will Immediately
improve on the picture, Some mer
think because they can make q wooden
chain with a knife they are great whit
tiers. There is no trick In making
simple chain, as the man who makes
one link can make forty. SeTolling i
by far the most difficult work a MAJ
can do with a knife. i can carv'
perfectly a leaf or an animal. With
pocket knife r have made over thre
J hundred models which occupy places .
the Patent Office.
About q year ago I made the mode
Of a steamship for parties IN Europe
They we're 20 well pleased with !
that they paid me $3.50 for my work
: This model was run by steam an
could travel through the water at th
| rate of sixteen miles an hour. My ap
! titude for whiting is q gift as natara
to me as an ear for music is to som
2 other men After q piece of work
finished / often look at il with astoniss
Z meS:t, and wonder now 4 succeeded I
making it So complete In every detail
T cannot draw, and know next to moth
, ing about mathematics, yet my proper
tions IN every piece Of work 1 mad
! arc always remarkably correct. Whe'