Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-15
THE sIAMEsE TWINS.
The Strange Story Of Eng and Chang.
the Circus Freaks.

The stranss Story Of Eng and Chang.
the Circus Freaks.
Some times one comes across a
piece Of home-spun history that beats
the conventional article. This is the
case with the story Of Chang and Eng,
the Siamese twins, az given in the
Carolina Pythian, by Major James G.
Baird. who spent two months this sum-
mer in Surry county, where the twins
grew up and were married. The facts
as dug up by Major Baird are arrang-
ed In readable shape. The twins were
born in Slam in 1911 and on their
travels in this country with Old John
Robinson's circus, reached the town of
Salisbury. There a native of Sur
ry county got stuck" on them and
they accepted an invitation to 20 to
his home on the Fish and Ararat riv-
ers, in the county mentioned. They
were so pleased with the country that
they decided to make It their home.
We let the major tell the rest:
Eng invested all his money In ne
groes and Chang invested his In
lands. They were unusually interest
ed In every undertaking. But the war
took away the slaves and on eQuita-
BILE division was made of the lands.
They built comfortable home on the
left bank Of the Fish river, which they
occupied until some time just prior to
the civil war, when Chang conceived
the idea of getting married. They
were great hunters. and in their wan
derings, they had gone over into
Wilkes where Chang saw the girl for
whom he had been longing. He served
notice on Eng Of his intention and gave
the command to come and let US visit
the home Of the Yates. There was
nothing for Eng to do. but to obey.
Chans's story Of love fell upon lis
tening ear, and in due time union
was formed between him and Miss
Yates. The household was now made
to number three.
A year passed and Eng began to
think. The smiles that played upon
the face Of Chang were too much for
Eng. He too must go and tell his
story. The family of three had doubt
less attracted much attention. WHO
is to be the wife Of Eng It did not
take Eng long to decide. Another of
the Yates girls was left The good
qualities embodied In the one must be
inherited In the other. So Eng said to
Chang, Come, let me go q counting
too" How many visits Eng made be-
fore he accomplished his purpose, we
are not told, but a little thought would
suggest that they were not many. For
the second time Eng and Chang stood
In the Yates home before the parson.
But two women, though they be sis
ters, in one house is one too many. An
other home must be built" A beauti-
ful site was on the other side of the
stream. Another home was built there
for Eng.
The question then came, How shall
we divide time between these two
homes?" A knotty question, not sat
isfactorily settled. Every Monday
morning there was a shift from the one
to the other, rain or shine. Alternate
weeks there was a home on the banks
of the Fish without Eng and Chang.
The passing years brought children into
those homes. Eng was the father in
one, and Chang was the father In the
other How the discipline Of the one
accorded with the ideas Of the other
we have not been able to learn. Doubt
home, for It is known that each had q
will Of his own. Nine children came
into either home These have all
grown up, and are now living in the
bounds of Surry county. Among them
are some Of the most substantial men
Of the county. The wife Of Chang is
still living at the old homestead, In
good health, with promise Of many
years.
Major Baird learned that the matter
of cutting the binding that held them
together received consideration from
the best talent Of America and Europe.
It was the opinion of all physicians con-
suited that they could not be cut apart
and live. The connection was vital. SO
they passed through life. They were
men Of very different temperaments.
hal xhak fot lnd 70
assert itself. It was common thing
for them to get into very animated dis
cussions, agreeing very frequently to
disagree. Blows were sometimes pass
ed. A magistrate Is still living in the
county who had one arrested at the re-
quest of the other and tried for as
sault A fine was imposed with the
result that they went for days without
speaking.
The blood Of the foreigner Is dis
tinct in every one Of the children. Black
hair, dark eyes,. brown complexion,
typical Of their eastern birth. They liv-
ed to rather an old age. They died in
the year 1874. One was often sick
without materially affecting the other.
They were distinct personalities. Each
had his own favorite diet. Both enjoy
ed comparatively good health. occa-
sion for a doctor was rare. The imme-
diate cause Of death is not stated. They
retired early as was their habit. Be-
fore the clear dawn Of day Eng awoke
and found Chang dead. A doctor from
Mount Airy was summoned in all pos
sible haste. When he came he found
the blood from the dead man had
coursed its way into the living one.
Death was inevitable. So 1t was de-
cided not to separate them. Let them
die as they have lived-joined togeth-
err" Their bodies were taken to Phila-
delphia, but were afterwards recover
ed by one Of the sons and brought
back to Surry where they are buried
Charlotte Observer.
A Doubtful compliment.-The BAN
quet hall was adorned with many beau
tiful paintings. and the president Of