The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-01-13
WEALTHY FREAKS.
Deformed Men and Women Who Have
Made, or Arc Making, Fortunes.

Deformed Men and Women Who Have
Made, or Arc 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 sprangup all
over the country. and now all large
cities have from one to three. It is a
bigger thing to be freak than to marry
rich widow. Freaks grow rich. The
competition between museums has run
up the price of curiosities until they draw
more pay than a 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
week. The first season he exhibited he
drew $500, but curiosities, 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"
a misft little darkey, whose limbs are
frightfully distorted, commands $75
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 neck-tie of his nose,
got 5000 week for his first season. and
now gets $3.50.
The two negro 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
a farm over in New Jersey, gets but $50,
but Mr.. and Mrs. Bates, the well-known
giants, are in demand at $500. 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 Barnum, get $3.50. 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 a 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 a week. Fat
women are in demand at $40. Ada
Briggs, who is good-loolsing and heavy
as she is pretty, gets $50; Dave
by the by, was not woman,
made managers pay him 1926 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 do
things with their toes are bribed not to
run away for $50 week. The "leopard
boy" a colored youth who is turning
white in spots, commands $25 week.
Albinos and minor curiosities that are
used to fill in the bill receive $15 to 500
a week. Musical families-those fami-
lies where the old gentleman plays the
violin, the mother the piano, and all the
children some atrocious instrument
chiefly drums, draw from $50 to 800 a
week.
Freaks die, and sometimes they 60 out
of business. Captain Costentenus, the
original tattooed Greek, retired upon a
fortune, and is now living on fine es-
tate in Greece, but has become blind.
Dudley Forster, "Hop-o-My-Thumb, a
very little fellow, made enough in two
years to buy his father nice farm
| Philadelphia Times.