Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-04
SHOES OF HUMAN SKIN.
A Chicago Shoe Maker Makes
Them to Order.
An EntorprisIng Reporter Is Measured
for Pair and Has an Interesting
Conversation with the Dealer
I'm Human Leather

It has been whisre ed around that Mr..
William Gee could an l would make shoes
that were more reliable than any to be had
In Chicago, and Mr.. Gee when approached
Omitted that II was so.
They'll never crack on the sides, and
they'll never wear out. They are most
elastic and shape themselves 10 the feet so
that there can be no possible trouble from
mishts."
~ believe I'll get O pair" said the re-
porter.
THAT'S right" said Mr.. Gee. you'll
never regret it. They'll wear you forever
and will lit like moccasins. One doctor
know has pair Of slippers that he has worn
seven years, and they're good for another
seven. haven't much left, but have the
skin of one white woman here. Isuppose
you'd rather have that than negroes skin"
1t was somewhat startling, and If the re-
porter had not had a warning as to what TO
expect he would probably have been fur
ried.
Mr.. William Gee sells shoes made from
the skin OF human beings.
He has done it quietly for some time, and
is now making pair OF low shoes from the
skin taken, according to his own story,
from the leg Of a woman. OF course Mr..
Gee does not advertise the fact that he
makes shoes from human skin, but some Of
his patrons have been told that they could
have some of these extremely durable
shoes" il desired.
These facts were In possession Of a
Chicago Tribune man, so he promptly re-
piled that he preferred the skin Of a white
woman. Mr.. Gee took a parcel Of yellow
leather from a case and said:
"Here it is. 1t Is the ]. st white woman's
l have. 1t is pretty hard to get it now"
"Whyl" asked the reporter as he felt Of
the leather.
"WelL it's hard to get 1t tanned" re-
piled Mr.. Gee. 1--WE used TO send 1t out as
pig-skin, but before tanning it is too easily
distinguished, and tanners are super
stitious. 1 can get the skins easier than l
can get them tanned"
allow do you get the skins"
AZ know a man who used to be medical
student and he supplies them to me. Hes
practicing physician now"
A question as to who the medical man
was seemed to make Mr.. Gee suspicious
and the matter was dropped for moment
while the reporters foot was being
measured.
"What are the peculiar advantages Of
human skinl" ventured the reporter after
awhile.
1T never wears out" replied Mr.. Gee,
land it never cracks. 1t is the most dura-
BILE of any leather. You can wear 1t for
wears. 1t stretches well, too, and is most
comfortable shoe"
"Do you make many"
I'No l haven't had much to do lately.
You see it isn't generally known, and then
I find IL hard to get the skins tanned now"
where are they tanned"
Mr. Gee evaded the question.
Several hours later the Tribune man
called again and suggested that the skin
was not human skin at all, but that deceit
had been attempted. On this call young
woman was working ut a machine near the
front of the store. Her material was APP
parently from the same piece of leather that
the reporter had seen earlier in the day.
eff any one wants 10 bet that this Is not
human skim" said Mr.. Gee, tell me what
the AMOUNT Is and will put II up and fur
nish the proof. can prove it by the doctor
who got IL for me and by the tanners"
He declined, however, to give the names
Of either "unless there Is something 70 be
gained by 1t, you know"
! IL would ike to know, though" said the
reporter, "if that is surely from human
body"
The girl at the machine made some sort
VI an 6NCldmdliOn1 thuO AhA' wv 49,
"She hates to worI on it.
Then hebron y out the skin that he hac
shown in the mo. g, unrolled 1T, and laiC
it along his body. There had been two
pieces cut out.
: EYou see," he said, as he smoothed i
ont. sit is a portion of q woman's skin
IL runs from the neck nearly to the ankle
One of your shoes'-and he showed thu
nlace-"was cut from the breast, and The
othern-another llustration-"from tn
leg"
In both places leather had been cut ou
20 all appearances for q shoe, and the ptec'
he exhibited had every indication OF hav
ing been originally fitted to that portion
the anatomy he described. To make tn
matter doubly sure he brought on
another piece OF skin.
This is a Negroes" he said. sits takei
from his side just under the arm. Yo'
can see how thin It is under the arm, AM
how it gets thicker further down." Tn
matter was demonstrated rs he wen
along.
Going out the reporter asked the girl a
the machine how she liked working ol
leather made from human skin.
IL don't like it," she said, "but thel
there Is no reason to complain now.
doesn't smell"
"Did it at hrstW
4'Did itP' Her nose went up. "Whel
the sacbel first came here-p
THE skin came In sachel, thepp
eyes"
at wasn't tannedP
sINo."
al have it all tanned myself" said MI
Gee. 1.-THE skin is brought to me and the
I have il tanned. That's my creates
trouble"