The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
TENNESSEE'S TALL MAN.
Negro Who Is So Long His Legs WOn'G
Bear His own Weight.

Gallatin (Tenn.) Letter
1t is not generally known outside of this
place, and not many here are aware Of it,
that the talleSt person In the world, so far
as known, resides here. However, this is a
fact. The giant in stature is Bud" Ro-
gan, cOlored, who possesses other PECULIAR
tiles equally as striking as his height.
There are few people, IL any, travelling
through here over the Louisville d. Nash
Vile Railroad for the last ten or twelve
years who have not been attracted by the
human monstrosity,, and fewer still after
having seen him, fully realize that they had
seen one of the greatest living wonders OF
the age. Although Bud" has been Il con-
slant visitor to all the trains for years past,
the passengers were not aware that they
were beholding "a man eight feet tall, as
he always remained IN little homemade
wagon drawn by two full-groWn billy goats.
on the arrival of each train bud" and his
goat wagon may be seen at their usual
place on the east side of the track and
about fifty yards north of the depot. This
position places him in full view of the pas
sengers, whose attention is at once attract
ed by the unusual sight They invariably
alght from the train and draw up closer TO
the prodigy, to find that he is something
they had never seen before. In the first
place, the wagon and goats form an unusual
sight but the giant-like appearance of Ro-
gan and his oddly constructed anatomy
strike awe to the spectators They general
ly question Bud" as to his history, which
is incoherently given them, as he Is absO-
lutely ignorant. They ask him about his
goats his wagon his health, how long he
has been in his present condition. etc. and
not a few tell him of the fortunes he could
make if he would travel. Some want his
photograph, and nearly every one VINO sees
and interviews him gives him money in
sums ranging from cents to 81. In this
manner Bud" makes a good living. and
some days pockets quite-a large sum. While
en- route To the Tennessee Centennial the
Brooklyn excursionistS' special stopped at
the depot here about five minutes, and, as
usual, Bud and his goats were there. 1t
was one of his special days. The crowd was
amazed over the curiosity, and before they
departed took up a collection. About Slu
xnraSs nfrfh ta6 x1ybf NtynC n %
days in Buds business.
Aside from being eight feet tall Bud"
has reach with each arm extended OF
ninety six inches, the greatest in the world
and tWenty-One inches more than Fitzsim-
mons's. His hands are each thirteen and
half inches in length and his finger nails
are about the size OF twenty-nVe-cent
piece. He is almost a skeleton, yet he
weighs 156 pour DIS. But the most peculiar
and striking feature about him are his feet.
They are eighteen inches in length and as
large around as an ordinary mans leg. No
shoes have ever been found that he could
put on, and in consequence he has 10 keep
them wrapped in blanket in cold weather.
Another strange thing connected with him
is that he cannot walk, step nor stand upon
his feet. his neither limbs being too small
and weak to support his own weight.
This wonder was born and reared In Gall
latin and is about thirty years of age. He
was up TO few years ago, able TO go about
unaided and could do as much manual Ia
Dor as any other man, but for the last ten
years he has been unable 10 walk, and his
only means of locomotion have been his
goats which are well trained and familiar
Institution of the town. Bud makes a liv-
ing however for himself and his aged
mother by the strangers who come through
here making him donations If they should
fail To voluntarily give him a "skeet as
the negroes term nickel. Bud will re-
mind them of their dereliction.