30415.
Capt. Rudolf Ivanovitch, The Nihilist Exile of Siberia.
Missing Links
30416.
Krao Farini (1876 – 16 April 1926) was an American sideshow performer, who was born with hypertrichosis, who took part in 19th-century exhibition tours in North America and Europe. She was adopted by Guillermo Antonio Farini. On verso is says “Born in Siam Asia Age 16. Forepaugh Circus, 1892. She was billed as the “Missing Link.” There are various stories of her origin which you can find online.
30422.
The Solid Muldoon–The Missing Link, 1877. George Hill, perpetrator of the Cardiff Giant, created a new giant measuring 7 feet, 5 inches, weighing 600 lbs., and possessing a four inch tail. This was done with the assistance of a Mr. Fitch, who had patented “Portland Cement.” To fool scientists, they embedded bones from a human skeleton in the concrete, then added a cow’s shinbone to the neck for reinforcement. Hull approached Barnum and the Solid Muldoon was shipped to Barnum’s New York Museum of Anatomy. Fitch confessed the hoax just as “scientists” were ready to cross-section the stomach. At a previous interview before the hoax was discovered, Barnum commented: “It is my candid opinion that in this discovery we have found the missing link which Darwin claims connects mankind with beast creation.” This reference is from Hoaxes, Humbugs, and Spectacles by Mark Sloan, 1990, page 8.