Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-04-19
The Life of q Snowman.

p. II. Barnum, who few months ago was
reputed to be worth half million Of dollars,
now comes before the Supreme Court, brought
there by some of his creditors, to explain all
about his property. lie states that he now
lives in New York. and that the Museum,
once his, and all its curiosities. have been sold
for $24, 900; that he paid $4,000 for it four
teen years ago, and that now he had not the
least interest in it. lie says that last June
he was worth 100000. His property he
valued at SS00,090 and he owed $500. .000.-
About this period the Jeromes came along
and wished him to endorse their notes for
100000. Barnum did, and repeated his en-
dorsements on similar paper, as he supposed
to take up the former. Finally he ascertain
ed that he hal endorsed to the amount of
$4G4,000 and so far as he knows there may
be million of dollars of this paper out. for
he often signed in blank for the Jeromes to
put in what amount they chose. Still Bar
mum don't consider that he has failed, as he
says his refusal to pay these o'clock debts" Of
the Jeromes don't exactly constitute a fail
urc. He alleges that the holders of these
obligations of his were the very persons who
induced him TO become responsible for the
Jeromes.
The splendid paintings at Barnum's house
at lranistan, he says he sold for 81 200 though
they cost him $4,000 His present assets
are Crystal Palace stock, which is not worth
half as much as the skin of the celebrated
woolly horse once in his possession.
Now, whoever has read Baanum's biogra-
ply, written by himself, will consider it very
strange that he did not follow his own advice.
Who that knows Barnum could believe that
he would endorse the notes of company to
the extent of nearly every dollar he was worth
in the world, according to his own estimate
| of the value of his property in June last He
says he owned property TO the valne of $780,.
600. and it was mortgaged for about 100000,
which left him about $500,000. At this very
time lie endorsed notes for nearly half mil
| lion of dollars, without even carefully scruti-
nzng the responsibility Of those whose name
he put his name to. lie even mortgaged his
property to raise $4,000 for the Jeromes in
December last. There may be o woolly
horse in all this reputed failure Of Barnum,
after ali. The Jeromes did not not get this
| $4,000. Barnum says he raised it on bonds
on several States, counties and towns, but q
friend of his just at this time had looked into
the affairs of the Jeromes, and told Barnum
that they were bankrupt, and he was ruined
Barnum then sold these bonds at loss Of
$4,000 and took the money, he says, TO pay
his own debts.
There cannot be much sympathy for Bar
mum. Whoever has read his biography, from
his own pen, must be satisfied that his mora
principles were Eever strongly Developed
His book, which he managed to sell in vari
GUS countries Of the globe, has disgraced the
American name. 1t is nothing but history
of the art of getting money under false pre-
tences; and the author, in a moral point o
view, is no better than thousands who have
suffered the penalties of the law for sucl
practices. The world is always better of
without such geniuses as BarEum. No on,
prrtends that he ever possessed talents il
any honorable and dignifed employment. lit
is mere cunning Snowman, who would seiz
upon other mems IDEAS and apply them t.
the art Of money making without proper re
muneration, even in a business point Of view
SHOW me how you live, and where yo
live, and where you get your means to live
This was one of the questions put to Barnur
during his examination and he replied to
by saying, that he lived in this city, in Eight
street, and kept boarders, and no other mean
of support, except some meat given to hir
by his son-in-law, in Connecticut, and som
vegetables which grew on his farm last year
He said he had a gold watch and breast pir
worth some 4 or hundred dollars, which h
would produce, if required to do so. lie ais
. casually remarked, that he had only two suit
of clothes and about twenty-five dollars
money.