Evening star., 1920-02-22
FIFTY YEARS Ago IN
The STAR. y, Z

The Cardiff giant, an alleged petri-
faction Of human remains. complete
ly fooled a large number OF
Cardiff people a little over fifty
Giant years ago. A great sum
was collected in admission
fees by the promoters of this fake 1t
took some time, furthermore, to con-
vince the public that the giant" had
been manufactured and planted" In
The star of February Is. 1870, is a
paragraph exposing the trick:
''The fact has leaked out that the
Cardiff giant that has gulled so
many simpletons, was manufactured
in Chicago. and now one of it's jim
ventorA, r. Mohrmann. stone cutter
of that city. is out in a communica-
ton in the Chicago Tribune explain
ing how the imposture was carried out.
IL seems that Mohrmann and a workman
for voIk, the sculptor. named Sale. were
employed by George Hull to cut the
giant from a block of gypsum brought
to Chicago from Fort Dodge, Iowa
At frst hair was carved on the head
and beard on the chin, but on con-
sultation with geologists II was found
that hair would not petrify. So, as 1t
was designed to represent the statue
as q petrifaction, the hair and
whiskers were shaved on. To give
the figure the appearance of age IL
was pricked over with needles fast
ened in lead. This process was car
ried on also TO remove the marks of
the chisel, and. further. to give the
statue an antiquated look, IL was
rubbed with vitriol. sulphuric acid
and English ink. It was at first pro-.
posed to take the statue to Mexico
and bury 1t there, but on account Of
the distance that idea was finally
abandoned. 1t must make the dupes
Of this imposture feel rather foolish
to learn how easily they were sold by
these Chicago stonecutters."
f.. ... -. -.
The other day attention was called
to the fact that an artist who az .
boy had drawn q
A Portrait sketch Of Lincoin
-, from life had painted
OF Aanoeln q portrait in oils from
it. 1t would seem that shortly after
Lincoin's death there was . demand,
for an authentic portrait for the gov
ernment. In The Star OF February
10, 1870, is the following: -.
Everybody. we take 1t for granted.
is in favor of the nation possessing
an authentic and in every respect
first class painting Of the late Presi-
dent Lincoln; yet We question very
much whether the resolution ihtro
duced in the Senate by MT. Appott
the other day (Which approprlates
IS. 600 for a picture to be painted py
Mr.. Littleheid) 10 the true way 70
get II. A much better plan, II seems
to us, will be to appropriate tne
money to pay for q picture 70 pe
painted by some artist to be seiecteo
hereafter by the library committes,
or sor,e other competent and properly
authorised body, and then let II sivo
the commission to the artist Wno
shall be found, after a close exAini-
nation. to be best qualified TO exc
1--WE make this suggestion wth0ut
the wish to retard or advance the m
terest of any individual, and WITH NO
;ntention to. discuss the merits OF
any artist. but solely for the reason
that by this course alone can the pest
work 6f art be assured to the nation
Ana this should be had without re-
On rd TO perSSnal considerations or IN
s,iences. II 10 due alike to the cause
~ American art, to the memory OF
the great deceased. whose ineaiheh.s
are to be thus perpetuateo, ah1 "
the neoute Of fhe country, VINO nave
~ nav the costs of such works, ana
who, ne feel bound to say. have SO
far had rather unsatisfactory return
TOR their money expended In tnat ai-
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