The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-27
TEXAS HAS A FREAK
He Is Seven Years Old and Sports a
Flowing Beard.
WEIGHS NEARLY 1870 POUNDS
Wears a No. 7 Hat. No. 9 Shoes and
Is Six Feet One Tall-Travels on
Half Fare Railroad Tickets
Mr.Wheeler T ellis the Story.

A few days ago there appeared in the
| Standard an account of the big Aus
trian boy, Anton Mochty, who is report
ed to be but 10 years of age yet five feet
tall and weighing $50 pounds. Anton
was a midget, however, and a very or
binary big boy compared to a Texas lad
named Willie Johnson, whom VIII o.
Wheeler, Katie Putnam's manager. dis
covered near Austin, Texas, a few
weeks ago. Mr.. Wheeler has the docu-
menits to prove the story he related to
a reporter for the Standard, SO that
there Is no doubt as to the truth of It.
While on a train leaving Austin recent
ly Mr.. Wheeler sat behind two men, one
a middle aged and the other a young
man. the latter apparently 2S or 80
years of age. When the conductor came
around to collect tickets the eldest of
the two men handed out a full fare
and another a half fare ticket. The
conductor spoke Familiarity to the two
men, took the tickets without question
and passed on. Mr.. Wheeler's curiosi-
~ was aroused and, with the object of
finding out how the half fare ticket
was worked on the conductor he OPP
ened a conversation with the man and
learned that his name was August
Johnson, and the young man by his
side was his son, Willie, of whom, he
said, Mr.. Wheeler had probably heard
before. The latter replied that he was
stranger in that part of the country
and had never heard of the young man,
whereupon Mr.. Johnson informed him
that his son was something of a won
der in that part OF Texas, as he was
only years of age. Mr.. Wheeler said
he liked the joke, but the man told him
there was no Joke about It.
INha conductor WAS 10 and
confirmed the statement, as he happen
ed TO be we'll acquainted with the
young man and his case. Other parties
on the train were also familiar with the
case and Mr.. Wheeler was finally con-
WINGED shat he was not being "joshed, :"
and he took an interest in the boy. The
father told him that his son was z
years of a ge, six feet and one inch tall,
weighed 178 pounds, wore No. shoes
and a No. hat. He had a pair Of
heavy stdewhiSkers and a long mus
tache. The expression of his face, how
ever, was that of a child and when
Mr.. Wheeler attempted to engage him
in cow ersa9on he found that the boys
ideas and Language were also childish.
Mr.. Wheeler WIS informed by the faith
er that the young man had never been
to school and, on the advice of physi-
clans he was kept from study. His de-
slres, he said. were those of a boy and
he preferred to play with children of
his own age rather than associate with
men OF his size. At his birth he was
of ordinary weight and size, but his
rapid growth became apparent before
he was month old, and he ATTAINED
almost his present stature before he
was years of age. During the last
year he grew only q few inches, indi-
eating that In size he has about reached
maturity. Mr.. Wheeler thought ne had
discovered money-making museum
freak and lost no time In writing to
Kohl & Middleton about Hlis find but
they threw cold water on his scheme
by telling him tho boy would be a fail
ure for the reason that people would
not believe the facts about the case
and they further told him that they
had met with similar cases quite fire.
quently during their career as museum
managers. They related one case as
especially interesting. IL was that of an
Indiana boy, and quite similar to that
of the Texas freak. with the difference
that the mind OF the Indiana boy grew
with his body. lie arrived at maturity
at the age OF 6. and then grew rapidly
odd. and died at the age OF IA years, an
old and decrepft man.
There have been other and thorough
by authenticated cases Of a like nature
The doctor books tell OF the case OF
Thomas Hall. the second ch.ld OF
Thomas and Margaret Hall. born at
NtlilnBHdIns fsHb. At : years ana II
months ne was three feet and nine
inches high: his strength was such as
30 overcome any boy OF s years: he had
"a mans voice. and he weighed nearly
60 pounds. lie threw witch great ease
and without ;'he aid OF a springboard or
any mechanical APPLIANCE "a blacksmtth's
hammer which weighed II pounds, and
he could lift about 10 pounds. Between
August IS and November 30. i744 ne
grow two tnche. and a half In height.
When ne died. an old man. at the age
of 6. NE was four feet six inches high
and he weighed almost 100 pounds The
Johnson case. however. Is peculiar to
itself and differs very much from the
cases In history.