Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-06-03
A Singular Story.


About seven years ago St Georges,
New Castle County, was visited by a
| travelling Snowman, who gave his name
as John FL. Powers. lie weighed 725
pounds, and he also exhibited his
wife, who turned the beam at SIT
pounds, and a little child, whom he
called the Circassiap Girl. At that
time there WAS q widow woman named
Mrs. Newsome living at st. Georges,
who found 1t n difficult matter to pro-
vide for herself, four sons and three
daughters. One of these daughters,
named Gertie, was ut that time about s
years of age, and IS soon as the show
man saw the child he endeavored to
Persuade the mother to let him have
her 10 travel with his wife, TO lace and
| urlace her shoes and do other light
work. AT first the mother refused, but
upon his urgent solicitation, and
promises that he would send her to
school, let the mother hear from her
often, and send her home if she was
dissatisfied, she finally consented to let
her go.
| After leaving st. Georges the show
man exhibited in number of places,
| sometimes under the name of Powers
and sometimes undtr the name OF Craig.
Gertie had been with him about five or
| six weeks when his Circassian girl ran
away. and he told her that he intended
TO make Circassian girl out of her.
by peculiar process her hair was, In a
| short time, caused to resemble that of
the Circassian girls, and she was put ON
exhibition in circus, where Powers
and his wife were also part of the al.
fractions. At this time she was known
as Mile Zulu, and she was instructed
to tell all who asked that she was q ma
tive of Oiroaesia. She also sold u book
gotten up by Powers, which purported
to be a true history of her life. From
I the sale of these and photographs of
herself she realized quite large sum,
which Powers told the people belonged
to her, but which he never failed to
exact the last penny of as soon as the
exhibition was over. During the win
ter seasons they lived at Powers resi-.
dence in Danville, Ind, where Gertie
dropped the character of q Circassian
girl and became a maid of all work.
During the travelling season Powers
frequently made her sing songs in pub
lie. play small parts and on one occasion
beat her severely because she could not
dance Jig. Powers also added COL
lection OF snakes to his show, and COM
PEELED Gertie to become snake charmer.
She followed this for some time, until
she was bit twice, when she positively
refused to have anything to do with the
reptiles. In the summer of 1884 they
filled an engagement at the Peoples
M us9um, Cincinnati, and as Powers had
never given her any money, very few
clothes and had failed TO give her the
promised education, she ran away. Att
this time she had been with him five
years aud was 10 years OF age. When
she slipped out of the museum she
hoped to meet some one she knew, but
soon fell into the hands of the police,
who had been given a description OF her
by Powers. She told her strange story
to the authorities and they, instead of
returning her to Powers, who was then
about starting for San Francisco, sent
her To the Children's Home.
She could neither read or write, con
sequently she WAS unable to oommuni.
care with her mother during the FIVE
years she was with Powers, and as he
never sent single line to her, she did
not know the whereabouts OF her dau.
ghter, or whether she was living or
dead. Her strange story was CLEANED
AAoh hpA ny n N0pOItciI 0uu PUBLISHED
In the Cincinnati Inquire" June Goth,
1884, a copy of which WAS mailed, with /
q letter from the superintendent Of the
CLildren's Home In that city, to the
postmaster at st. Georges.
Sometime after Gertie went away,
the mother was married to George Il.
Boulder, and removed to this city, con.
sequently the paper and letter were
by the postmaster at st.
Georges until about one year ago, when
her address was ascertaiHed and they
were forwarded to her. The STEP father
wrote at once to the superintendent and
also to the authorities, and as he did
not receive an answer from either, sent
several other letters, none of which
however, have brought response.
He Is very anxious to obtain someI
tidings of the girl, as he wants her toI
come nome, and as all other meansI
have failed, he told the above remsrka.
BILE story to reporter OF the REPUBLI-
CAN yesterday, with the request that
It be published, in the hope that It'll
might assist him in his search. His
is George +. Boulder, Four
zenith and Railroad avenue.