Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-04-15


1 PROCESS More Palafai thaa Pis1arsss~s.
Two meu. stripped "a the waask wessI
stretched upon tables in the third story
d ! South street building, Willis Two
others stood over them holding small
needles. with which they every now
aud then pricked the siiSsh u. their
bodies. Two cups we're conventently
near-one containing Chimes xprmil-
lion and tho other India ink.
I'VE in tattoo ng these men all ovsr,s
said Prof Thomas. "They will prob.
ably make . tour OF the museunA
MY friend here was the boatswain cn
the Bear, and has been to the polar
regions twice, He's . pretty fne lock
ing man, physically, don't you think
SOP" And The Professor gave his sub
ject an extra touch with the noedla,
that made him Jump.
"A little too deep that time, Jtm2 p
he asked alphabetically. Turning to
the reporter b. continued: "We can't
do more than two figures 3 dsy-one in
the morning and one 1T night 10
makes the flesh very tender. and NO
man can stand it,
The work 80 far accomplished On the
boatswain included q necklace which
encircles his brawny neck Just below
the shirtband; . Goddess OF Liberty on
the right arm, the design Of Faith, Hope,
and Charity on the left arm and bait
about the waist II will require sev.
eral weeks to fill in the smaller figures.
His face and hands will be left IN the
rich brown. weather.beaten hue that
the Arctic winds have given them.
The boatswain's companion ID Of !
somewhat sentimental nature, and d
tAttooed with designs Of sailor lads and
their lassies saying q last farewell. Z
wife on the cliff Watching the return Of
Their sailor husband from q long voy.
age, anchors, and smiling figures.
I'VE have citizens a. we'll ~ sailors
to work upon," said the professor,
tracing the American eagle with arrows
In his talons On the breast OF the b6osk.
swain. @Bricklayers have the design
Of the Scottish hammer printed on
their arms, and members OF the Mason
ic fraternity often choose the square
and compass. Some young fellows
like TO have their girls picture or name
about them. The arm il the favorite
part OF the body, but occasionally they
choose to have it ON their legs, whore
1t 10 not likely to be seen. We average
about twenty to thirty customers per
week, and charge from 10 cents to IS,
according to the nature OF tho design,
the ore elaborate, Of course, being
the most expensive. Ever draw blood,
did You ask? Oh, no, the needle we
use is the finest We can get. and we hold
it slanting and barely prick the skin.
Vi course it Is felt, for the flesh is al-
ways sensitive. and it makes . tender
place that irritates. That's why we
have to wait hours after having put in
. figure.
Prof. Thomas has carried on his arr
IN this city for thirty-nine years, and is
acknowledged to be one Of the finest tat.
tooers in the land. His only rival was
sent to an asylum for the insane last
year under peculiar circumstances. He
was an old man and married q young
girl. He was almost crazy on the sub
ject OF tattooing, having worked de.
signs on himself till there was scarcely
q part of his body which he could reach
that was not covered with India.inl
pictures. Soon after he was MARI ed
he began tatteoing hiB wife, and ir
three months he had covered her from
head to foot. He devoted himself sc
a~ssiduously to the work that his mind
became unbalanced, and friends com
mitted him to al asylum for safe keep
ing. Finding herself without means o.
support the young wife exhibited her
self ut the museums and has met will
great success. Her manager tells Z
narrowing tale Of how she was stolen
by the Indians in Colorado while she
was very young and subjected to the
torture of having her body tattooed
The romance he has managed to weave
about her life would make 3 very read.
able dime novel,
lyon see that in some cases tattooine
turns out TO DO very valuable to the
victim, instead Of ugly marking, 81
some people call it" said an apprsn'
tice. "And more than one poor sailor
who has lost his life in wreck or by
foul play about the docks has beer
identified by relatives through Indii
ink tattoo About the only class thal
suffer BY It are the criminals. Wher
once the design is pricked in the skin
it can never be erased and never wear,
off. A thief with India ink design,
could be identified in q moment. The
police always keep descriptions o
|. thieves, and they want nothing bettel
than . mark like this to identify /
man.'-Philadelphia North american