The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
CLARK COUNTY'S FREAKS
ENOUGH CURI0sTTIEs TO SUPPLY A
MODERN TRAVELLING CIRCUS.
Some HOosier from that Section of the
state Has Been "Stufing'' the
New York Reporters.
New York Press.

New York Press
There are lots of queer people, places,
things and situations to be found in the
Hoosier State" said E. r. Goshen, of
GAINESVILLE Ind, last night at a Broadway
hotel; but no locality contains as many
CT them as Clark county, of which my
native town is the seat. 1t is one of the
smallest as well as one of the Oldest coun-
ties in the State, but leads them all in
point of curiosities, natural, accidental and
designed. In fact, Clark county is simply
one big dime museum with the dime left
off. The greatest show on earth looms up
mean and contemplate by comparison, for
it would require at least fifty three-ringed
circuses to hold our aggregations of freaks
and wonders.
ITO begin with, we have the biggest Off
cial in the United States. He is county
treasurer and his name is Edward M. Pang-
borne Eddie stands seven feet in his stock
ings and can eat pie off the tallest colonial
mantelpiece AS he is only twenty-elght
years old, he is probably the youngest coun-
ty treasurer in the State. His campaign OF
two years ago was remarkable and com
patible with his own singularity. In the
first place, when he was nominated by the
Republican party he did not have a 5O-cent
piece TO DleSS minister WITH, anu II was III
possible to levy on him for campaign pur-
poses. The Republicans had not elected an
official for years and years in Clark county,
and they simply went through the form of
putting out a ticket in order to preserve the
party organization. So, taking it all around,
his nomination was regarded as a monu-
mental joke by everybody, especially the
delegates, who were glad to find somebody
willing to take it.
But Eddie permitted them to enjoy their
joke and went accomplishing. He borrowed
a pair of shoes and walked over the entire
county He called on all the farmers and
cut wood or worked in the fields to pay for
a days board and a nights lodging. He dis
coursed on crops and matters of agricul-
rural interest, told the story of his odd cam
paigning in an ingenious way which made
the farmers laugh, but when he left their
homes in the morning he generally took
with him their pledges of support at the
polls. On election day there were few who
thought Eddie was such a huge joke after
all, for he walked away with the treasurers
office with majority which wiped the Dem
ocrats off the face of the earth.
But don't think for an instant our treas
urer is the biggest man in Clark county.
We have another human monument named
Jacob Williams, and COmmOnly dubbed Big
Jake He is seven feet six and a half inches
in height and 4 man of superb proportions.
His hand looks like the side of a beef with
wheel spOkes run through it, and as for his
leg-Well, that is more like an animated
section of California redwood tree. Big
Jake is a splendid-heaI led fellow, and it is
well for practical jOkerS who like to have
fun at his expense that he is, for his
strength is prodiSiOus. He can toss a bull
over on his side as easily as you or l could
throw a cat.
BIG JAKE'S' JOKE.
Jake likes good joke himself OCCASION
ally. Last summer a circus came to Clarks-
vile and advertised the tallest giant on
earth. Naturally, giants are at a discount
in Clark county, in view of the elongated
part Of its population; but there were other
features exploited in the county paper and
on the bilboards which induced the citizens
to attend in a body. Among them was big
Jake.
We'll, eventually they trotted out their
giant. He was dressed up like a soldier and
wore tin helmet surmounted by three
foot plume TO make him look taller than he
was. Besides they had him standing on a
platform so that the audience had 10 look
up 10 see the whole of him, and that of
course. deceived them as TO his real height
Presently dapper little chap came out on
the platform, stood beside the so-caled
giant and began TO lecture on him. He had
rot previously noticed Big Jake in the audi
once, who to make himself appear several
| feet smaller than he was, had crouched
( down III a seat not far from the circus
giant.
Ladies and gentlemen, began the dap
per little lecturer, TO General Topper whom
now have the honor to present to your no
uce, belongs the distinction of being the
tallest man on earth. He stands eight and a
half feet high and in order to illustrate to
you now vast IS that height in a human be-
ing l viii request some medium-szed gem
tlelnan 70 step on the platform and stand
beside him
NO one made a move to climb the plat
form, so the dapper little lecturer began
casting his eye around for the desired me
diminished man. His glance rested uDon
Big Jake, who was making himself smaller
and smaller, until he appeared shorter than
men Of ordinary size who sat near him.
p" VIII you kindly Oblige me by stepping
Jake
:" Certainly responded Jake, in a voice
which shook the tent, and without more ado
he stretched out and jumped upon the plat
form.
You ought to have heard the people yell
and seen that dapper little lecturers look
of fright and dismay, for Big Jake lowered
4 good half foot over the circus giant whose
hand he shook gravely while he softly blew
the three-foOt plume away from his face.
1t looked for moment as if the little lee
tUrer was going to have a fit but he grad
ually came round, and then Big Jake said:
Sonny, you want to put this infant giant
back in the incubator and give him a chance
to grow That broke up that part of the
'Afterward the circus offered Jake a good
salary to travel and exhibit himself but he
refused. as he had already refused several
others from Barnum & Bailey, Forepaugh
and other circus aggregatiOns.
COUNTY OF CENTENARIANS
Apart from our tall men, Clark county
is also celebrated in the State as a place
where few people die under century or
| Whereabouts. The oldest woman in Indiana
lives in the northern part of the county.
She is 105 years old, and is still hale and
hearty, as attested by the fact that she
milks her COWS frequently and does ali sorts
of chores around the house. She chews to-
bacco, and is as particular about obtaining
her favorite brand as the most confirmed
masculine user of the weed. She smokes,
too, the pipe being her favorite Generally
she takes a walk every morning in good
weather and covers three or four miles, if
not at a record-breaking pace, at least in
Sufhcient time to protect the record for 105-
year-oldS. Her name is Eliza Anderson, and
one of her neigEborS is Miss Elizabeth Dow
ing, commonly known as Aunt Betty. Her
age Is 103, and her claim and pride are that
she Is the most ancient old maid in Indiana,
If not in the United States. So far no COM
petitors have arisen to dispute the claim.
Another thing which affords Miss Dow
that she has never been kissed by a man-so
she says. Whether the fault lies with the
men with her is a point on which she
is conservative TO the verge of remoteneSS
The number of centenarianS in Clark county
has not been counted recently, but l will