The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-27
A MAN WITHOUT BONES.
He Can lie Tied i'm n Knot or Rolled
Up Like a Carpet.

81 used to hunt moonshiners in the
Kentucky mountains rs a deputy
United States marshal" said Louis
vile (Ky.) gentleman TO New York
Star reporter: "My lest trip was made
two years ago, as member OF a posse
OF marehals who prowled around in
the vicinity OF Barbourville, Ky. II
was on that trip that i saw man
without bone in his body-a man
who could be hattened out like q pau
cake and rolled up like carpet. For
the truth Of what I'm going 10 tell you
now / shall refer you TO United States
Marshal Isaac Arbuckle, OF Carrier
county, KY.
1--WE had made revenue raid with
out success, and our posse separated 10
return to Barbourville by different
routes 10 avoid suspicion. We were
MOTTO return.the same day, either, and
was told to wait while before going
back to the village. spent the first
night after the raid in the cabin OF a
poor farmer among ihe hills. During
the conversation in the evening, in
which took part, some one incident
ally spoke OF Hector Davis, the man
without bones l asked what was
meant by that expression, and WAS
told that Hector Davis WAS 'one OF our
neighbors, three miles up the road,
who hasn't q bone in his body |
laughed at the statement, but my host
volunteered to show me over the hills
to Hector Davis's home. | promised
TO 40, expecting to See ruetic conlor-
ZIONIST or sick man.
"We knocked at the Davis cabin
about 8 o'clock next morning. The
first thing saw upon entering the
door was q middle aged man sitting
upright in q rude invalid's chair. A
framework attached TO the back OF the
chair supported his head. He was in
troduced to me by my guide, Rufus
Pickwell, as Hector Davie, | entered
into conversation with the man and
found him TO be as we'll informed as
any OF the mountain farmers. His
voice was firm, Int not very loud.
grasped his hand when introduced
but l dropped it lively. His finger:
rolled up together like 80 many bands
He invited me 10 take hold of hit
limbs, and they yielded to pressure
until fiattened to twice their proper
width. The only indication OF bont
was his skull, and that could be de
pressed, but il done il gave the pool
fellow much pain. His neck was a.
timber as rag, and his head, wheI
released from the frame, rolled
helplessly about on his shout
ders. His arms hung a
his side, but he could raise the
iorearms up q trifle. There was M
strength in his wrists, and when thu
arms were raised the hands curleC
very Imply. Davis shuffled off hi
slipper and asked me to step on hi
foot. i did 90, and II flsNened out lik,
rubber. 1t took several minutes 70
il to resume its natural shape, and |
was half an hour before he could pu
on his slipper.
"Perhsps you would like to tie m,
leg In a knott" said he. Pickwell anC
myself found no difficulty in perform
ing this feat, but we had TO unite tn
knot soon, because 1t prevented eircu
lation in the limb. We also tied knot
in his arms, ! began to think / hat
seen enough. l had something OF tn
feelings OF man after attending
Spiritualist seanee. But | had no
seen the most wonderful exhibition o
bonelessuess.
"'Oan you lay me down on tn
noor?' aeked Davis. We did, but
was no easy task, for his body slippe,
in all directions. We secured firm
grips upon his clothing and kept hin
from falling. Pickwell had assisteu
at this performance before. After lay
ing him down on the clean rag carpe
my companion seized barrel, whicl
afterward learned contained turnipv
and proceeded TO roll IL over the pros
trate Davis from his toes to his CHR
The only manifestation OF distress o
pain shown was when the barre
rolled across his chest The barre
left Davis in horrible shape. H
was literally fiat as pancake. Blu
this was not all. Roll me up, Rufus
said the homeless horror. ImmC
diately Pickwell doubled Davis hea
over on his chest and then continue
to roll him up like big door ma
When his feet were reached Davi
looked like an armadillo, and he 500
asked to be unrolled again,
while the mans body was resun
ing its natural shape l learned fror
his old specialized mother, who eat i
rocking chair near by knitting
though apparently not liking the es
hibilion, that her son was 40 year
old. He had enjoyed perfect healt
until two years before, when hi
hands AID feet gradually becam
numb and weak. Then the bones b
gan to soften and this spread rapid
TO oil parts OF bis anatomy. Beyon
making him helpless he never exper
: enced any inconvenience from th
} strange stlliction. All his vital organ
performed their functions properl,
and the mother believed that Hectic
would live to good old age"