Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-12-19


William G. Ruger said: No one can
look upon that calm, grand smile of
mingled sweetness and strength with
out being convinced that the giant
once lived and had being"
Cardiff, where the giant was found,
is in Onondaga County, New York
State, few miles from Syracuse. Near
by Is ii depression in the earth known
as Onondaga Hollow. In this hollow
are to be found petritied fish and rep
tiles. Biologists say this hollow once
formed the bed Of an ocean.
1t was here, on the Newell farm,
that the giant was ostensibly discov-
cred on Oct. 10, 1860, while William
Newell. nicknamed STUB" Newell and
his men were digging Well To at
test the authenticity Of the find at the,
time, Newell, Gideon Emmons. Henry
Nichols, John Parker and Smith A.
Woodman solemnly made affidavit TO
the circumstances In order to be able
TO meet any possible charge of fraud
The news of the discovery of the
=
incredibly short time, and soon yehi-
cles of all sorts were headed for the
pit, loaded with people curious TO look
upon the face of this wonder, this pre-
historic giant. With admirable promp-
tltude, Newell erected tent over the
pit and charged an admission fee of 30
cents. In this way he made over $I,-
600 In Il few weeks. He sold n three
quarter interest to some Syracuse men,
one of whom was DR.. Westcott, father
of the author of David Harum." 1t
Is said that Newell got $4,000 for this
three-quarter interest
II was not long before the giant be-
gan to attract the attention of eminent
scientific men,. One of the first to
view the giant was Prof. Hall. the
New York State geologist who pro
claimed 1t to be the petrified body OF
man. The newspapers and maga-
zines of the country went into learn
ed discussion of the subject. Heated
arguments between scientists were
published. some declaring that the
giant was petrfaction, others deny
Ing this, but asserting 1t to be an inn
age of great antiquity. Among those
who held to the latter theory were IA
committee from the Geological Society,
of Boston, composed of Oliver Wen
dell Holmes. Prof. Jackson and others.
Judge Ruger gave the delightful tes
timonial already quoted Powers, the
sculptor, whose statue. The Greek
Slave. is known all over the world
declared that no chisel could have
carved such man.
Families Quarreled Over 1t.
1t is said that in central New York
families were virtually disrupted by
the aggressiyeness of the discussion
over the genuineness of the giant. 1t
is doubtless true that the four or five
men who became the owners and ex-
hibitors of the giant were as badly de-
ceived as the public, the originator of
the humbug having in that way made
master stroke. One of these was
DR.. Amos Westcott, the father of the
author of David Harum." DR.. West
L
responsibility in Syracuse, and when
! the giant was finally shown TO have
been fraud. his health gave way and
i he died shortly after, it is said. of a
/ broken heart. He felt the world
would never believe him innocent OF
an intention to hoodwink it.
At the time the giant fiourshed T.
/ L. Barnum had a museum in New
York and he recognized the worth OF
the giant for his show. He offered
$50. 900 for 1t for three months. This
offer was rejected, but Barnum was
not to be defeated thus easily. There
was chemist In Syracuse named
Otto, who knew something about mod
cling. Barnum commissioned him to
make a plaster giant as near like the
original as possible. Otto produced q
duplicate giant, made of plaster on q
wire madel and weighted with iron to
give the weight of the original This
imitation Barnum exhibited in his mu
scum, and many who saw 1t wonder
ed how such a composition could de
ceive the learned men even for mo
ment.
Meanwhile the original giant wa.
shown in different cities. causing III
end of wonderment. On one day IL
Syracuse 1000 people paid 80 cents
apiece to see 1t. The Mayor and al
the public officials of Rochester made
an official journey to Syracuse to see