Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-09
Some Facts Not Generally Known
Concerning This Strange
Character
IS NOT 50 OLD AS HE SEEMS.
Theory Advanced That His Change
OF Color Nav be the Result Of
Peculiar Skin Disease.
Special Correspondence,

special correspondence
Kanosh Willard Co.. Utah, March g.
have just read In your issue Of the ith
proposition made to the Utah COM
mission OF the st. Louis fair, by James
A. George asking permission TO ex-
hibit our wonderful Indian freak, ITO
60 years old. l will give you some
facts about this peculiar Indian, not
that | want to make money by fore
stallng Mr.. George, but that you at
least may know them, and use them as
your judgment dictates,
Poshaut is little old man whom
1 have known for more than 30 years.
He has always been looked upon as
sort Of squaw man, inoffenslve and a
constant beggar. The late Bishop A.
A. Klmball wrote the News near 20
years ago the fact that white spots
had appeared upon this Indians skin.
The Tribune made fun Of his statement.
A few years ago ! mentioned the fact
to the News" correspondent here, that
the old Indian was still getting whittier
every year. Last summer ex-
ahmed Poshaut myself to sat
isfy curiosity, and found that most
OF his body really became the color or
a white mans. And having seen in sci
entlhc journals some talk about a sim
liar phenomena, wrote TO DR.. Talmage
explaining the case to him, telling that
gentleman that II OF sufficient Interest
10 science, ! wanted him to have the
first call, and that he could come to my
home for entertainment. and | would
get Porshaut down and he could inNes-
tigate. The doctor wrote me a pleas
ant letter OF thanks, saying that he,
being engaged, had given the subject OF
reply to me into the hands Of DR., Will
cox. That gentleman also wrote me,
telling me that the subject was not Of
sufficient interest to make special Wis
1t TO investigate, and that the cause OF
the change In the skin was the result
of disease.
The story OF Porshaut's conversion to
"Mormonism" his wonderful age, 10
years. land white as snow" never
been sick a day in his life ETC., are
BarnumIsns? The woody horse, and
the wild man OF Boneo were no great
er. Knowing the Indian as long as !
have and watched his changes as the
years come along, do not believe he
Is older than myself. He Is constant
visitor to our house because he never,
goes away empty handed. He has Of
ten been so sick that we have thought
his end very near, Frequently has he
laid in the shade In our garden TO get
strength to return to camp. He Is
blind in one eye, and as inferior to look
upon as human can well get, and II
Utah wants a novelty OF this kind to
send to St. Louis, believe Mr., George
is Just the kind of man to exploit the
unheard of freak of nature, | don't
think he would be averse to saying that
his conversion TO "Mormonism," and
promises made that II he would be
faithful he, the Indian, should become
q white before he died,
do not know who the commissioners
are that have been applied to on this
subject. But | desire that they know
some facts about the proposition.
GEORGE CRANE.
SALT LAKER's OPINION.
Salt Lake City. March 5.--In Friday
evenings issue Of the Deseret News
under the heading, indian Has Turn
ed White" / note that Mr.. James A,
George OF Kanosh desires to exhibit the
Indian at the worlds fair
No doubt such an exhibit would at
tract much attention. However, | think
II would be more appropriate to present
such a case before a skin clinic, as the
condition referred to Is undoubtedly an
affection OF the skin known as yitllgo
or leukoderma.
Such cases while not common, are by
no means rare, While not thoroughly
understood. the disease Is thought TO be
due to faulty innovation, Whereby the
normal skin pigment is atrophied and
destroyed
The progress Of the disease Is very
slow and as there are no subjective
symptoms II Is very likely true as Mr..
George states, that the Indian has new
er had days sickness In his life, as
far Mr.. George could find out,
feel sure that such a promise that
ne De made white" would not be much
Of an inducement for one TO lead re.
lglous life However, the promise
most likely referred 20 a whitening OF
the soul, rather than material whlten-
ing Of the skin,
Very respectfully,
a CONSTANT READER.