The Washington times., 1907-07-08
Community Cursed
Nth A7ytuI Hands
Lake Grabs CAa7Us
New York Legislature May Be Asked to Prevent
Intermarriage to Stamp Out Daformity-At-
tributed to Divine Vengeance

BUFFALO. July a-Feeling which
has been steadily growing in Catarau-
gus county for some time past, may in
duce an appeal TO the Legislature in the
cause OF humanity to prevent the inter
marriage Of the Crabclaws. a cOmmun-
ity Of about I5o. living in one Of the
most picturesque spots in the valley.
and so end the spread OF an alarming
and hideous deformity.
The Crabclaws received their name
from the simple country folk about
from the formation OF hands and feet,
which. lacking even the proportion Of an
animals paws. resemble nothing 50
much as the claws o. some tabled mon
stcr. The hands are equipped with two
stumps. which. for want Of a better
word, are called fingers The feet ex-
tend on either side into what might
DO the foundation OF a great toe that
had been cut OF with some blunt in
strument- But where they have been
deprived OF the normal use Of these ser
wants Of the body nature has stepped
in to remedy the difficulty with her
wonderful ingenuity
Hands Are Preheusile.
These appalling hands from the sight
Of which children run screaming with
fright TO the protection Of their moth
ers' arms. are prehensile. They coil
themselves about an object with the
same surety Of hold as an elephants
trunk. The strange misshapen feet
share this peculiar ability. Their own
ers can climb Ike monkeys. but they
cannot walk Ike men. Their gait is
that Of an animal. with none Of its
grace They are Features Of a blight
that has endured-nay, has been cult
vated-through generations. They have
Rugged their pain 70 their hearts tn
II has grown and prospered-
Avoid Their Neighbors.
The entire tribe Of CrabcIaws had its
origin In two families.-the WriEhts and
the Robinsons- It has been only in
very late years that any normal indi-
vidual has found the courage to enter
I Into wedlock With one OF the commu-
nifty and face the possibility Of a child
| whose body should bear the hideous
mark Hence from father TO son. from
mother 20 daughter. has been handed
down this astonishing deformity-a de-
| formity which was inbred. from which
no escape was possible, save by one
Z OF tnOSe singular freaks which in the
crossing OF races sometimes leaves one
child white and another black.
/ ~ Their common lack, which binds them
| together IN so close a unity. naturally
| excludes them from the outside world
! The men work sometimes for the near
/ by farmers when they have not farms
/ OF their own 10 provide a Livelihood for
/ their families. But they are all keenly
! conscious OF the horror excited by their
/ hands and feet, and unless they are
/ working keep them carefully screened
I from prying eyes II they 70 10 the
! Indian reservation. which Is close a;
| hand. or drive into one OF the villages
! TO dispose Of garden truck or butter
/ a shaw is carried like a nun to con-
/ ceal the clawliNe fingers. And vet BY
/ a contradictory impulse their Intense
4 love of jewelry leads them TO decorate
these unsightly stumps with enormous
( rings. They can use the most delicate
( instruments with their hands, and the
/ men can readily shave themselves
/ The Crabclaws are as resentfui OF thu
/ curiosity Of strangers about their dis
! figurement as they are of the superstl-
| ticus awe that attaches 10 II Yet none
/ has tried to controvert the story OF the
/ origin OF this uncanny heritage. One
| and all admit that II has come from tho
/ Curse curse of a man foully