The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-04
4 Bailif's Museum.

A Bailiff's Museum.
Several weeks ago the dime museum
on Decatur street was levied upon by
Bailiff Barnes, Of Judge Edgar Orr s
Court, by virtue of an attachment sued
out by Mrs. NJ. a. Hughes against Ed.
Rcedy Reedy was manager of the
museum.
The several curiosities constituting
the museum wcro moved to Judge
Orr S courtroom after the levy. where
they have been ever since. They
have been viewed by many people
since they have been at Judge Orr
as peep at the museum there is free.
The most interesting part of the
museum is the mummi6ed body of a
giant Indian. The Indian must have
been at least nine feet tall in life.
The body, drawn as it is, measures
within few inches Of nine feet now.
1t has been pronounced by some as in
state Of partial pctrifaction, but it
has since been pronounced by high
authorities in osteology as genuine
mummy. The flesh on the huge skele-
ton is very dry, too dry for petrlfac-
ton, and in some places the skeleton
is almost bare. The mummi6ed body
of the Indian is lying in perfectly
natural position. He lies in the long
green box, prepared for the purpose,
with his long, coarse hair covering the
pillow as if he were asleep. 1t is like
a giant warrior had laid himself down
to sleep. Even through the rough,
dry muscle-likc flesh drawn tightly
over the bones of his face, there is
discernable fierce look of courage,
such as might be imagined agiant like
he would possess. The huge frame is
we'll proportioned, considering that it
is so large.
The claim account for which the
attachment was taken, not having
been settled, the property has been
legally advertised for sale on next
Monday at u o'clock. The curiosi-
ties advertised are the giant Indian
mummy, baby mummy and double
headed calf.
The baby mummy itself is an inter-
esting study. 1t is an Indian baby in
mummifed state tightly incased in a
split log with an ancient looking
hatchet clcaving it's little head. 1t is
supposed that the baby was murdered,
possibly by the big giant, and put in
side the hollow of tree, where the
baby became mummi6ed.
The advertisement has attracted che
attention of the Smithsonian institu-
tion doctors and professors and that
institution has sent several osteolo-
gists at different times to make an cx-
pert examination of the mummies.
First DR.. I'riorlcau and Professor
Steele. of the Smithsonian institution,
came and made an expert examination
of the bodies represented to the num-
mics. After long and careful exam
ination they pronounced them as real
mummifcd bodies. The giant num-
my, they said, was 500 or perhaps
| 900 years old. They said it's mum
mi6cd state was due to peculiar ac-
cident. The bodies became mummi-
fed in a peculiarly dry atmosphere,
they said.
Professor Lucas was the last of the
Smithsonian institution professors to
come and examine the mummics. He
made all expert examination with
powerful glasses and in many other
ways and he also pronounced the bod
les to be in real mummiied state.
The examinations were made with
the intention of purchasing the num-
mics to put in the National museum
at Washington.
Copies of the advertisement of the
sale we're taken by the professors OF
the National museum and it is expect
cd that representatives of the institu-
ton at Washington will be present at
the sale Of the museum next Monday
to bid for it.
All of the experts who have exam
incd the giant mummy, which is near
ly nine feet in length. think it is a
curiosity fit to be placed in the Ma
tional museum. atlanta Constitution.