Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-10-27
A Peculiar Collection of curiosi,ies.

IA, ABOUT TWO duu d-udII mites lIom
the town of Philippi, there lives an
old man who has dabbled in the mys-
teries of the ancient Egyptians, Jug
gled with death, consorted with corpses
and defed successfully the laws of ma
ture, as far as the modification of the
human body is concerned. Skilled in
the art of preventing decomposition,
and surrounded by ghastly specimens
of his work, he lives a contented life,
glorying in his discovery and satisfied
to carry his secret to the grave with
him. To him belongs the credit of
wrestling from past ages the myster-
Ious process ofkeeping intact the body,
the process that gave to the world the
mummies of the Rameses, Pharaohs
and Thothmes, with accompanying his
tory and light into the life OF centuries
that came and rolled along before the
mission Of the Messiah had begun.
This individual is thoroughly COM
monpace, practical, and not of the
Arbacian type. BY that is meant
he is not a sorcerer.
lie is known as "Old Man" Ham
rick and is aged about seventy-one
years. BY his mysterious embalming
fluid he has preserved forever, not on
" human bodies, but those of animals,
birds and fish. These gruesome OBJ
jects he has sprinkled all over his
house and a few on the lawn, subjected
to the open air, which seems to have
no effect upon them.
"But the most interesting part OF
his house, to those who are not ner-
vous, is his den, small stuiiy room
on the second floor Of his house, said
Samuel D. Young, Of this city, this
morning, who recently paid Hamrlek
visit. 81 am not easily startled,
but | must confess that when he let
me into his preparing room, or den,
and | saw ghastly, grinning iace'
that once had the light Of life in them,
staring them fxedly in the face,
stepped back a pace or two to think.
THE old gentleman noticing my
alarm gave one of those scientific
cackles, taking my temporary dis
concertion as an involuntary compll-
ment to bis work. Ny composure |
recovered at once and he began tell
ing me of his work and how II had
been the study Of his life These dry
details did not attract me at all and
| merely politely listened, while my
attention was riveted upon the various
objects he had 'mummifed'. Seeing
that his conversation did not interest
me he began talking of the stray
works Of his art about the place.
Notice those two bodies in those
two plain boxes over there, he said. |
looked and saw two women, life like
in appearance, with flesh tinted skin
and wide opeE staring eyes. There
was nothing ghastly about them.
They looked as if they had just
awakened from a slumber. Continu-
ing the old man said: Il bought them
for 81 400 from an insane asylum in
this State, about fourteen years ago,
and they are my greatest specimens.
The bodies were merely covered with
a cloth and were as hard and cold az
marble. Every vein was visible.
He next showed me the head Of a col
ored man with full beard, which he
had obtained from a Cincinnati hospi.
tai only short time before. 1t was
perfectly preserved and the flesh was
as pliable as that Of live person. He
also showed me a ten-day-old baby,
fowl, fish, squirrel, cats, pigs, fruit,
ETC., all in excellent condition, and
many years old.
"In front Of the house are a number
Of mummifed snakes, coiled in strik-
ing attitude and calculated to scare
away any burglar who gets too fresh
around the premises.
Hamrick occasionally comes 10 Cum
berland to purchase the material out
Of which he makes his enbalming
fluid, and his quaint appearance al
ways attracts the attention OF those
who do not know him. lie was dec
GRATED come years ago by French
medical society.
To prove the efficacy of his fluid he
frequently embalms fresh quarter Of
beef, hangs it in the sun, and cuts off
steaks whenever needed. People who
have eaten them declare that they are
as juicy and as good as fresh steak.
In his commission he uses herbs
largely, that he gathers himself
Hamrick now has biz second wife,