The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-06-13
GREAT AMERICAN HOAX.
How q Sharp Yankee Made Money Out Of
q Stone Image.

How y sharp Yankee Made Money Out oi
n stone Image.
The Cardiff giant forms one Of the
most unique and interesting chapters
in the history of the show business in
the United States. 1t almost passes
belief that such a great fraud could be
perpetrated on an intelligent people.
The idea originated in the mind OF
George Hull, tobacconist Of Birming-
ham, N. Y, and, strange as it may
seem, was not prompted by desire to
make money. One night in the year
1866 he had controversy in his shop
with Rev. Mr.. Turk, OF Ackley, o.,
over the question Of the former exist
ence Of giants on the earth. Hull
argued the affirmative side, the preach
er the negative, and Hull was badly
worsted. This Cefeat so ranked in
his bosom that he brooded for days
and weeks over some way of getting
even with Mr.. Turk. He at last de-
cided to produce the fictitious remains
OF man of giant proportions and
strange physiognomy. Securing the
assistance of man named Martin, the
two left Birmingham for Fort Dodge,
Ia, where bed of gypsum rock was
located in n retired locality on the
line of the Dubuque & Sioux City Rail-
road. They finally quarried slab
twelve feet in length, four in breadth
and twenty-five inches thick. which
was purchased for barrel Of beer and
shipped to Z. Burghardt. of Chicago,
q sculptor who had previously been
engaged to carve the image. The job
was completed in September, 1868,
and after considerable "doctoring" to
give it an ancient appearance, was
packed in sawdust and shipped by rail
TO Union. N. Y. From this point it
was hauled in a wagon drawn by four
horses to Cardiff. This was selected as
the place OF burial because fossil re-
mains had recently been discovered in
that locality, and because Hull had a
relative named William S. Newall who
owned farm there. The figure re-
posed on Newall's farm for one year.
In October, 1869. it was unearthed by
some laborers who were digging u
well. The excitement which this sup
posed discovery created in scientific
circles is matter OF public history.
DIR. j. T. Boynton, OF Syracuse an
amateur antiquarian, was among the
first to examine the image, and he
pronounced it the statue OF a eau
casian, probably carved by the Jesuits,
who dwelt in the valley between 1920
and 1850. This started q controversy
as to whether the figure was statue
or fossil, and gave the fraud extern
sive advertising. Hulrs revenge was
complete when one of Rev. Mr.. Turks
associates seriously advocated the
theory that it might be Lots wife, or
rather pillar of salt into which that
inquisitive lady turned. brought to
America by some wandering member
OF the lost tribes of Israel. The giant
was removed to Syracuse. where peo-
pie focked to see it for fifty cents
head. Barnum tried hard to get 1t.
Hull refusing an offer OF $25, 200 for
an eighth interest. Failing in this
Barnum had Syracuse sculptor make
an exact copy of the image. and after
ward exhibited 1t all over the country
rs the original, genuine Cardiff giant
The men who had been let into Hull's
secret finally quarreled over the pro-
fits, and gave the fraud away. Newall
went back to his farm and is there to-
day, unrepentant and prosperous
Hull went through his fortune. and
recently died poor man. The giants
dimensions were as fellows: From
crown of head to hollow OF foot, ten
feet two and one-half inches; crown of
head to chin, one foot nine inches;
length OF nose, six inches; width OF
nostrils, three and half inches; width
of mouth, four inches; point to point
Of shoulder. three feet; length of foot,
ono foot seven and half inches;
width Of palm, seven inches; diameter
of wrist five inches.