Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-12-11
TAT TOOING.
One ofthe Singular Industries
IN the Metropolis.
Professor Who 4 illustrated Many
Pc pc Tells Ab31. HIS he.hols.

Pe pc Tells Abo1, HIS Me,ho13.
Among The i.aume.ab.e trades in New
lor. is i" singular one ot ta;tooine, l. /
: sa'h street, where many ships from al
over the world lie a. tie wAarves there i
Al Old man who for III rty-two years has .
5eea basy from morning till night tattoo +
ias people. He tattoos about } 900 !
persons ev-ry year, and, to show that
tattooing is not confined to the barbara
ans of the South Sea islands, it may be
Said that hc has tattoocd nearly 100, 600
white feoplc in his lifetime.
H has $tattoood not only white people,
but barba-ians also, for many years ago
he was in the Sandwich Islands and
tattooed the Sandwich Islanders, cover
ing them with American flags, anchors,
eagles and other devices borrowed from
civilization. When he left the islands
nearly 500 Of the natives were walking
picture galleries
This curious artist, Professor Thomas,
has a large and airy office or studio in
South street. lie is a genial, elderly man
and wears spectacles. He began life as
a sailor, and followed the sea for twelve
years, being one Of the crew Of the first
American war vessel, the Vincennes,
Captain PAulding. that ever entered q
Japanese port He learned the art Of
tattooing on board ship, and thirty-two
years ago, when his time was out in the
navy, he came to New York and set III,
in business as a tottoo artist.
Many of his customers are sailors, who
have anchors and stars and clipper ships
and goddcsscs Of liberty and crosses tai
tooed on their arms. He says however,
that mgst Of his customers at the present
time are city people, such as yachtsmcn
a-d travelling business men, who have
their names tattooel on their arms that
they may be identified in case Of acci-
dent or death, and if they chance to be
longLto some fraternity, such as the Free
Nasons or the Odd Fellows, have its en-
blem added also, that they may receive
ald II heIp.css, or burial II deadly some
member of their order
Many ladies have THEN names tattoocd
on the right arm Just below the shoulder
''''' II may ieili'''n l'NlSio'e "heil 'iit'S
car o''' 1ie9,' AZ 'ilc 'i'll0 O. '''c
''lo"ppe'i''loo . o'l''',i' i'''so 'oi = . -
'years after many mothers brought their
children to Professor Thomas's office to
have him tattoo their children's names
on their arms in order that they might
certainly be identified even + they snoald
be lost for long years
Captain Costentius. the Greek, who
was captured by the sayages and
prodi.aIiv illustrated Nv them. and lived
to travel with Brnums show, was the
most claboratclv tattooel man ever seen
in any European country. Professor
Thomas said that Co>tentius was fine
piece OF animated pictorial work, for he
he,pcd to tattoo him.
lie added that the CAPTAIN was not a
Greek. but a native Of Burrnah, and that
MI the natives Of that country are
tattoocd. Captain Cos.ontius came to
this country wearin. fine coat of tattoo.
but he was hardly tattooel enough 70,
the show business. and 50 several Nv
York tattoo artists were n,t 70 work by
11r Rar,,,., - morn a,n,Iv ;I,nstr..,