Arizona republican., 1895-08-27

| bO tiO ilfCA ob oldy OIOoSlu4 EOP posedly after load of sand, and strange to relate, the foot of a human being was discovered by I. P. Burnett, who was looking for place to swim. As the reader already knows, the brothers ex- humed petrifed man, which has been on exhibition since the discovery.
 The above facts were learned by THE REPUBLICAN reporter and another news paper man. The scribe for THE REPUB. LICAN secured the services of Ray Blinn as special artist for the occasion and repaired to the house occupied by the mysterious nocturnal toiler. A visit was first made to the Gray residence where the above story was related. An investigation of the house was made by Cummings and the Gray family as soon i as 1t was known that the occupant was not coming back. Two carpenters trestles and she boards before men, tioned were found in the house. as was also the pail. an empty can of varnish. small can Of liquid glue also empty, and heavy wooden shirt was found in an outhouse few yards in the rear of the house as shown in the illustration.
 The house is an ordinary one. story frame building with three rooms, the rear room or kitchen being an exten- sion of the house. When the newspa- per men arrived the windows were still darkened by the curtains, which gave the building III air of mystery.
 Entrance was gained by means Of ] skeleton key and the interior was inn mediatelv subjected to a minute in- vestigation. Before abandoning the place the inmate swept the floor of the room in which he worked and tried to remove all evidence of what had been done. He evidently did not tAink that the fraud would be discovered, for ons the floor there still remained consider, able plaster of paris and cement. while the rings made by the barrels were plainly discernable on the floor of the front room. A bracket nailed against the wall still held the lamp that was used by the inmate in his work. A coat hanging in the working loom was all the other evidence discovered in the house, but in the trail leading to the outhouse were footprints that showed traces of the plaster of paris that must have clung to the mans shoes.
 Although there is DO direct evidence that the petriied man was manufac. tured on the premises, still the infer ence is plain and it might be well for the Burnett Bros, to explain such mys terious movements and their need of so much cement and sand. There IS no doubt in the minds of the neighbois living near the house but that the wonderful petrifed image was made in the house.. From the evidence of sand and cement the cast was made from a mold but whether the mold was made from plaster cast, paper mache or a wax cast, there was no ways of ascer- taining. The continual pounding in the silent watches of the night was no doubt the process of reducing the spalls or clippings of stone to powder, neces- sary in the composition.
 The image was not made by an anna teur hand for it is too perfect. The im- perfections in the form are cleverly ex. ecuted and the cavity in the stomach would lead person to believe that de. com position had set in and was stopped by the process of petrifaction, but several scientific remarks might be made in that connection but space will not permit.
 About a month ago I. P. Burnett, brother of the congressman, came down from Prescott and short while after his arrival the pair of them rented the vacant house described in this article from Warren Gregory who acted as agent for T. ". Hne. For some ap- parent reason, however, the house was occupied only short while ny the lone inmate who is supposed to be 1. P. Bur- nett.
 J. K. Burnett was approached by 8 young man several days ago who wished for a private conversation. MT. Bur nett stepped aside and the converse tion between the two was yesterday re- told to the reporter.
 In some manner the young man had found out what was being transacted in the mysterious house and he told Bur nett that unless he (Burnett) would give him $10 he would expose him. He then run bluff by saying he was fakir himself and saw the stone image being made by I. P. Burnett but was disposed to remain silent if the money was forthcoming. Burnett denied all knowledge of the affair but finally said that he was not making any money out of the scheme. The young man was memorable however. and Burnett ended the conversation by saying he would see him again.
 On the heels of the discovery comes a man named Payne, also from Pres colt, and formerly employed in the quartermaster's department at Fort Whipple. The only connection he seems to have with the scheme is to act as agent or manager of the fake, out side of that doubtful position he is in no way connected with the manufacture of the image as far as can be learned. The people are being bllked and it is just and proper that the officials take some measure towards Investigating