The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-11-11
MARKED WITH INDIA INK.
A MAN WHO MAKES A LIVING ny
TATTooING PEOPLE.
Many Women with Tattoo Marks
The FnvOrite Designs that are
ChOsen-Identtfying HOdicss


South street. At almost any time of the
day crowd of from a dozen to twenty
men is found here, standing about in an
aimless manner or seated on the steps oil
narrow stairway telling yarns. To
scarcely sailor of the city is the spot
unknown, and the reason for this was
ascertained by q reporter for the New
York Mail and ETpress to be the fact
that the building contains the rooms Of
professor" Thomas, who for many years
has been the favorite "tattooing man"
of New York sailors The professor"
a middle-aged man, was found in
scantily furnished room on the third floor.
On chair without back at his side
were several we'll. handled books contain
ing highly colored pictures of goddesses
of liberty, anchors, etc, two small china
cups, one full of red paint and the other
with liquid India ink, and a small, sim
gle bladed knife.
"Do many women have these marks
and designs put upon themselvesf" asked
the reporter
''More than you would suppose" was
the reply. 81 have marked over 1000
women in this way since l have been in
women in this city who, if they had the
money, would come here and give me all
the work l could do. The work is by
no means confined to sailors as most peo-
pie suppose. In fact have more lands
men than sailors among my customers
nowadays; it seems to be a mania of
the human race to be marked in this
way"
care there many tattooed women in
the countryP
Il know of only six, two of whom l
marked. They are Nora Hildebrand, age
twenty-eight; Ida Woodruff, age twenty
two; Annie Grace, age twenty-three;
Ida May, age twenty one; Mary Baum,
age twenty four, and California woman.
The homes of Hildebrand, Woodruff and
Baum are in this city; Annie Grace be-
longs in Philadelphia, and Ida May in
st. Louis. The cost to be marked as
they are is 5000. BNt they can always
command $25 and more n week at a
show. You will be surprised when tell
you that Annie Grace, whom tattooed,
has over 200 different figures worked in
colors on her body. l got them from a
regular book of designs, and she took
every design in the book. 1t took me
six weeks to complete the work. She
was preparing for circus and was to get
$45 week. She stood it we'll, allowing
me to mark her for as long as seven
hours day often, and we did not stop
for Sundays either. They do not feel it
much, for their top skin is only touched.
1t never gets sore if the work is properly
done. We have now got up an acid
which takes ali the feeling out. Ida May,
whom also tattooed, has an equally
large number of designs on her body.
Among them are crucilix, beehive,
American coat of arms, young America
on shield with flag. On her back she
has picture called the Sailors Return.
1t represents, beside the more prominent
figures of the picture, a large feet OF
ships and an island. Another picture
that she has is of Hope, representing a
and ship. She has also a number of
Masonic and other secret society en-
blems."
'Do you put many religious designs
on people9''
Eyes, a great many on both men and
women. A man in here from Newburg
the other day had four religious pieces
put on him. He was very religious
man. Many of the women whom MARI
first send me a postal card and l go tC
their homes and mark them. But have
frequently had fine ladies in front of m,
place here in their coaches to have pri.
vate marks, initials or names put OF
their arms or neck. While in Chicago
recently, tattooing person, the girl
there got the idea in their heads that
little India ink spot on the side of tn
chin was the fashion, and l began t,
think it was going to be a mania will
them. Why marked over fifty girls il
this way while was there. They called
1t a beauty spot. 1t was a dot of blue
in the center of which was the leas
speck of red. Only these two coors ar
used in the work. They are never poison
Gus, and you could actually eat ther
without injury"
'Do not people bring their own de
signsl"
"Yes, very often, and they frequentl
refer 10 late generals. For instance
soon after Grants death, one man had
design marked on himself of Gran
being crowned by angels and have pu
on the chest and back of several person
pictures of Grant Now there is begir
ming to be a call for pictures of th
Statue of Liberty. 4 curious part
the business is the number of person
who want names marked on their arm
Why, not a week passes On which l q
not have twenty or thirty such custom
ers. Sailors and others have Il
names Of sweetheart or wilei besiC
often their own initials. The chief id,
seems to be identity after death. At Il
time of Charlie Ross disappearanc
great numbers of women were he
every day bringing their children to i
marked with their names. Since the
marking children in this way has bee
very general. It's a good thing too, f
\ there are cases every day of bodies bein
identified by means of these marks.
Remember a case in California where Ii
body of a man was found whom n
body knew or could identify. But ]
had Tparlyad IN him,