The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-07-28
A TALK WITH A TATTOOER.
THE VIEWS OF A PROFESSOR OF A
PECULIAR ART.
His Methods and His Customers -
odd Aids TO Feminine Beauty
Grant show Scheme.


Securely fastened to the brick walls of
a neat four-story house, in the lower
part of South street, is a sign, with
background of white, on which are
painted, in blue and red letters, these
words: 'Tattooing Done with India Ink" "
Surrounding this rather unique an
nouncement are figures and emblems, ex-
ecuted in the same colors as the letters,
evidently drawn by the same hand, and
designed to show the character and scope
of the work done by the artist. Inquiry
reveals the fact that the painter of this
sign occupies rooms on the fourth story
Of the building. Two long flights of
stairs must be ascended, a turn to the
left made and a walk down narrow hall
taken before visitor can stand on the
threshold Of the ''studio" occupied by
the professor"
The room itself is large, airy, and well
lighted. On the four sides OF the room
arc chairs, giving evidence that the pro-
fessor is obliged to provide seats for
many callers. On table are much
fingered scrap-books, containing designs
which serve at least an unusual purpose,
that of enabling their poosessor to make
arms of his patrons. The walls are COW
cred with highly colored pictures, ad-
vertising tobacco, snuff, watches and
starch. In one corner stands a
group of three chairs. One is
occupied during the operation of tat
tooing by the professor, another by the
person to be illustrated, and the third,
which is backless, contains the ma
terials for work. On it are two
bowls, filled respectively with red and
blue India ink in solution, cup, and
and some much used rags. In addition
there is MARKER pine stick whitfield
to point, and three or four innocent
looking little instruments. 1t is with
these, however, that the actual work of
tattooing is accomplished 1t is q per-
fectly simple device. A piece of hard
wood or bone is reduced in size until it is
about as large around as the small end of
an ordinary penholder, and some four or
FIVE inches in length. AT one end of this
are securely fastened five very fine
needles. with the points projecting about
aquarter of an inch. This comprises the
entire outfit of the tattooer. In tattooing
the needles are dipped into the ink and
the skin alternately. There is no sensa-
ton of pain during the operation,
though, OF course, when a person is com
pletely tattooed the skin becomes sore.
The professor is a man of about
fifty. His face indicates that some time
in his life he has followed the seas. He
is courteous and talks intelligently. His
history is interesting.
81 used to be sailor" he began. "It
was while following that occupation that
/ learned the art of tattoong. l had a
natural taste for it, and that is necessary
to become good tattooer. 1 believe l
could sketch anything. Well, some
thirty-three years ago knocked off sea
life, and began tattooing as profession.
1 have followed it without interruption
ever since. have made thousands of
dollars, but, sailor like, have spent every
cent as fast as | earned it. Still | have
made good living 1 commenced bust
ness in New York in the Bowery. l am
the oldest tattooer in America, and the
only one who makes profession of my
trade. During the four years of the war
I was with the army of the Potomac.
My earnings averaged $40 day. Away
back before the battle of Bull Run tat
tooed a Masonic emblem on General
Burnside at Camp Sprague. I also put
q Masonic emblem on Governor Sprague's s
arm. After the war I returned to this
city, and have continued practising my
profession here and in the Bowery ever
since.
''Some have an idea that tattooing is
only for sailors, dime museums and side
shows. That is not so. My customers
are from every class of society. 1 tattoo
men, women and children. Men come
to me from all over the country, Show
men send for me to fix up Captain Fin
ley, who was wrecked among the East
Indies, washed ashore on desolate ISL
and in the tropics, captured by savage
tribe, and-you know the rest Then
after Charlie Ross was Kidnapped, moth.
ers brought their children to me to have
their initials and names dyed into their
flesh. Some come purely from motives
of sentiment. After General Grants
death many of his old soldiers came to
have the bust of their dead hero and an
appropriate motto stamped upon them so
that they might carry it around with
them for life. Mothers, fathers, sisters
and brothers have the names of loved
ones pricked on their bodies. Girls
have their sweethearts' names printed on
their arms-and then they return to have
it effaced. Fortunately, have receipt
which will take the India ink out. Oi
course do lots of work for sailors, But
you know all about that. put all sorts
of designs on them, and on every part o.
their bodies. A sailor would not be
sailor unless he was tattooed.
ttI 1,racfrna / boUa faftoCoJ ,,,.,., A1,o -
1000 women. There are six 'tottooed
ladies' in the United States: Annie
Grace, Philadelphia, Ida May, Cincin
natl, and Little Mamie. The remaining
three, Nora Hildebrand Mary Baum and
Ida Woodruff, all of New York, are tn,
result OF my work. They are all in thu
show business, some with circuses, somt
with side-shows. 1t cost about 5000 t
tattoo each one Of them, and they max
from $45 TO $55 per week. The operation
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