The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-13

that Robbins eyer explained the origin OF
his deformity- OF course, after ii reap
general opinion that Robbins himself in
herited il. Others believe that ne was the
founder Of the claw-nngered family. and
that he settled In this remote spot he
cause OF his disbursement
Several children We've born to Mr. and
Mrs. Robbins. and al OF them had The
usual number of fingers and toes OF the
usual size and appearance. In the s,iS-
ceeding generation, however. the claw
myers reappeared, and since then they
nave been found on some members Of
every family that claims descent from the
man who introduced them into Zoar. A
peculiar thing about this strange family
where or in what form Il Mil appe sS-i
sometimes II Is inherited from the father
sometimes from the. mother, sometimes ii
appears in all the children OF a familv
at others in one or two out of a large
NUMBER; sometimes a father and mother
who have well formed hands and feet will
bring up family of children am OF whom
are badly, and perhaps variously. de-
formed Again parehs whose hands are
so deformed as TO be uns!ghtly will have
children all with hands perfectly straight
Occasionally the defOrmity will appear In
a person 5 hands ana not in his feet or
vice versa. Sometimes IT is in his right
hand or foot and not in his left: and so
on till all the possible combination are ex-
hausted- The term claw fingered certain
ly would not fit more than half Of those
with deformed extremities. OF course
none OF them has what could properly be
The, hands o. these people Of zoar are
usually broad. and short in the palm
with stumpy fingers The angers curve
IN, and the joints in most Of them are
either altogether lacking or are greatly
out or place. That is, the finger may
have only one joint or it may have two
close together. 1t is of course difficult
10 manage such singers, and one might
suppose that two of these Zoar people m
shaking hands would be likely to get
hIoPelessly tangled UP, though such a
thing has not been known to occur
Hands are sometimes found among them
IN which the fingers are all Joined to-
gether in one broad stump. Occasionally
a child is born having an additional toe
or finger. +Eft rl[
The claw-fingered residents Of Zoar
have the reputation of being somewhat
queer. but this is very likely due to the
TACT that their deformity mas served to
shut them OF from their neighbors
They seem to be fairly Intelligent and
their neighbors say that they are indus
trlous and honest. They are seldom seen
outside the valley and live their own lives
apart from others How long this per
Nerslty of nature VIII continue can not
be foretold. IF the claw-nngered inhaS-
ltants of zoaraare physical degenerates
they may, perhaps, be expected to die
out after time but at present they seem
TO be vigorous and healthy enough. In
their valley home they are free for the
most part from prying eyes, and they
may hope for continuation, for IL is
likely to be a long time before any part
Of Zoar is cut up into city lots. A few
years ago such a thing seemed not i'm
probable, for OIL ard gas were discover
ed in the valley in paying, quantities.
The Standard oil Company quickly secur-
ed leases Of nearly all the land in the
neighborhood; but except for the two
wells first put down no attempt has been
made to develop the territory Now the
excitement has passed., and the eyrie Of
undisturbed for many long year 10
come.