The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-07
CH.4R-LLI WE'D ZO.ARI7ES.
The Strange DedOrmity OF Family I.lviag
IL Western New York.
From lie Philadelphia T,ma. Ne,


Ii Western New York. ..r
From lie Philadelphia Tine. AZ
BUFFALO. Jan. 30.About thirty miles souths4
OF Buffalo. midway between the villages Dion
Springville and Gowanda is situated what ID. 20
known as tho Valley Of Zcar. This valley isNn
about seven miles long by from one to threaot
miles wide. and is one Of tho most picturesquer-
spots in the western part OF the State. but issat
almost inaccessible Its name was taken fsyni.ar
the Scriptures and the description OF the situ.by
alton OF that ancient historic valley therSnS
given is almost identical with the moderHh.
Zoar, Situated as It is among the foothills 9Gs
Ss MI" Snf t sas shsS
snS sat ow s"?H S isaOr Iosr
the imprcgnable; from h"re we Will never 60; ls.
that they found tas hard to get, out as I! VSsaa
Their name Is Wright, and they cpmprise e.
is not one that Is not deformed n some msn.aA
ner about the hands and feet The desiormityan
Of crab claws. and their name would, per,
hans. describe their detornity better than any.
4 recent visit to tic home Of one. Of thes@1
families set at rest all doubts that might haver-
company with tho village school teacher: ALL
ing Situated stu TI near o. the Gowanda end d fhser
valley , some hesitation was shown y shsss
tins Sisitor TORS ' for these people are aware
their misfortune and rarely permit themny
xhsS 70 se y
was comfortably furnished. and contEsstsdns-
The woman who rec Received US was Herself onsS
Of! these strange people Her hands had ID bHtay
shoes emf ans
soitening boot worn by horses. Other than.w
excite tha&ph
az Sssos ns I'd vs~
her feet could be obtained. She appeared toct;;
to a h 4Saad ana ds a
she would have attraeted admtSatl9n aPysett
sas Haa her HHs oseH he sS. WEE
six inches long and had but two toes oss
more than anything, else, They begin at them
about three nehes from the place q
niGg On tho end Of the toes II place Of thst1
foot did not seem to nave any Joints in whatIt.
ever rs the girl stepped in solid sort Of wayan
things were seen ut Il glance all
s Anna End
asaS @ IT, fs =
S%sS ;as he leaEsa ass'n
or six inches long. il began with the wrists;
which Was very small, and taE,pred down ioi nd
s!sss5 her aassS i fosi$ e thss tss :,
" The tsasher Jade Anna get fsr pencil an9SS-
p4aHssb a"f s'2y a Of III sPf1
Both an as n4 and er Ss sshf
While she was writing some other children
began TO enter the room. They were gil bare.
alike. and md We're Just the same as Annas.
Their hands for the most part. had two fingers
and others with three fingers on each hand,
There were r., ten in all. ranging in ages from
After a few minutes more conversation the
tHsr seats 'p the t "a said ANNA.
TINT EN- s" ri H. Is vs 81 r's Bic q t'ssH:
by! her "rro a,, maI1rmati"n i5hoesdinf
r. a$%"sa sa2y ss'iE;%ssi ss
n"vcr receives II Kiss except when kiss her, as
ciatss one VII cares for her and shows intsr:
est in her Her mother and father and several
S Sss %s4s q ntl n dnH f Sey w End
probably up in the hills somewhere work king"
hoY IA no yHu supP9So they came to be de-
"Ther. is . legend firmly fixed in the village
The o n e@. 81 oH;s 1t is only Legend
., " l5 II, II Re present century the ancestors
q thiS lamly came TO tho valley OF Zoar.
They did not have the best reputation In the
through the forest on his way to Buffalo and
stopped ut this house TO show his wares and
obtain a nights lodging. He took from his
PACK u few golden trinkcts; which he showed
instead Of giving him bed to sleep on. they
soon had him senseess and were searching
him and his pack for the gold. Not finding
any more than he had shown them they de-
t.rininrd to torture him. As soon as he re-
Eyed they G"f i. oRrHr%rs by cutting on
the secret OF where his money was c"ilcealed
and couple more toes were sacrificed. Still
he persisted in saying that no had y" money.
which only result ted in his los NJ two moro
foot, the. bic and the little ono As that
torture did no good. they became exasper-
ated and knocked lin on tho head. and.
surprising him to he dead. they throw him
through Il trap doc, int the cellar. Presently.
hands 81 the p"i'li"r alr"Hrcd On the sides Of
the door a. ii he was irving to climb ont. This
50 cnragrd the anlly that ono grabbed
butcher knife and another "A ha,rhct and they
.eEnn hagklpg At iir hands If 'he S"nr man.
lett on one hand and two on tho other and at
that he fell back into tho cellar
The family gathered around the trap door
to So" II he mad" any sound. ana heard him
MAKO them wear lis present form even TO the
thlrd aud fourth generations. Those were his
"Wn'lrrth story is true or not, Of course
cHnngt say, hn' il is evlent that the three
generations which are represented here all
hayr driornled hands and feet.
This stnry Is generally accepted as true by all
the people in the valley. aud some old settlers
say they can remember when 1t hrst wsg told
IN connection With the murder q the peddlsH