Connecticut western news., 1920-08-12
MEN OF STATURE
Only a Few Have Been "GiantS
 in the Land"
Johann Van Albert, Recent Importa- tion From Holland, the TaIlest Specimen of Humanity Ever
 Seen in Modern Days.

When Johann Van Albert stepped from the gangplank on a recent ar rival of the Mauretania he had the distinction of being the tallest man who ever entered the United States. His feet inches of height required that a special berth, made up of two cots placed end to end in a large con- panionway, be furnished for the trip from his home in Amsterdam, Holland.
 Since Johann has left his quiet home out among the nearby wi1dmills of Amsterdam and intends to enter the show business over here, 1t will be in- teresting to dig up some giant history and see how he compares with previ- ous competitors who used to be great attractions. Probably no living giant in the United States ever exceeded the 8 feet attained by the late Captain Bates, who was a native of Kentucky.
 The word living is used here be- cause of the fact that for some time during the year 1869 the famous Car diff giant led many people to be- lieve that 10-foot man had once lived In Onondaga County, N. Y. The story
 f this mOnstrous fraud perpetrated on the American public makes such un- usual and Interesting reading that 1t will bear repeating.
 The idea had its inception out in Fort Dodge, -Ia., when an adventurous fakir purchased a huge block of gyp- sum from a quarryman of that place. The block then was shipped to Chi cago, 1t being taken in charge by sculptor, who chiseled 1t into 10-foot giant. The surface was pricked with needles to give 1t the appearance Of pores in the human skin, and then treated with a variety of acids which made the entire statue appear Of ancient origin. After completion the giant was securely packed in an iron box and shipped to Union, N. Y., where the owner claimed 1t, loaded the bulky box upon a large wagon and hauled 1t fifty miles D a farm near Cardiff The giant form was then removed from the box and secretly buried, remaining under the ground nearly a year, until it was accidental ly" discovered by some workmen who had been engaged to dig we'll by the promoter of the fraud.
 This great discovery was made on October 16 1869, and news of the won- derful petrified giant spread all over the country. The lucky finders cover ed it with a tent and put it on exhibi- tion, while special trains were run o;A n%I .F,xy points so that the clamoring multitudes could see the astonishing remains at The earliest opportunity.
 Until the deception was discovered !s Is estimated that more than 50.- OOO persons jostled each other in order to view the wonder, paying a dollar apiece for the remarkable priv ilege.
 But, passing on from this greatest hoax, 1t is found that Captain Bates was the tallest of our modern Ameri- can giants, although his 8-foot height was slightly exceeded by that of Anna Swan, a native of Nova Scotia. Going further back into giant history we find that Queen Elizabeth's head porter was feet inches high, probably be- ing given this exalted position on ac- count of lhis ability to see what was going on at all times.
 Among royalty itself it is claimed that oneLof the Roman emperors was nearly 9 feet high, but the measure ments of those days may have allow ed him considerable more height than he would be entitled to at this time, though no doubt he was a person of great stature for history to make note of the fact.