Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-18
HOW TOM THUMB WAS FOUND.
Blrnum's First Introduction to the Great
IitsIe Man-An Interesting Chat

! B1rnum's First Introduction to the Great
| IitsIe Man-An Interesting Chat
"Pm the man who was the means OF
/ Tom Thumb being found by p. I. Bar
num-" was the remark made by Mr.
| Henry Folsom, of South William street
| to a reporter the other afternoon.
How so'" pas the query Of the person
! TO whom this information was vouchsafed
well. will tell you how 1t came to
/ pcSs,' Mr.. Folsom responded About
/ forty years ago | knew a family named
| SIratton who lived in ridgeport. Conn
The head of the family was in the habit
/ Of indulging too freely in liquor. Some
people called him hummer but, as far
/ | ever knew he was quiet, inofensive
man. He was in very poor condition
/ financially, and his family sometimes suf
fered for the want Of the necessaries OF
! life This man had a son, who was the
smallest child Of his age ever saw in my
| life The little fellow was probably or
years OF age at the time. He was a cum
ming youngster, and the wonder Of the
neighboI hood in which he lived This
small chap was Charles 5. Stratton. after
" ard known as Tom Thumb
But how did Barnum find him"
~Oh. I'll explain that to you presently.
There was restaurant aud liquor saloon
in Bridgeport in those days. The proprie
tor had trap door in the floor Of his
saloon that opened into sort Of cellar
where CLANS were kept This establish
ment was situated on the docks, so that
boats loaded with CLAIMS 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 were in the habit of
freQuenting this place. There were other
customers who came there to eat chowder
and to partake of the liquid refreshment
offered at the bar The saloon became
known as the headquarters of a class of
happy-go-lucky men, OF whom the elder
Stratton was one of the acknowledged
leading spirits. The elder S;ratton often
brought his dwarfed boy into the saloon
to amuse the men " 10 congregated there.
Nobody then had any idea that the little
fellow would ever be Of much account. /
was then acquainted with p. I. Barnum.
At that time Barnum kept a small mu-
scum His museum was such one
horse affair that there WAS not sufficient
income from it to keep its proprietor from
inancial embarrassment
"One day Barnum asked me IL would
take the trouble the next time l visited
Bridgeport to go to his brother. Philo
Barnum, who lived thre, and obtain Co.
the Snowman a loan Of $50. ! did the {
rand as requested, Feeling interested in
Barnum's museum enterprise, naturally
began to think about ways and means of
helping him in his business I said to him.
See here. Barnum, there is a dwarf
named Charlie Strstton up in Bridgeport.
He isn't bigger than a pint of cider. 1t
seems to me that it would be good idea
for you to get him for your museum
Thank you for the suggestion, returned
Mr. Barnum, and I'll go up TO see the lit
tie chap. Barnum accordingly went 10
Bridgeport and saw Charlie Stratton. He
was greatly pleased with the dwarf, and
forthwith resolved to bring him TO New
York and place him On exhibition. 1t was
not difficulty task to make a bargain
with the elder Stratton, who was de-
lighted at the prospect Of making a little
money without having 10 work for it
Well, to make a long story short, Charlie
StrattOn's 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 il 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 liliputian wonder. New York
Star