Randolph County AlArchives News.....A Tale of a Headless Rooster March 29, 1872
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Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 March 4, 2023, 10:02 pm

The Livingston Journal March 29, 1872
An Astonishing Freak of nature (or of a Rooster) Living Ten Days Without His 
Head. If we did not know that everything to be found in a newspaper is strictly 
true, we might possibly be incredulous enough to permit a shade of doubt to 
cross our minds in reference to the following what-you-may call it.
From the Opelika Locomotive  
A few days ago, our attention was called to a most remarkable example of vital 
tenacity in the body of a chicken belonging to Mr. Geo. Forrester of Randolph 
County Alabama that had been living ten days without a particle of head. We 
asked Mr. Forrester to explain the matter to us as far as he could, to which he 
assented, and began by stating that he had been engaged in log rolling some ten 
or twelve days ago and had ordered the killing of some turkeys and other fowls, 
and among then, this rooster, for the purpose of feeding his assistants. He 
states he cut the head off himself and threw the body to one side, which went 
through the usual contortions and finally laid still, and as he supposed was 
dead, but upon going to pick the body some little lime later, he discovered that 
life was not extinct and so astonished was at the circumstance that he ran over 
to a neighbor to show him the curiosity. The body not being dead at nightfall, 
he placed it in his room in a basket, and that next morning about day he heard 
it scratching at a terrible rate, which scared a negro girl almost info fits 
that
has been sleeping on the floor close to the basket. The head and the neck of the 
fowl was cut entirely off and there remained nothing but a stump, yet the wound 
was healing up (with the exception of the crop in which was put in sand meal, 
water &c) and the rooster struts about as full of life as ever and most singular 
to state crows as regularly and as vociferously as if he was all head instead of 
having no head at all. 
Several medical gentlemen who examined him say they cannot give no explanation 
of the matter. The crowing was established by several gentlemen and among them 
Col. Heflin of Randolph who heard him give twenty-two distant morning "chants"
We examined him carefully and can safely say that it is no humbug (although we 
grant that it's a swindle on the chicken's satan if not a fowl Ku-Klux affair)
The fowl if fed and watered live to a green old age, but we have very serious 
doubts about his finding his head in the chickens "other world".

Montgomery Advertiser Mar 26, 1872
Exhibition in Montgomery Today.
THIS Fowl had his head chopped off on the 6th of March 1872 and was thrown in 
the kitchen to be picked and when the cook attempted to handle him, he commenced 
crowing and has kept it up over since. Tho following certificate from the Hon. 
R. S. Heflin, member of Congress from the Third District of Alabama, and Judge 
of the Circuit Court will satisfy the public that this fowl is really living and 
crowing without ahead. 

STATE OF ALABAMA RANDOLPH CO: 

This is to certify that I am well acquainted with Geo. Forrester, who resides in 
said County also the owner of the remarkable Living Fowl, this day sold to Mr. 
E. Cox. I further certify that I saw this Fowl a few days after his head was cut 
off and heard him crowd distinctly no less than twenty-two times between the 
hours of two o'clock, and six o'clock a. m. Friday, the l4th inst. To the best 
of my knowledge and belief, this fowl had his head chopped off on the 6th of 
March 1872.
R.S. Heflin
Admission 25cents 

Montgomery Advertiser Apr 21, 1872
This week two more headless roosters. "So called" have passed through LaFayette, 
on their way to different places to be examined to the curious. This chopping 
off the heads of roosters in Randolph County, has been carried on recently to 
such an extent, that it is said the crow of a rooster cannot now be heard 
between Roanoke and Wedowee. This cruelty is creating considerable comment among 
the more influential members of our community, and we hope they win succeed in 
frowning down this heart less practice. That some of those fowls exhibited hero, 
were nearly if not quite headless, cannot be disputed, but whether all the brain 
was destroyed or not, we are unable to say. Two or three of them had a portion 
of their brains left, as could be easily ascertained by a close examination, but 
even then, it is very strange that with eyes, ears and mouth are all gone, that 
a chicken could live or crow. 



Additional Comments:
Note: George Forrester is buried at Forrester's Chapel church near Wadley 
Randolph County, Alabama. 

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