The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-12-02
THE STORY OF A FREAK"
THE SNAKE fingered MAN" II
SECOND GENERATION.

THE "SNAKE-EINGERED MAN" IN
SECOND GENERATION.
Curious Result of Il Horrible rlot to Make
Dcformity II Source of Rcvcnuc--A Case
illustrating the Pro.Natnl Inhucncc--h
HORRIBLE Idea and the Result.
Especial to the ST. Louis Globe DemocIt)
PHILADELPHIA, November 16.-Tho
medical profession of this city arc inter
cStcd in n remarkable case which is now
engaging the attention Of three Of the
most eminent professors in the Universe
ty of Pennsylvania. There is probably
no parallel recorded in the books, and
the long discussed question of prenatal
influence has received a corroboration
that cannot but fail to convince its most
skeptical opponents. The case is inter
csting, not only to medical men, but to
the public generally, inasmuch as it re
latcs strange story of how greed for
wealth and fame caused two persons to
impcril two lives.
Antoine Bcllini, a Gcnocsc, known in |
the show business as Tony Ballentine,
was married fifteen years ago to Maria |
i'll Robinson's circus. Bellini was an
acrobat. After their marriage the pair
went to England and from thence to
France, where they engaged in their re-
spCctivC lines of business. They re-
turned to America in 1876. At that time
there was II great demand among pro-
prlctorS OF Sidcshows and museums for
freaks. Millie Christine, the two-hcadcd
girl, was at that time under the manage
mcnt OF William Smith, and was draw
ing weekly salary of $4O0. Charley
Irlpp, the armlcsS man, and Ann LeakC,
the armlcss woman, were receiving the
extraordinary salary Of $500 week each.
Those remarkable little dwarfs, known
rs the Wild Mon Of Barneo, were bring
ing in weekly income Of 5000 to their
manager. Even the AHuec children, Tom
and Hattie, were valuable pieces of
property, aud readily commanded about
the same sum.
HORRIBLE IDEA.
1t was in the early part of 1877 when
BCllini became imbucd with the idea that
there was an immense fortune awaiting
the man who could produce freak that
should eclipse all other freaks either in
hidcousncss or odoity. With this thought
uppcrmoSt Bcllini subjected himself to &
most painful mutilation. He scared ant
burned his thumb and the three finger!
on each side Of his index fingers Will
Suiphurlc acid, suffering the most ngon
1IlnG pam. His intent was to cause the
thumb and fingers to slough of, and, in
crcdulouS rs 1T may appear, he endure,
the torture for nearly week. He wa,
then taken to private hospital on Yves
Eorty-ninth street, New York, by hi
own request, and there asked that tn,
mutiatcd portion of his hands he nm
putatcd. This was refused, and an cllor
was made to heal up the sore, but
Bcllinl was persistent and upon the alb.
&olutc refusal OF the surgeons to tlo what
hc wanted them to do, he left the hos
pital, and, either by threats or cntrca.
ties, lnduccd his wife to perform tn,
operation that the New York surgeons
refused to consider. lie came to Phila.
dclphia, and Tor nearly year lived in
the southern section OF the city, subsist
ing upon the little hoard that he huC
managed to save in England.
IN the spring OF 1873 Bcllni opened
what Is known i'll Philadelphia us ,
hummer shop, that is,a Groggcry whcr,
.1o3ltS Il glass. His hands had then healed
up aILI presented Il most curious appear
;GNcc. There was nothing but one Ions
fiugcr to each of them, and the tip ha(
been so broadcncd by use rs to Civ,
them the appearance Of the head of N
adder. by means Of hand bills Bcllin
advertised himself throughout tn,
mcighIIUrhood as the snakc-iingcr man
and people camc from great distances tt
see him. u" managed to obtain scvcra
ongaGemoni9 with small Sidc-ShowS tray.
cling with BarmlNl'S circus, but tn,
freak market was then pretty we'll flood
cd, and he did not begin to realize wha
lie thought he would
PERFECT DOMESTIC HARMONY.
1t was at this time that Bcllini entered
init most extraordinary compact witt
his wife. He WAS man of some littI,
education, and, having studied for The
medical profession in his early youth
had smatG2ring OF physiology ant
anatomy. Mrs Bcllmi was so thorough
ly III accord witii Ncr husbands ideas
that she was perfectly willing to become
the mother Of a m0nstrOSity, if nature
could be cocrccd into bringing forth
such M unnatural nrng. Bcllini i1aau.
lhSttlttl Il llRitOlS lOOhlllS ulltlI, nlliCiI
might resemble either in alligator or Il
Chinese idol, AMI for several weeks in
succession hc would awaken his wife
from sound sleep and suddenly thrust
this nncanny object in front Of her. In
December, lS7S, the woman gave biHh
10 Il male child. 1t was perfectly formed
aMd far more beautiful as to its physical
development than either father or moth
cr. Bellini then realized that the theory
which he had formed was wfonr, be-
cause the mother was prepared for Hsa
surprises and it made no mental i'm,
preston upon her. Bcllini then told his
wife that he would ab&ndon this idea
and that they would thereafter gain their
living outside Of the show business. This
was only blind. Nineteen months after
the birth of the first child Mrs. Bellini
was called to the front door one day,
and when she opened it size was con
frontcd by most rcpulsiyc object. 1t
was Il blind man whose sightess CRIBS |
were turned towards her eyes, and whose |
IyIt tGtrptpbpH honRr nooh =, |