Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-15
Rarnum VS.. Black Mail.

A systematic attack having been made
upon g Barnum" and 9 Barnum's s paper"
in the shape of an extract from an obscure
seven by nine paper, published in New
York, called the Eren1ng Mirror, which
attack is simultaneously republished in
all ;the, Boston papers, wishto enlighten
those not in the secret as to the manner
how, and the reason why, it is done Hi
ram Fuller, ex-naval store-keeper, &C.,
and the ostensible proprietor of the little
paper alluded to, without. my knowledge
or consent, became constant +" borrow
er" of pretty large sums of money at my
museum. When discovered this fact !
took efficient steps to collect what be owed
| me, and then !" shut down the gaze" not
being particularly anxious to enlarge that
class of my debtors to which it IS under
stood Hiram belongs. His repeated at
tempts, to renew ''.amicabe relation
with my iron chest having proved provok-
| iDglyunsucces~ful, his col;lmns have since
poured forth bitter evidences CT his tt's
appointment, and hence they were ioui,t
| ready vehicle for rival to open hi, ----
terieS upon anything in which . Barnun''
| had an interest. e.
The article in question not only contains
an unjust attack upon the Illustrated
News, but also puffs most ridicnlously a
pictorial sheet whose columns abound in
| uamby -pamby love-sick nursery-maid
stories, and whose illustrations" are
made up partly of pictorial advertisements,
paid for by the persons who are thus
pulled and pictured into notice, and partly
of borrowed cuts from book publishers,
showmen, &C., who having old stere-
otypes on hand, are willing to give them
away, or lend them on the most t." liberal
terms"
Now would have been the last man in
the world to have meddled with this pic
ture juggler, or expose his ''tricks of
trade" were it not for the fact that he,
the pictorial publisher aforesaid, is at the
bottom of this mean, sneaking and under
handed attack upon 'sBarnum' and Bar
mum s paper" stand ready to prove
that he obtained the publication in the
Boston papers of the article alluded to,
and that he paid for it Hetherefore hay
ing made this malicious attack upon the
business of another, must not complain
at being paid in his own coin. He and
his agents have frequently circulated the
report that had sold my interest in the
illustrated Ne,cs, but such is not the fact,
nor will it be.
The truth is, the Illustrated Neus has
not las intimately reduced the number of
its engravings, but has vastly improved
their quality; so that at this moment
good judges pronounce them fully equal
to those of its London namesake, not only
in number but in quantity also, and yet
it is furnished at half its price. In order
to facilitate the press-work, and allow the
paper to be printed with more expedition,
thus giving its publishers an opportunity
to 90 to press at later period, and thus
publish / killustrations of more recent
events, its size has been changed by
striking off few pages of advertisements,
and hence excluding advertisements alto
gether. The beautiful quality of the
paper has been preserved, and its thick
ness or body greatly increased. Its
illustrations, by the best and most extern
sive corps Of artists in America, are fresh,
original and accurate, forming true pic
toriat history of the times, and rapid a
well as beautiful illustration of all impor-
tant events at home and abroad--for the
accomplishment of which Supplements, er-
tras and double sheets are to be published as
often as necessary. A large and elegant
original engraving for framing, worth the
whole price Of subscription, is nearly
completed, and is presented to all sub
scribers.3 In fact neither pains nor ex-
pense has been, nor will be spared to con-
vince all patrons that they shall receive
the worth, Of their money five times
told" .'.l .v.r '.' 'hf'f ..'"ti"
The present circulation of the Mustra-
ted Neucs is more than double that ever
attained BY any similar paper in America,
and if any of its subscribers prefer second
hand show bill pictorial advertisements,
to fresh and original illustrations of pass
ing euents of public interest, hope they
will make haste to- effect the exchange, for |
they can easily be spared from the rapid |
ly increasing subscription list of the Utts. |
trdted Ne,rs, and the dollars would not
probably come 7amiss with it's calumnia-
terH iGf 9dj o1ydirttG .r3lu5re-9I eGT /
pa;11 a xk al - o~1S ~. 4