Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-16

A gentleman registered as Clayton Knox,
Lexington. Ky, at a small hotel on Union
Square a few days ago. He was a genial
companion and soon made number of
friends. Mr. Knox is story teller Of the
real Kentucky sort, and he taxed the credulty
of his friends to very great extent. One of
his peculiar stories was told by HIM in the
following way;
81 used to hunt moonshiners in the Ken
lucky mountains as q deputy United States
marshal. My last trip was made two years
ago as a member of a posse of marshals who
provided around in the vicinity of Barbour
vile, Ky. 1t was on that trip that | saw a
man without bone in his body-a man who
could be fattened out like a pancake and
rolled up like a carpet. For the truth OF
what I'm going to tell you now | shall refer
you to United States Marshal Isaac Arbuckle
of Carter county, Kentucky.
We had made a revenue raid, without sue
cess. and our posse separated to return to
Barbourville by different routes to avoid
suspicion. We were not to return the same
day either, and | was told to wait awhile
before going back to the village. spent the
first night after the raid in the cabin of a
poor farmer among the hills. During the
conversation in the evening, in which | took
part, some one incidentally spoke of Hector
Davis, the man without bones | asked
what was meant by that expression, and was
told that Hector Davis was 'one of our neigh
bors three miles up the road, who hasn't a
bone in his body | laughed at the state
ment, but my host volunteered to show me
over the hills to Hector Davis home. |
promised to go, expecting to see a rustic con-
tortionist or a sick man.
I'VE knocked at the Davis cabin about 9
o'clock next morning. The first thing saw
upon entering the door was q mddle-aged man
| sitting upright in rude invalids chair. A
framework attached to the back of the chair
supported his head. He was introduced to
me bv my guide, Rufus Pickwell, as Hector
Davis. | entered into conversation with the
man and found him to be as well informed
as any of the mountain farmers. His voice
was firm, but not loud | grasped his hand
when introduced but dropped it lively. His
fingers rolled up together like so many bands
He invited me to take hold of his limbs, and
they yielded to pressure until fiattened TO
twice their proper width. The only indica-
ton of bone was his skull, and that could be
depressed, but if done it gave the moor fellow
much pain. His neck was as Timber as a rag
and his head, when released from the Frame
rolled helplessly about on his shoulders His
arms hung at his side, but he could raise the
forearms up trlfe. There was no strength
in his wrists, and when the arms were raised
the hands cured over Imply. Davis shuffied
off his slipper aud asked me to step on his
foot. did SO, and 1t fisttened out like rub
Der. 1t took several minutes for it to re-
sumo its natural shape, and it was half an
hour before he could put on his slipper.
Perhaps you would like to tie my leg in a
knotr said he. Pickwell and myself found
no difficulty in performing this feat, but we
had to unite the knot soon, because il pre-
vented circulation in the limb. We also tied
knots in his arms | began to think had
seen enough. had something of the feel
ings of man after attending a spirirnalist's
seanee but had not yet seen the most
wonderful exhibition of bonelessness
Can you lay me down on the floor ?"
asked Davis. We did, but it was no easy
task, for his body slipped in all directions
We secured firm grips upon his clothing and
kept him from falling. Pickwell had assisted
at this Performance before. After laying him
down on the clean rag carpet, my companion
Ell zed q barrel, which I aiterward learned