Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05
M U M MY OF A CLAN 7
Body of Man Nine Feet High Dug Ur
in California,
biggest Human Being on Record,
Though, Somewhat Shrunk Since
He Wns Alive.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The corrse Of the biggest man that ever
lived has been dug up near San DieSo,
Cal. At all events there is no satisfactory
record in ancient or modern history OF any
human being nearly SO tall. The mummy
for in such a condition the remains were
found-is that of a person who must nave
been about nine feet high In life This
makes allowance for a shrinkage, which
may be pretty closely calculated. The
oadaver has been carefully inspected and
measured by Prof. Thomas Wilson, curator
of the department of prehistoric anthro-
pology in the Smithsonian Institution, and
other scientists The tape line even now
registers the length from heel to top of
head at eight feet four inches.
The mummy is that of an Indian, and is
almost certainly prehistoric, though Usage
cannot be determined with any sort of ac-
curacy. Historical records of the part of
California where it was found go back for
at least $50 years, and they make no men
ton of any man of gigantic stature. How
much older the body may be must be. left
open to conjecture. Its preservation is no
matter for surprise. In that arid region
the atmospheric conditions are such that
corpse buried in the dry season might very
well become perfectly desiccated before the
arrival Of the rains, and thus be rendered
permanently proof against decay
TIE body was found IN cave by party
of prospectors. 1t is in an excellent state
of preservation. The spine has shrunk con-
sderably. being thus reduced In length, by
reason of the drying of the cartilage be-
tween the vertebrae. The knees are some
what bent. Over the head are the rem
rants of leather hood. which seems to
have teen part Of garment used for the
purpose of a shrond. The man was well
advanced in years. as Is shown by the
worn condition of the teeth.
1t has been stated that the Individual
t. .~;<
of whom there is historical record. This is
true, unGuestionably, so far as the last
two centuries are concerned, and accounts
Of older dates are not at all well authenti-
Gated.
An Austrian giant, measured by Topi-
nard, was four and a half inches above
eight feet in height. The tallest man Of
whom there is any record was Winckel-
meyer, who was measured by Doubes and
found to be exactly eight and half feet
high. The largest woman that ever lived
was Marianne WeEde, German. who was
wonder of the last century. Not more
ers have dwelt on the earth in modern
times Unfortunately, the exhibited giant
is always more or less of a fake, number
of inches being added to his stature by the
show bills.
p. T. Barnum in his memoirs says that
he never could find n human being that
would come up to the eisht-foot mark
though he searched the world for curiosi-
Ties UGTlIlS, HIS CSiituiy VI SApSiASASS
as a Snowman. Chang, known as the Chi
nese Giant, was advertised as eight feet
high Therefore he could not have been so
much and the fact is that he was only
about six inches over seven feet. His ap-
parent haight was increased by flowing
robe and thick-soled shoes.
Yet Chang probably the tallest man
ever on exhibition in this country. Seven
feet is good height for an ordinary show
giant. The great Cninaman had the ad-
vantage OF being free from the deformities