The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-03-27
TOO MUCH FOR THE CLERK.
Terrified by the India Rubber Boy
and the Man,

Terrified BY the India Rubber Boy
| and the Man.
| A person who has had many years
experience In hospitals was speaking
the other day to a number Of men in
terested in medical affairs about hu-
| man freaks.
DO you know that the greatest hu-
man freaks in the country-in fact, In
| the world" exclaimed the speaker,
have never been exhibited In a mu-
scum or numbered among a circus at
fractions? Have you ever heard of the
India rubber boy or the negro whose
heart was on his right side or the man
with voice like locomotive whistle?
Perhaps you have heard of at least the
last great parsonage. They were real
ly great personages' in their own esti-
nation and seemed to be glad that
they were freaks"
None of the listeners had ever seen
or heard of the freaks.
Don't think for a moment that the
india rubber boy was made of rubber"
continued the speaker, cor that he
could twist himself into a knot. He
looked like schoolboy. He suffered
from some form of epilepsy, and when
he had fit he would bounce up and
down. That's why they called him the
india rubber boy"
How high did he bounceY' was ask
ed.
81 think about six feet. Some people
said that he sometimes bounced high
er. but doubt it,
did he have any control over him.
self when he had fit?"
"No. He never knew when or where
he would be stricken, and every time
he simply bounced until he became ex-
hausted or unconscious.
THE india rubber boy and the man
with the voice like a locomotive whis-
tie one time nearly frightened to death
night clerk of a local hospital. A
young physician made a tour of the
country some years ago exhibiting to
medical associations the india rubber
boy and the man with the peculiar
voice. This physician took delight in
having fun at the expense of his
friends. He was well acquainted with
victim for one Of his pranks. One
night. after he had exhibited his freaks
before a medical society In this city,
the physician called at the hospital to
see the night clerk. After talking with
the clerk a few minutes he left the
freaks seated near desk at which the
clerk was at work and went into an ad-
joining room to await developments.
The physician had some doubt about
his plan being successful. as the man
with the extraordinary voice would
only make a noise like a locomotive
whistle when under great excitement.
The man. however. did what was ex-
pected Of him.
Several times the clerk stopped
work to glance at his visitors. but their
action did not arouse his suspicious.
Soon the india rubber boys teeth be-
gan to chatter. and the lad assumed a
crouching attitude. He was preparing
to spring. The clerk saw the crouch
ing form in front of his desk and
| reached for stick on q nail at one end
Of his desk. AS the clerk grasped the
stick the boy bounded upward and
came down on his feet, only to shoot
upward again. The clerk raised the
stick as though he intended to hit the
boy with 1t. and then the man who
could make sounds resembling a loco
motive whistle became excited and
sounded shrill blast His voice would
have terrified any one. The noise made
by the man and the boy bounding up
and down in front Of the desk was too
much for the clerk. He rushed from
the room and sounded a call for help.
All the male orderlies responded to the
call. and for a time there was great ex-
element in the place. The physician
restored order by making an explana-
ton, but the clerk never spoke to him
again."-New York Tribune.