Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-15
THE FINDING OF TON THunB.
The NfOTy Of Barnum's First Luz
PRODUCTION 20 the Great
Little Man.


NeW lofk DtAl'
| am the man who was the means Of
Tom Thumb being iound by ?. I.
Barnum," was the remark made by
Mr.. Henry Folsom, Of No. 26 South
William street, to q representative Of
the Star yesterday afternoon.
How SOP was the query Of the per-
son to when this information was
vouchsafed.
well, l will tell you just how it
came to pass" Mr.. Folsom responded.
About forty years ago | knew Of a
family named Stratton who lived in
Bridgeport, Conn. The head Of the
family was 10 the habit Of indulging
too freely in liquor. Some people
called him a hummer" but as far as |
ever knew, he was a quiet, inofiensive
man. He was in very poor condition
financially, and his family sometimes
actually suffered for the want of the
necessities of life. This man had a
son, who was the smallest child OF bis
age that | ever saw in my life. The
little fellow was probably 8 or 6 years
Of age at the time. He was o cunning
youngstcr, and the wonder Of the
neighbOrhood in which he lived. This
small chap was Charles s. Stratton,
afterward known as Tom Thumb"
But how did Bsrnum find himP"
"Oh, Ill explain that to you pres
emily. There was a restaurant and
liquor saloon in Bridgeport in those
days. The proprietor had a trap
door in the floor OF bis saloon that
opened into a sort Of a cellar where
CLAIMS were kept. The establishment
was situated on the dock, so that
boats loaded with clans could come
alongside for the purpose Of dumping
their loads into the cellar aforesaid
A large number OF men who were en-
gagged in the clam business we're in the
habit Of irequenting this place There
were other customers who ahe there
to eat chowder and partake OF the
liquid refreshment offered at the bar.
The saloon became known as the
headquarters OF a class Of happy 20.
lucky men, of whom the elder STRAIT
ton was one of the acknowledged lead
log spirits. The elder Stratton often
brought his dwaried boy into the sl
loon to amuse the men who congre.
gated there. Nobody then lad any
idea hat the little fellow would ever
be Of much account. | was then ac-
quainted with P. T. Barnum. At
that time Barnum kept a small
museum. His museum was such o
one horse affair that there was not
sufficient income from it to keepit
proprietor from financial embarrass-
ment. One day Bsrnum asked me il |
would take the trouble the next time
| visited Bridgeport to 20 to his
brother, Philo Baruum, who lived
there, and obtain the Snowman a loan
of $50 / did the errand as requested
Feeling interested 10 Barnum's muse
um enterprise, l naturally began to
ihink about ways and means Of helping
him in his business. l said to him:
See here, Barnum, there is a dwarf
named Charlie Stratton up in Bridge
port. He isn't bigger than a pint O.
cider. 1t seems to me that it would
be a good idea for you to get him for
your museum Thank you for the
suggestion returned Mr.. Barnum.
and I'll go up and see the little chap
Barnum accordingly went to Bridge
port and saw Charlie Stratton. He
was greatly pleased with the dwarf, and
forthwith resolved to bring him to
New York and place him on exhibi-
ton. 1t was not a difficult task to
make a bargain with the elder STRAIT
ton, who was delighted at the pros
pect ofmaklng a little money without
having to work for it. Well, to make
a long story short. Charlie STATIONS
name was changed TO Tom Thumb,
and he was exhibited as the smallest
and most wonderful dwarf on the face
Of the globe He was a great at
traction for the museum, and it was
not long before the proprietor began
to realize the fact that Tom Thumb
was a trump card People came
from far and near to visit the lillipu-
tian wonder"