The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-12-31
HUNTS HUMAN SKULLS
Peculiar Hobby Which Occupies
Leisure Time of a Texan.
Has Visited 10y i.rDiS ard Coun-
tries In search of the Odd Curios
aud lie Has an Interest,"
ing Collection.

The following advertisement appeared
In the newspapers OF ST. Joseph. Mo-. re-
Gently:
"Wanted-Human skulls, must be in
good condition; will pay literally for
fine specimens. Apply Hotel NJ Charles
W. Jenkins"
jenkins was a temporary resident OF
St. Joseph, where he has considerable
realty interests, but his real home Is in
Corpus Christi, Tex. He has probably
the oldest fad of any collector of curius
who has ever been resident Of that city.
Mr.. Jenkins is very anxious to increase
his collection of skulls, and in the pos
session of medical students, physicians
and colleges oi ST. Joseph are spCcimers
taken from various burying srourcS
that have been unearthod in the eX-
cava;ions for buildings on sites that
hundreds of years ago were repositories
for the dead of the ancient red man.
IL have now in my possession SiS
perfect specimens of human skulls, says
Mr.. Jenkins. They represent the hG-
man Or mary ages, and I ind thC11 N
interesting study indeed, How did !
come to indulge in such a strange fad.
Well In my youth made a study d.
anatomy. aud became intensely inter-
ested In the construction OF the human
frame, gradually acquired a taste for
this form OF bric-a-hrac.
al aNllf NJ ~ ~
skulls in 1851 During excavations III
ST. Joseph on property In the possession
OF my father several specimens of ar
ancient race were eXhumed. ant
straiehtway found a resting place upon
a shelf in cabinet In my home. | Wis
tied the former home of the mound
builder in Colorado and New Mexico
where other specimens of the ancient
Inhabitants were discovered They diff
fer materially from the skulls found Il,
st. Joseph. Then visited the holy land
in search of specimens. From there
drifted to the lands of the Ptolemies c!
Egypt Here some valuable acquisi
lions were made. have trdmped over
the Pampas of South Amer RIGA, the noun
tains Of Peru and Chilli, and even pene-
trated into TIE wildernesscs Of the ANA
zon, where. in deposits Of earth and
stone, have brought to light perfect
specimens of human skulls, represent
ing periods which history does not
chronicle.
an my experiments have found that
some skulls tahc on a very beautiful
polish and | must say that, under tho
hand Of skilled artisan, they are made
magnificent. These specimens occupy
cabinet by themselves. have number
OF skulls taken from the wreck of the
Galveston storm. ! also have specimens
from other disasters on this and other
continents. Five victims Of the Mont
Pelee disaster are represented In my
collection. This business Of collecting
skulls is a great aid in the study and re-
tention of important facts In history. |
have in my possession the skulls of men
at times prominent in the history Of
this nation. How came to have them
! do not care to say. However. money
Is means Of gratifying the tastes of
anyone who cares to make a collection
of this kind. Because have acquired a
liking for this work. spend much time
during the winter months wandering
about between rows of crinuing heads,
philisOphizing. after the fashion of the
grave digger in Hamlet, upon the brew
ity of human life"