Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-25
BARNuMS AFRICAN GORILLA.
u Turns cut 10 be a Human Being
Extraordinary Disclosures.

| Extraordinary Disclosures.
20 the Editors of the Louisville Courier.
HEERYvTLLE, IND, Oct. II, l9G7-Your
| readers have read with interest the ac.
counts OF P. T. Barnum's African gorilla,
which have appeared 10 your columns, and
been published by almost every paper in
the country; and, considering the wonder
and curiosity the subject has excited, /
deem it my dnty to inform the public that
this great wonder is humbug, and We can
not bat acknowledge most ingenious one.
The facts of the case, which are as strange
az true, / shall relate as briefly as possible.
A resident of this place, gentleman Of
undoubted veracity, has just returned from
| New York city, where he had been on
business, and, on my promising secrecy, re-
| yealed the circumstances belo@ narrated,
| which myrepeated solicitations have finally
induced him to allow me to publish. He
was in New York when the gorilla arrived,
aud the accounts in the papers excited his
curiosity. The day hofore leaving Gotham
be visited the 1aief II happened at the
time of his visit (about i've o'clock, P. NJ
that there was no one in the vicinity of the
gorilla save the keeper, Prof David
son. The terrible growls and snarls
of the animal, which almost intimidsted
him as he approached the cage in which
il was confined, ceased instantly when he
stopped before it, and to his great aston
ishment, the gorilla called him by name,
and, seeming to forget its assumed charac,
ter, evinced desire to shake hands Prot.
Davidson seemed all "strnck in heap" at
this, and endeavored to take my friend
away, but the latter, being of an inquiring
mind, refused to go, and addressing the GO
rilla, (who appeared as any human would
who made blunder, asked: well, old
fellow, how do you happen TO know me ?'
The gorilla approached him as near as the
bars of the cage would permit, and said in
a low tone: " | don't wonder, Charley,
that You don't recognize me and, consid-
ering the circumstances, / should not have
spoken. | am your old friend F
c., of T., and was SO overjoyed on
seeing you that could not resist the inn
pulse to speak. beg you not to mention
this, and come around tonight at 10 o'clock
and will see you" AS some other persons
were not seen approaching, Prof. Davidson
pulled Mr.. Scholl away, imploring him to
keep the secret, and making an appoint
ment to meet him at nine o'clock. Mr.. s.
left with the frightful roars and growls of
his friend, alias the gorilla, ringing in his
ears.
Punctual TO the hour of nine, MIR. S.
went to the place of meeting, where he
found Professor Davidson, who conducted
him through a back passage to the Mu-
scum, where he found and grasped by the
hand his friend F. c., whom he had
not seen for years, and from whom he
learned the following particulars:
Mr.. c., who is a handsome young
gentleman, about % years of age, of splen-
did physique, though small in stature, was
taken with the humbug mania on hearing
Barnum lecture last year, and in lucky
moment conceived the gorilla scheme, with
which he acquainted the "prince of hum
bug" who Immediately approved it on see
ing him get into a well preserved bear skin
and initiate the actions of that animal
Plans were arranged, and c. went to
Africa in company with Prof Davidson,
and after landing, they, with considerable
trouble and expense, procured the skin of
a gorilla Of the right size. This was nicely
tanned with the hair on, and arranged to
suit, and when arrayed "a this novel attire,
c. was perfect gorilla. With his im-
itations of the actions and voice Of the
animal, together with the fear he inspired,
which prevented strangers approaching too
near him, he defed detection. Although
possessing more than ordinary strength,
Mr.. c. has nothing like that imputed
to the gorilla, and the accounts we read of
it are merely gotten up for sensation. Mr..
S. learned much else of interest, but space
forbids my writing more. Before leaving
Mr.. S. was introduced to Barnum, who
added his entreaties to those of Davidson
and c., to keep secret, at least, until he
arrived home. S. BIG.