Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-01-14
WEALTHY FREAKS.
Deformed Men and Women Who Have
Made, or Are Making, Fortunes.

Deformed Men and Women Who Have
Made, or Are Making, Fortunes.
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 freak than to marry
a rich widow. Freaks grow rich. The
competition between museums has run
up the price of curiosities until they draw
more pay than receiver in railroad
suit A good freak makes more money
without opening his mouth than the
most accomplished actor. Little Lucia
Zerate, the Mexican midget, who is I'M
doubtedly the smallest human being
ever exhibited, got $4,000 for four weeks
in this city, and now wants $500 week.
Jo-Jo, the dog-faced boy, gets $500 a
week The first season he exhibited he
drew 800, but curiosfties, as a rule,
draw larger salaries on their first tour.
The Greedy survivors were offered 81, 900
week to show themselves, but the Gov
eminent lnterfered. The turtle boy"
Il misft little darkey, whose limbs are
frightfully 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 neek-tie of his nose,
got $500 a week for hisl first season. and
now gets $3.50.
The two negrot girls who figure as
"what-is-its" are paid 5000 a week.
Chang, the Chinese giant, won't show
for less than $3.50 a week; Colonel
Goshen, who is almost as tall and runs
farm over in New Jersey, gets but $55,
but Mr.. and Mrs. Bates, the well-known
giants, are in demand at 5000. The
Count and Countess, Magri formerly
Mrs. Tom Thumb) ;, and the Counts
brother, Baron Little Finger, get 5000 a
| week Josephine Myrtle Corbyn, the
| four-legged girl, gets $3.50 week. The
| Aztecs, man and woman, who original
ly showed with Batnum, get $780, The
Modern Hercules" who loves to catch
redhot cannon balls, does about twenty
minutes work day and draws 5000 a
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 sec
ond-class curiosities manage to worry
along on from $50 to $3.50 week. Fat
women are in demand at $40. Ada
Briggs, who is goodtlooking and heavy
as she is pretty, gets $50. Dave
Navarro, the fiat boy" who,
by the by, was not a woman,
made managers pay him 1925 week.
Living skeletons get from $40 to $50,
Ike Sprague drawing the latter figure.
Sprague is so delightfully."- ethereal that
he can't stand without being propped
up with straws. Armless men who dc
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 1926 week
Albnos and minor curiosities that are
used to fill in the bill receive $15 to $40
II week. Musical families-those fami
lies where the old gentleman plays the
violin, the mother the piano, and all thu
children some atrocious instrument
chiefly drums, draw from $50 to 800 {
week.
Freaks die, and sometimes they go Out
of business. Captain Costentenus, the
original tattooed Greek, retired upon &
fortune, and is now living on fine es
tate in Greece, but has become blind
Dudley Forster, "Hop-o-My-Thumb," /
very little fellow, made enough in tive
years to buy his father nice farm
Philadelphia Times.