National Republican., 1886-11-27
TATTOOING.
How the business Is Carried on In
New York.

New York journal
Among the innumerable trades in New
York is the singular one of tattooing. In
South street, where many ships from all
over the world lie at the wharves, there is
an old man who for thirty-two years has
been busy from morning till night tattooing
people. He tattoos about 5000 persons
every year, aud, to show that tattooing is
not confined to the barbarians of the South
Sea Islands, it may be said that he has tat
tooed nearly 100000 white people I'm his
lifetime.
He has tattooed not only white people,
but barbarans also, for many years ago he
was In the Sandwich Islands and tattoocd
the Sandwich Islanders, covering 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, Prof. Thomas, has
large and airy office or studio in South
street. He is a genial, elderly man and
wears spectacles. lie began life as a sailor,
and followed the sea for twelve years,
being one of the crew Of the first American
war vessel, the Nincennes, Capt. Paulding
that ever entered Japanese port. He
learned the art of tattoOug on board ship
out i'm the navy, he came to New York and
set up In business as u tattoo artist.
Many OF his customers are sailors, who
have anchors and stars aud clipper ships and
gOddesses OF liberty and crosses tattooed on
their arms. lie says, however. that most Of
his customers at the present time are city
people such as yachtsmen aud travelling
business men, who have their names tat
toOed on their arms that they may be idenu-
fled in case Of accident or death, aud If they
chance to belong to some fraternity such AS
the Free MasOns or the Odd Fellows. have
its emblem added also, that they may re-
Ceive aid II helpless, or burial If dead. 10y
some member Of their order.
Many ladies have their names tattooed on
their right arm just below the shoulder that
10 may remain invisible when they wear
ball dress At the time Of the disappear
ance Of Charlie Ross for several years utter
many mothers brought their children 70
Prof. Tbomus's office to have him tattoo
their Children's names on their arms In order
that they might certainly be identified II
they should be lost for long years
Capt. COstentius, the Greek, who was
captured by the savages and prodigally II.
lustrated by them, aud lived to travel with
Barnum's show, was the most elabOrately
tattooed man ever seen In any European
country, Prof, Thomas said that COsten.
titus was fine piece of animated pictorial
work. for he helped TO tattoo him.
He added that the captain was not a
Greek. but native Of Burmuh, and that all
the natives OF that country are tattooed.
Capt. COstentius came to this country wear.
ing fine coat OF tattoo. but he was hardly
tattooed enough for the show business, and
so several New York tattoo artists were put
to work by Mr.. Barnum to more amply H.
lustrate him.
There are now in the country six tattooe
men and i've tattOoed women. The story
told by all Of them is that they were cast
away In various parts of the world, aud
tattoOed by the savages among whom they
had the misfortune to fall, and from whom
they ultimately had the good fortune to es.
cape. None Of these tattooed people ever
saw savage, and all were tdttoocd by
Prof. Thomas.
The mystery Of why any person should
consent to be tattOOed Is explained by this
incident: A girl worked on Grand street
for - week. THIS meant starvation ol
the gutter. \ Snowman offered her S45 4
week for two years II she would become &
tattooed woman. She accepted the offer
aud after she had travelled with the show
six months she made a match with another
''Curiosty" who was rich, and they have
now retired and Joined the wealthy class.
TattoOed men now get from S25 to $50 a
week, their wages having fallen 80 per
cent, owing to the increased number. Fol
tattooing people for the sideshows and cir
cuses Prof Thomas receives from $lT5 tc
$3.50. 1t takes him six weeks, working
from three to six hours day, to fully H.
lustrate tattooed man. For making al
! anchor on a sailors arm he charges q
, cents; q goddess OF liberty and the star
/ and stripes costs $3.50. Other designs mad,
4 on the arm In India ink cost from 81 to $l5
q Prof. Thomas has 500 different designs 70
tattooing.
He lately tattooed two Spaniards iron
a head to foot with religious pictures. The
are as elaborately tattooed as Capt. Costen
= thus, and are going to Italy to travel in
= show in that country.