THE ELEPHANT MAN

Joseph Merrick 1889.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 30, 1890.

THE ELEPHANT MAN.

A Story No One Can Read Unmoved.

(London Spectator.)

   We can remember no invented tale that speaks so to the heart at once of the cruelty of life, and the beauty of human compassion as the true story closed this week by a sentence in the newspapers announcing that Joseph Merrick, “The Elephant Man,” was dead. Imagine a human soul clothed in a body so unspeakably frightful that, seeing it, men turned sick with loathing and women fainted; a being that had to be conveyed from place to place in secret; who hardly dared to venture abroad even at night; who, finding his fellow-creatures ran from him, grew terrified by the terror he created and shuddered in dark corners like a hunted beast. Imagine him driven by starvation to accept a showman’s offer and be exhibited to the most brutal of audiences, that commonly enough shrieked and ran pell-mell from the tent as soon as the curtain was drawn.

   Early in 1886, Mr. Frederick Treves, one of the surgeons of the London hospital, found Merrick in a penny show in a room off the Whitechapel road, crouching behind an old curtain and trying to warm himself over a brick that was heated by a gas-jet. Mr. Treves went up to him not only without fear or loathing, but with sympathy. For the first time in his life of 24 years Merrick heard a kind word and was spoken to like a man. The effect was curious. It made him afraid at first. He shrank as an ordinary man would from something uncanny. Then he began to realize the truth, he broke into sobs of gratitude. Days and even weeks passed, however, before he recovered from the shock of hearing a compassionate word.

   The police prohibited his show on the ground of public decency. So he went to Belgium, where again the police interfered, and where an agent decamped with his money. Merrick was left destitute and starving in the streets of a foreign town, where the ignorant mob thought him a fiend.

   He came back to London—how, no one quite knows. At every station and landing-place, crowds dogged him. Steamers refused to have him on board. But he came back to London, because in London lived the only man who had ever given him a kind word. He made his way to the London hospital, found Mr. Treves, who had him lodged for a time in an attic in the hospital, and determined to find a permanent shelter for him.

   But now it was found that no institution would receive him. The Royal hospital for incurables and the British home for incurables alike declined to take him in, unless sufficient funds were forthcoming to pay for his maintenance for life. He himself begged that he might be placed in a blind hospital. It is hard to match the pathos of this plea.

   Then in November, 1886, Mr. Carr Gomm, the chairman of the London hospital, wrote to the Times, asking help for this case, and the British public responded. A room was built for Merrick on the ground floor in a remote wing of the hospital, and there, surrounded with books, flowers, and a hundred tokens of the kindness that is really quick in the public heart, he has lived until this last week.

   He had found many friends—the prince and princess of Wales, Mr. Gladstone, Mrs. Kendall and others. To Mrs. Kendall is due the happy suggestion that Merrick should be taken to see the Christmas pantomine at Drury Lane. She engaged the Royal box; she had him brought to the theatre, and took every precaution that no strange eye should see him. Hidden from the house, behind the curtains of the box, the "Elephant Man" tasted an hour or two of intoxicating happiness. It was all real to him—the fairies, the splendor, and the jewels.

   Merrick, in spite of his hideous exterior, and terrible experiences, was in his way a gentle sentimentalist, and gushed forth at times, under the happy conditions of his life at the hospital, in verse modelled on the hymns of Dr. Watts, in which he gave utterance of feelings of gratitude, the sincerity of which none ever questioned. It was a tender heart that was beating beneath a mask more hideous than that of Orson. Above all, it was a heart that was filled with love for the man that was literally his saviour, who first spoke kindly to him, who rescued him from a fate a thousand times worse than death, and to the end was both his doctor and his friend. Recently it was only Mr. Treves who could thoroughly understand the poor creature's maimed utterances; and to Mr. Treves he clung to the last with the wistful trust and affection of a dumb animal.

   It is difficult to speak of this man’s case without emotion. But luckily it is harder still to hear of it and believe that the "struggle-for-lifers" have grasped the true secret of life, or even a half of it.

Hotel Brunswick.

HERE AND THERE.

   The foundation is being laid for Mr. Nathan Pierce's new residence on Elm street.

   Carpenters are at work upon the new house for Mr. Martin Sheridan, situated on East Court street.

   Burglars entered the store of C. F. Thompson last Thursday night, and appropriated $1.82 in cash.

   By a law recently enacted, town boards can set apart sums from the poor fund, for the use of G. A. R. posts, for the relief of needy members.—Exchange.

   A hen and her large brood of little chicks are having a high old time in the show window of Brown & Maybury's drug store in the Squires building. They attract the attention of all passers.

   Mr. W. T. Smith, of the Cortland Omnibus and Cab Company, was in Chicago last week, and while there sold twenty curettes [street cars] to the Russell Carette Company. This means about [$]16,000.

   The D. L. & W. railroad company will sell round trip tickets to all wishing to attend Mahan's Music Festival at all stations between Syracuse and Binghamton for two cents per mile, good until June 7th.

   An exchange observes that "nothing so inspires a single lady with courage as the sight of a meek and lowly wife trying to make garden with a pick-ax, while a fond and devoted husband is blistering his hand with a fishing rod."

   On another page we print in full the new ballot law. We commend our readers to a careful perusal of the same in order that they may understand its provisions and be able to adapt themselves to its requirements at the next election.

   Already the metalic roof is on the boiler room and one of the main buildings of the Cortland Forging Company's works, and the two 50-horse power boilers are being encased. The engine is awaiting its turn to be placed in position, and the timbers are being erected for the remainder of the plant.

   Mrs. H. L. Booth, of Frank street, has a fig tree which has a number of figs growing on its branches The figs, which are green now, will ripen in August. The fruit begins to grow from the branch without any blossom, and before the leaves put out. Mrs. Booth says the figs last year were of good quality.

   "The Echoes" is the name of a new paper recently launched upon the journalistic sea at Elmira. To say that it is an exceedingly bright paper does not half express the facts, and we advise our readers to send for a specimen copy and thus have the opportunity to judge for themselves. It is devoted to society, literature, the drama and sport, and is published by John B. Wentworth, with Edwin Wildman, editor. The price of subscription is $2.00 per annum.

   The Cortland creamery is opened up for business under the management of C. S. Pollen.

   Wallace Brothers are greatly improving the interior arrangement and appearance of the Brunswick [hotel]. Henry Shirley is doing the decorating.

   The Sentinel says that a full house greeted Mr. H. M. Kellogg's entertainment at McGrawville, Saturday evening, the G. A. R. netting a neat sum.

   The Homer Republican says: The Emerald Hose company at Cortland have engaged the Homer band to accompany them to the Firemen's State Convention at Watertown, in August.

   The officers of the Homer Wagon Co., limited, are improving that part of East Court street adjoining their works by removing the weeds and grading the roadway. There is an abundance of mud lakes in that vicinity.

   Lillian A. Terry (pupil of Madam Cappiani, of New York city) will give instructions in voice culture at the residence of Mrs. Norman Hubbard, 176 Tompkins St. Will use celebrated Cappiani method. Terms moderate.

   The funeral of Susan A. Giles, wife of A. M. Ford, editor of the Herald, was held in Dryden, last Saturday forenoon. Deceased will be favorably remembered as a former resident of Cortland, and much sympathy is expressed for the bereft husband. Several prominent citizens of this village attended the funeral.

   Monday forenoon a Homer barber was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in that village, and when in front of Mrs. O. Porter's residence the tire came off, throwing wheel and rider upon Mr. Thomas Kennedy, who was passing at the moment. Mr. Kennedy is 91 years of age, and the shock is feared to have injured him permanently. His hands were badly cut by the wheel.

   No organizations in the United States have multiplied more rapidly in the past ten years than the sick benefit, funeral aid, death-benefit, and other kindred societies. As they are generally confined to those who are in the humbler walks of life, the good they have done is incalculable, carrying substantial aid to thousands of stricken families and inspiring those who are fortunate enough in being members with a courage which might not exist in their hearts without them. The members of these organizations will be glad to learn that Hon. Robert P. Porter, Superintendent of the Eleventh Census, will endeavor to secure the statistics of the noble work these associations are doing, and it is safe to say that no other branch of the census will be more interesting. The business of gathering the data has been placed in charge of Mr. Charles A. Jenney, special agent of the insurance division, 58 William street, New York City, and all associations throughout the United States, whether incorporated or private, should assist by sending to him the address of their principal officers.

  

Census Enumerators.

   Mr. Joseph Schnell, of Binghamton, superintendent of the census for the ninth district of the state of New York, has made the following appointments for enumerators for the several election districts in this county:

   Cincinnatus—Wilbur Holmes.

   Cortlandville—First district, Daniel M. Geer; second district, Eugene M. White; third district, Henry Watrous; fourth district, Arthur M. Millard; fifth district, Joshua D. Bliss; sixth district, Reuben Reynolds; seventh district, Francis H. Forshee.

   Cuyler—Seabury F. Brown.

   Freetown—Sidney S. Hammond.

   Harford—Sherman Morse.

   Homer—First district, John Kirkup; second district, Lloyd F. Rice; third district, Albertus Webb.

   Lapeer—Oscar A. Horne.

   Marathon—First district, Edwin A. Carter; second district, Grant W. Bliss.

   Preble—Isaac W. Van Buskirk.

   Scott—Edwin P. Burdick.

   Solon—Daniel E. Morris.

   Taylor—Perry O. Hill.

   Truxton—Alexander Lansing.

   Virgil—Frank E. Price.

   Willet—Charles Burlingame.

   E. C. Rindge, of Homer, is appointed a special to take the enumeration at the County Alms House.

Sixty Years of Married Life.

   Mr. Madison Woodruff was born in Caanan, Columbia county, in the year 1809, residing there until in his sixteenth year when he went to Syracuse as an apprentice to the potter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years, and two years as a journeyman. On May 27, 1830, he was married to Miss Hannah Russell, of Oneida county and came to Cortland in April, 1831, engaging in the pottery business until 1875, when he retired. Mrs. Woodruff had the misfortune to fall upon the ice in front of the family residence one winter's day some six years ago, injuring her spine and is now in quite feeble health at the age of 84, and at the age of 81 Mr. Woodruff is enjoying good health, possessed of clear and active mind and memory.

   His recital of pioneer days in Onondaga and Cortland counties is very interesting. In 1830 the census of the saline city was taken showing a population of 1,100. Concerning our village Mr. Woodruff says in the early '30s there were but four houses between the Cortland House and what is now called Madison street; that a tract embracing 40 acres of land lying westward from Adams (now Homer) avenue along Groton was repeatedly offered for $2,100 and in recent years he has purchased from the same tract at the rate of $500 per acre and considers the land cheap at that figure.

   A large gathering of neighbors and friends met and enjoyed a social visit interspersed with music and speeches last Tuesday evening, reluctantly departing with best wishes for the future of the venerable bride and groom.