Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-09-15
DEATH OF THE FATTEST WOMAN
BALTIMORE EVER SAW.

Ell woman, VINO was Oh eXAIDiLl0n
at the baltimore Street Dime Muse
um recently, died suddenly last
week, of enlargement of the heart.
Winnie was, it is safe to say, the
biggest woman in the world. All
other fat women that have been ex.
hibited at museums or circuses faded
into ilIsignificance when compared
with her. She was a perfect noun,
tain of flesh. She weighed eight
hundred and fifty pounds-the
weight of four big men. She was
an intelligent.looking negro, and her
hair, which was of a pretty gray
color. was nearly straight. She was
dignified and intelligent, and her
manners were those of a mammoth
negro queen.
Winnie was born in Henry coun-
ty, KY, on September 81, 1889,
making her nearly forty-nine years
old. When she was a child she
gave no promise OF the freak of ma
ture she was destined to become.
at the age of fifteen she married a
man named Johnson, and was the
mother OF a number of children. Not
until she reached twenty years die
she show any signs OF getting fat.
The accumulation OF flesh was so
rapid then chat her friends, as we'll
as herself. became alarmed, and she
was advised to consult physician
in regard to it. But doctors failed
to account for or check the rapid
growth of flesh. From year to year
she grew stonter, until the doors,
gates, and stairways about her house
had to he enlarged so she could go
about with comfort. In 1870 she
was first put on exhibition by Ham.
ilton, who, while travelling through
the South, met and induced her to
join small theatrical troupe. Then
she was exhibited through the coun-
try. {.
A coffin large enough for the body
could not be found in the undertak.
er's establishment. The Maryland
Burial Case Company was then
given an order for a box five feet
eleven inches in length, three feet
six inches in width, and three feet
two inches in depth, inside measure
ment. 1t took one of the largest
wagons owned by the company to
haul the box. The coffin resembled
the body Of cart, with the side
boards attached. 1t was stained
with cherry, and braced OH the in.
side were iron strips. The bottom
was three inches thick, and was
firmly iron riveted. There were
eight strong handles-four on each
side. Eight men and one boy stood
comfortably in the huge coffin short
y after it was constructed. Six men
could scarcely lift it out of the wagon
20 the pavement. The interior was
neither lined nor cushioned in any
way, and the only thing on the in
side small pillow. Those who saw
the dead woman will rememb Der the
sight for a lifetime. Her head, which
is out of proportion to the rest other
body, was almost completely hidden
by the fat about her shoulders. At
first glance, a person would suppose
that she was headless. II was i'm,
possible to change her clothing, with
the exception of her stockings. Her
sons, William and John, assisted by
several others, tried to put a dress
on her, but failed and long shroud
was substituted.
To get the immense coffin into the
house, it was necessary to take out
a large bow window, frames and all,
and a portion OF the wall Oh one side
had to be knocked out also. How
to get Winnie into the box was not
an easy problem to solve. Twenty
two men, assisted by a block and
tackle that was securely fastened to
one of the rafters on the ceiling, was
required to do the job. Straps were
run under the body. and ten men
got upon the bed, five on each side.
Two were assigned to work the pull
lev, and the rest were to assist as
soon as the corpse was raised from
the bed. At a given signal each
man put forth his utmost strength
to lift the body. AS TIE body was
slowly hoisted the ratters creaked
and the ropes and straps were
strained to their utmost. The men
on the floor, as soon as the body
was sufficiently raised, pulled it over
the coffin, and Winnie was slowly
lowered into it. no
The next move was to get the
box into the wagon that was to take
it to the cemetery. The twenty-five
men were arranged on either side,
and, with the assistance OF the
straps, succeeded finally in getting
il as far as the window. Getting the