Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-12
A PETRlFIED MAN DISCOVERED.
REMARKABLE FIND MADE An
WACO YESTERDAY.
The Body Exhumcd In search for
Fishing worms--'rhe Form Perfect
~ Preserved with Plain Indica-
lions OF Wounds.


Waco. Tex. Jan. lH.---A perfectly
formed man, turned 10 solid stone, ono
of the hest specimens OF pstriaetIon
ever discovered. was found this morn
ing by Mrs. George Renick, whose hus-
bind keeps grocery and saloon at
the corner or North sixth street and
Marlboro avenue.
Relating the story OF finding the body
Mrs. Renicl said to the Gazette repre-
sentative this morning: 1--WE had set
some traps at the river near the foot
of Tennessee avenue. We went down
there lust after O'Clock and while
there thought We would fish, My hus-
band and myself were together. In
short time took a stick and hegan dig
ging the earth with II. thinking might
get some worms for bait In a FEW
minutes tn. stick struck something
hard. Digging away the dirt soon dis
covered q mans foot. 1t was like stone.
1t scared me and l called my husband
and we dug the earth away and soon
discovered the body of n man. 1t was
lying east aud west and tile head was
abOut two and one half feet beneath the
surface and lower than the feet. My
husband procured wagon. 1t took
six men to lit the body and IN s.aing so
the right arm was broken. We brought
1t here to our place"
Lying upon two tables was the body.
nude and perfectly preserved with the
exception Of the lower part of the abdO-
men, where a cavity existed
a great crowd OF curious people sur
rounded the store and Il was necessary
to close up business and lock the doors.
Several physicians were present and
sasHa lstsf HaIaH fka.h had sfa
Brown said It was the most pcrfect
specimen OF petrifacton he had ever
seen The doctors agreed that the
body was that of u white man. They
formed the opinion upon an examina-
ton of his features and head. Two
teeth could b plainly seen white and
well preserved. The body lay upon
It's back upon the tables. and II could
be plainly seen that II was the petrifed
clay OF what was once full grown
and evidently powerful man IL meas
ured slightly over & feet inches In
length and about is inches across tho
shoulders. Tapping II with piece
of wood or iron produced sound like
that OF striking stone. The left arm
extended down the side OF the body to
which It was Joined by solid stone.
The right hand was placed across the
breast, the arm being broken on be-
tween the wrist and point Just be-
low the shoulder Upon the right hand.
what had been a ring IN the lines OF
the skin could be plainly seen. one
! hair was noticeable In the right eye
brUws. and hairs could be seen along
] the left arm.
over the heart is slight depression.
/ which might have been made by
bullet There are transverse marks
| just above the depression which Inight
| be taken % Indicate knife wounds,
! Nj ktsa artH aF t,us 10
posed to do with his find. and said
he had not yet determined: zone man
offered me $1,000 this morning for
half interest In It, but | refused It,"
1T is probable that Mr.. ReniclS will de-
eide to exhibit the specimen and curios-
ny, as II is evident that he places a
high value upon It.
All morning long throngs were wend-
Ing their way to Renick's place, bent
on seeing the petrihed man All tho
negroes in that section OF the city aus
pended work, gathered about the build
ing and discussed the fnd in all It's
different phases.
Many theories were advanced con-
corning the stone mans identity. and
they grow IN number as the matter
WAS discussed.
This afternoon Mr.. Rcnick caused
the body to be removed to II vacant
building on the square. where it il now
NN tNulDllons One tneOfy us to tho
identity of the man is that he IL -
desperate by the name or johnson,
who was killed in 1853 on Bridge street.
Old settlers remember the killing quite
well and Mr. Lewis Powell who still
lives here, was present when the des-
perad0 met his death. 1t appears that
after being shot he was buried In the
very hollow whore the "hard character"
was found this morning, which rug
Resta that the living and dead may be
identical. Parties who were present at
the hasty burial aver that the petrifac-
tion was found in the same spot or
near ii. according to their remcm-
branco of where johnson was intesred.
This afternoon shortly after the exhi-
billion of the body had opened, II was
attached by Il. E. Thompson upon y
claim OF $3.50 against Renick. The lat
ter's wife at once began replevln pro-
cecdlngs. claiming that she found tho
body and that it Is her property. Sew
eral offers have been made to tho Rem
icts for the purchase OF the body, one
Offer OF $4,000 being reported. AS soon
us the body was placed on exhibition
there was regular rush to see 1t. and q
crowd of many hundreds surrounded
the place
Nearly every physician in Waco ex-
amiued the body this afternoon, and
all united In stating It was the most
remarkable case they had ever heard
Of. The perfectness of preservation
is remarkable. Renlcli IL conceded to
have made a very valuable find, and
he expects II to result in better bus-
mess to him than selling butter and
eggs and dealing out German cham
payne by the glass.