Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-04
COMMODORE MUTT.
Death In New York of the Well Kno'cn
DtcayT.

New York Sum-
Commodore Mutt died at ten minutes
past yesterday morning, in the Anthony
house, Broadway, above Twelfth street.
He had been ailing for several months
past, but had supposed his troubles to
come from rheumatism. About three
months ago he organized the Tally Ho
company, to play light operattas, and
started on trip through the interior OF
the State. After playing about four
weeks he disbanded the company and re-
turned to this city. lie became worse, and
for the last eight weeks was confined to
his bed Last Monday Prof LOOMS was
called in, and he pronounced him to be in
the last stages of Bright's disease. He
was 81 years of age on April 1st last. He
was born near Manchester, VT, to which
city his remains will be taken to morrow.
His full name was George Washington
Morrison Mutt
Prof. Hutchins, the lightning calcula
tor, said yesterday: "He was an old friend
of mine, and the smartest little fellow in
the business. He could sing and dance
we'll, and was good character actor.
He was the star performer of Liliputian
opera. | remember well when Barnum
first brought him out. The commodore's
father was big slx-foot farmer, weigh
ing 270 pounds, and his mother was
woman of average size. Barnum heard
of him, and in 1860 engaged him for his
museum. The commodore was then
about thirty inches tall, and was known
as Barnum's $4,000 Mutt. He was a
smart little fellow, and when the living
skeleton or the fat woman tried to twit
him about the way Tom Thumb cut him
out, he shut them up mighty quick. You
see, Lavinia and Minnie Warren were in
the museum at the same time. The
commodore took great fancy to Lavvy.
Tom Thumb liked her too, but he was
rather backward, while the commodore
used to talk up. But Tom Thumb was
smart, and so he goes to Barnum, and
saws he, sOld man, I'd like to marry Lavvy
Warren, and if you'll help me to get her
I'll be married in public That caught
Barnum, and Tom Thumb and Lavvy had
big wedding in Grace church. The
commodore was mad as hops, but he
wasn't going to turn his back on good
engagement, and so he went abroad with
Tom Thumb and the Warrens, and made
the tour of the world with them. He
stayed with them when they got back for
MANY years, but after while he began
travelling with side shows, and then got
into the liliputlan opera business, and
afterward into saloon keeping"
Col Goshen, the giant was affected by
the news. "IIe has killed me many a
time" he said. "You know used TO be
the giant and he Jack the Giant Killer
1,a nha no
and he would play the giant and would
kill him. Most giants and dwarfs are
alike in one thing. The fdwarfs don't
giants are like the six and seven story
houses-nothing much in the top. But
the commodore was quick and sharp
Poor little fellow, he did himself harm
by getting to be a sort of sporting man.
will never forget the trick he played me
out in Terre Haute some four years ago
We were travelling together in an opera
company, and big house had been sold.
The commodore started on little racket,
and the manager got scared. Colonel,
says he to me, I'm afraid the commodore
won't come to time for the performance to-
night 1'll see to that says |, and | just
picked him up, carried him upstairs, and
locked him in room. When L went up
after him in the evening, there he was, as
drunk as lord, and had the key of the
room in my pocket all the time. When
he saw me he put on comic look and
began to sing:
/ am Timothy Tottle,
Pm fond of my bottle.
That's a song he used to sing, and l
couldn't help but laugh for the life of me.
You see he had slipped some money under
the door to the hall-boy, and got him to
bring him up some liquor and clay pipe
The boy put the pipe-stem. through the
key hole, and the commodore stood On
his toes and got all the whisky he wanted
without having the door opened. Final
ly he quit the business, and started con-
cert saloon in Salem, Oregon, but got
into trouble with the authorities. He
tried it again in San Francisco and again
in Deadwood City But he was too
little man to keep things orderly.
and at each place there was so much
trouble that the police broke him up. He
had similar saloon up town on Sixth
avenue for awhile, but had no better
success Last summer he was deputy
sup erintendent at the Rockaway pier,
rugged out in commodore's suit. The
commodore was fond of bluff occasional
ly. Says he to me once: Colonel, l
slugged fellow the other day and
knocked HIM into the water How
high was he, COMMODORE said |. We'll,
about six feet, said he, and he three feet
and seven inches high!'
The commodore has commanded as
much as $3.50 week salary, and made
good deal of money, but his unsuccessful
business ventures are believed to have
cost him good deal. About two and a
half years ago he married Miss Lillian Ell
star, at Redwood, Cal. Mrs. Mutt is a
small woman, but is a great deal taller
than her husband was