The National tribune., 1885-12-03
FORTUNES IN DEFORMITY
Museum Freaks Who Draw Bigger Salaries Than
Accomplished Actors.
PiiIddeiphia Times

tPhndddphtd Times.
The first dime museum was started on the
BOwery, in New York, in 1872. At first the
museums multiplied slowly, but about three
years ago they sprang up all over the country,
and now all large cities have from one to three.
1t is a bigger thing to be a freak than marry
rich widow. Freaks grow rich. The cOmpe-
tition between museums has run up the price
of curiosities until they draw more pay than a
receiver in railroad suit A good freak makes
moro money without opening his mouth than
the most accomplished actor. Little I.nci Ze-
rate, the Mexican midget, who is undoubtedly
the smallest human being ever exhibited, got
So, 800 for four weeks in this city, and now
wants $500 week. Jo-Jo, the g-faced boy,
gets $500 week. The first season he exhibited
he drew 500, but curosities, as rule, draw
larger salaries on their first tour. The Greeley
survivors were offered $1,000 a week to show
themselves bnt the Government interfered.
The "Turtlo Boy" misft little darkey, whose
limbs are frightfnlly distorted, commands $75
a week. The gentleman with the elastic skin,
who thinks nothing Of pulling the skin of the
back of his neck over his face and can make a
necktie of his nose, got $500 week for his first
season, and now gets $3.50.
The two negro girls who figure as 1s-
Its" are paid $500 week. Chang, the Chinese
giant, wont show for less than $3.50 week !;
Col. Goshen, who is almost as tall and runs a
farm over in New Jersey, gets but 500, but Mr..
and Mrs. Bates, the well known giants, are in
demand at $500. The Count and Countess Ma
gri formerly Nrs. Tom Thumb) and the Counts
brother, Baron Little Finger, get 5000 week.
Josephine Myrtle Corbyn, the four-legged girl,
gets $3.50 a week. The Aztecs, man and woman.
who originally showed with Barnum, get $50.
The Modern Hercules" who loves to catch
redhOt cannon balls, does about 20 minutes
work day and draws $500 week, but he is
not properly freak, although he is likely to
be one if he ever misses the ball and it hits
him. But these are high priced freaks The
cond-class cnriOsties manage to worry along
Oh from $50 to $150 week. Fat women are in
demand at $40. Ada Briggs, who is good look
ing and heavy as she is pretty, gets $50. Dave
Navarro the Fat Boy" who, by the by, was
not a woman. made managers pay him $l25
week. He died recently. Living skeletons
get from $40 to $50, Ike Sprague drawing the
latter figure Sprague is so delightfully."- ethe-
real that he can't stand without being propped
up with straws. Armless men who do things
with their toes are bribed not to run away for
$50 a week. The Leopard Boy" colored
youth who is turning white in spots, commands
$25 week. Albinos and minor curiOsities
that are used to fill in the bill receive $l5 and
$40 week. Musical families-those families
| where the old gentleman plays the violin, the
mother the piano and all the children some
atrOcious instruments-chieiy drums, draw
from $50 to 800 week.
Frieks die and sometimes they go out of the
business Capt. Constautinus, the original tat
tooed Greek. retired upon fortune, and is now
living on fine estate in Greece, but has become
blind. Dudly Forster, Z" Hop o Ny Thumb" a
very little fellow, made enough in two years to
buy his father q nice farm.