The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-15
HOW FREAKS LIVE.
SOME DIME MUSEUM STARS WHO
HAVE ACCUMULATED MONEY.
A Rich Double Woman-Jo-Jo, the Rus
sian DogFaced Man, Used to Make
$1,000 Week. But Now Gets Much
Less.


ger.
GLOW much? Well, that is hard
question. A good museum cannot be
maintained under an expense of less than
81 900 week, and some museums in this
country are being maintained under an
average expenditure Of 5000 week.
This amount includes the rental OF the
building, the payment Of help, performers
and freaks"
"By the way" asked the reporter, edo
freaks get very large salaries2'
"rhat all depends upon what kind Of a
drawing card the freak is" replied the ex-
manager. 81 will tell you OF few that
will surprise the people. Tho first year
that Jo-Jo, the Russian dog-faced man,
was in this country, his engagements
aggregated for him just So, 900, or $1,000
week. Nearly everybody, however, has
now seen this remarkable freak, and MS a
result he is not the good drawing
card that he used TO be. Today he
can only command salary of 1925
week, and he is not getting
steady work at this figure. Another large
salaried and wonderful monstrosity is
Millie- Christine, the double woman. This
freak is without doubt the greatest won
der to be found in all the human race. IL
is two colored wins-joined to-
gether at tho back from the shoulder
blades to the lower extremity Of the spine.
These women move together as one al
though they eat, talk, think and live as
separate human beings. Millie-Christine
now commands 500 day as her salary,
but three years ago she had no trouble in
getting 81 200 aweek. Fannie Mills, the
big-footed girl from Ohio, rs now good
drawing card, but she can only command
q salary of 500 n week. Wherever she
! shows II IL always advertised that she is in
search OF u husband, and that her father
will give to any respectable young man
who will marry her farm in Ohio and
5000 in gold. In reality Fannie Mills is
married 10 an old guy named Brown, but
the fake always works well. ! have played
her IN my museums several times and
every time the announcement is made
that she wants husband / found
hundreds OF cranks who wanted TO accept
the offer. Fannie il not by any means
pretty girl and | once heard man say
that he would not marry her for the -. 900
and the farm even II she were minus the
big feet"
"Wherc is Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumb
now" inquired the reporter
''she Is still in the business, was the
reply. 81 shall always remember Mrs.
Thumb rs one Of the pleasantest women
that have met, and with her second hus.
band, Count Rosebud, and his brother,
who IL known n Baron Littleiinger, there
is formed the most interesting trio OF little
people TO be found in the world. These
little folks have made barrels of money in
their day, and they have had the good
sense 10 hold ON TO IL. But as an attrac.
ton today they are not the drawing card
that they have been in days gone by, and
the trio IL not now paid more than 500
week. They will soon retire from public
life. Mrs. Tom Thumb and her husband
have purchased beautiful home in st.
Joe, Mo-, where they have made up their
minds to live during the remainder OF
/ their lives. Baron littslingcr, will live
with them, and has already sent 20 Italy
for his wife, who il now on her way 10
this country. She. by the way, is not
midget, rs some persons mightsuppose, but
h, instead, an unusually largo woman. She
net the Baron in Italy some six years ago,
was smitten by him, and ~ a result n wed.
ding occurred. This will be her first visit
TO this country, and with the aid OF Mrs
Thumb, the queen Of lilliputians, she will
preside over the beautiful home In 81.
Joseph. During the past few months Mrs.
Thumb has invested about $1,000 in
dime museums. She IL the half owner OF
a handsome museum in st. Joseph and has
just advanced 5000 for the purchase Of a
museum In Denver, Co ller partner in
both these ventures Is I'd Sackett, the
famous sidc-show man Of days gone by,
who was Identified with the museum bust.
ness in this city about four years ago. lie
Il placing experience against her money
lis he good museum mani | should
say that he Is the peer OF any of them.
Last November Sackctt LETT Chicago for
Omaha with Just SIS In his Jeans. Thirty
OF II he had borrowed from John r.
Kelley, the actor It'll morning With
his usual nerve he made Omaha people
think that hc was able 10 buy their whole
town and then have enough left 20 buy
another town Just like II. He was only
In the town two days when he made the
acquaintance Of John A. Creighton, the
Nebraska millionaire and philanthropist.
A day later he leased from him one OF the
largest buildings in Omaha, aud with the
aid Of n little money furnished 10y friends
Of viii lawlcr, who, before his advent
into the museum business, was n police.
man In n tcn-ccnt circus At ST. Paul, he
opened a museum In that building early
In December. Iawler was made partner
In the concern. Inside OF three months
the museum had paid for itself and was
entirely clear from debt and on a sound
financial basis With monpfafv aid iron,
Mrs. Tom Thumb he opened the ST.
purchased n museum In Kansas
City, Mo-, and since that time has
closed deal for the Denver museum. Ills
experience shows what push and enter.
prise will do. Six months ago he had only
$50; today he controls plants valued At
over $4,000. Tho elements Of his success
were the neat aud pure family resorts that
lao established, good, clean performances
and the motto We Gator only for the ~.
spectacle people You would be surprised
" YOU wcr 10 see one Of his regular audi.
enccs In u can always be found some Of
the representative people OF tho city.
some Of these people drive up 10 the door
IN their private carriages and the coach.
man awaits their return ON the outside.
In Mrs. Tom Thumb III Sackctt found
a good friend, and his many friends In the
business wish him success In his new
ventures"
'Did Chaska and his wiic make big
money! asked the reporter.
YES, they did. III Sackctt offered
thcm 500 week for four consecutive
weeks, but at that time they refused TO 20
into the museum business. Kohl Mid