Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-26
THE LIFE OF A SNOWMAN.

THE LIFE OF A SNOWMAN.
From the N. z Sunday Leaoer, March 1e.
P. T. 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. He states that he now
lives in this city, that the Museum, once his,
and all its curiosities, have been sold for S24,-
600; that he paid sl2 900 for it fourteen years
ago, and that now he has not the least interest
in it. He says that last June he was worth
$500, 600. His property he valued at $500, 900,
and he owed $4,000 About this period the
Jeromes came along and wished him to en-
dorse their notes for 100000. Barnum did
it, and repeated his endorsement on similar
paper, as he supposed, to take up the former.
Finally he ascertained that he had endorsed
to tho amount of S464 900, and so far as he
knows, there may be million of dollars of
this paper out, as he often signed in blank for
the Jeromes to put in what amount they chose.
Still Barnum don't consider that he has failed,
as he says his refusal to pay these tclock
debts" of the Jerome's don't exactly consti-
tute failure. 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 Iranistan, he says he sold for $1,000, tho
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 Barnum's biography
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 clock company
to the extent of nearly every dollar he was
worth in the world, according to his own esti-
mate of the value of his property in June last.
He says he owned property which he valued
at $500, 900, and it was mortgaged for about
100000, which left him about $500 900. At
this very time he endorsed notes for near half
a million of dollars, without even carefully
scrutinizing the responsibility of those whose
paper he put his name to. He even mort
gagged his property to raise $500 for the Je-
romes in December last. There may be a
woolly horse in all this reputed failure of Bar
r.
$4,000. Barnum says he raised it in bonds
on several States, counties and towns, but a
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 moral
principles were never strongly developed
His book, which he managed to sell in various
countries of the globe, has disgraced the A
merican name. 1t is nothing but history of
the art of getting money under false preten-
ces; and the author, in moral point of view,
is no better than thousands who have suffered
the penalties of the laws for such practices.
muses. as Barnum. No one pretends that he
ever possessed talent in any honorable and dig
nifed employment. He is mere cunning
Snowman, who would seize upon other mems
ideas and apply them to the art of money ma
king without proper remuneration even in
business point of view.
s'Show me how you live, and where you live,
and where you get your means to live7' This
was enc of the questions put to Barnum during
his examination and he replied to it by say
ing that he lived in this city, in Eighth street,
and kept boarders, and had no other means of
support, except some meat given to him by
his son-in-law, in Connecticut, and some vege-
tables which grew on his farm last year. He
said he had gold watch and breast pin,
worth some four or five hundred dollars, which
he would produce, if required to do so. He
also casually remarked that he had two suits of
clothes and about twenty five dollars in money.
A NAN OF BoNEs.-Here is a curious fact
for you. The flesh of living man once grew
into bone. 1t seems hard to believe, but 1
cuppose II was 60 for in the rnuseun af nuh