The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-05-12
Men OF STATURE
Only a Few Have Been "Giants
in the Land"
Johann Van Albert, Recent Importa.
ton From Holland, the Taiiest
Specimen Of Humanity Ever
Seen in Modern Days

When Johann Van Albert stepped
from the gangplank on "a recent ar
rival OF the Mauretanla he had the
distinction IF being the tallest man
who ever entered the United States
HIS 5 feet ) inches OF height required
that n special berth. made up Of two
cots placed end to end In a large cocl-
%panionway, be furnished for the trip
from his home In Amsterdam. Holland.
Since Johann has left his quiet home
out among the nearby wiadmills ot
Amsterdam and Intends TO enter the
show business over here, IL will be in
teresting TO dig up some giant history
and see how he compares with preyl-
Gus competitors who used to be great
attractions. Probably no living giant
In the United States eve 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 1863 the famous Car
diff giant led many people to be-
lleve that a I0-foot man had once lived
in Onondaga County. n. Y. The story
Of this monstrous fraud perpetrated on
the American public makes such un-
usual and Interesting reading that 10
will bear repeating.
The idea had its inception out In
Fort Dodge, 1a., when an adventurous
fakir purchased a huge block of gyp-
sum from O quarryman Of that place.
The block then was shipped TO Chi
cago, II being taken In charge by a
sculptor, who chlseled IL Into q l0-fOot
giant. The surface was pricked with
needles to give II 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 wner claimed II, loaded the
bulky box upon n large wagon and
hauled II fifty miles TO a farm near
Cardiff. The giant form was then
removed from the box and secretly
buried, remaining under the ground
nearly a year, until II was accidental.
ly" discovered by some workmen who
had been engaged to dig a well by the
promoter of the fraud.
This great discovery was made on
October l6. 1869. and news of the won.
derful petriied giant spread all over
the country. The lucky finders cover.
ed II with a tent and put II on exhlhls
ton, while special trains were ~
from New York city and other nearby
points so that the clamoring multitudes
could see the astonishing remains Of
the earliest opportunity.
Until the deception was discovered
II Is estimated that more than 90.
coo 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. II Is found hat Captain Bates
was the tallest OF our modern Ameri.
can giants, although his S-foot height
was slightly exceeded by that Of Anna
Swan. n native OF Nova Scotia Going
further back into giant history we find
that Queen EllZabeth's head porter
was I feet @ inches high. probably be
ing given this exalted position on ac
count Of his ability TO see what was
going on at all times.
Among royalty itself II Is claimed
that n Of the Roman emperors was
nearly o feet high, but the measures
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 n person OF
great stature for history to make note