The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-05-04
Noted Dwarfs.
ST Lnnis Rennblic.


When the King and his new bride visiteC
Buckingham, in order to serve their majes
ties with a unique surprise, Geofrey, tn,
Dwarf, was incased in a large pie and served
at dinner, much to the delight of the Roya
visitors.
| Her Majesty was so pleased with the
pranks of the little elf that she was allowed
to take him with her TO London. Soon
after this event he began growing rapidly
and soon shot up to three feet, calamity
which he Enthusiastically claimed was due
to royal feeding. Still he retained his po-
sition as court dwarf under the suggestive
name of Lord Minimus; was present upon
all state occasions, and knew more, perhaps,
of the affairs of the Government than the
Kings ministers themselves.
He was sent to France to bring an at
tendant for the Queen, she being a native
of that country. While on this errand,
thinking himself dwarf of considerable
Importance, he formed the acquaintance of
Mr.. Crofts, young man of high social
standing and position in France, who teased
the poor little dwarf beyond the bonds of
reason. Being courtier when at home,
he naturally resented the treatment of
Young Crofts, which finally became un-
bearable, resulting in challenge from the
dwarf
When Crofts and his friends appeared at
the scene of rendezvous Crofts was armed
with shotgun filed with muddy water.
This enraged the little Euglishman to the
extent that real duel followed, the parti-
cipants being mounted on horseback, which
put them more on level Crofts fell dead
at the first FIRE
The remainder of the adventurous life of
Hudson reads like romance. He was for
some time a slave in Barbary; afterward,
upon his return to England, a captain in
the royal army. In 1864 he accompanied
the Queen on visit TO France, but after
the bestowal of all this royal honor upon
him he was sent as prisoner TO Gateh0use,
Westminster, having been suspected of
being privy TO plot He died at the Gate
house prison ia his sixty-third year.
CoUNT JOSEPH BoRawLAsKI
Couat Joseph Borowlaski was Pole,
He was born iu the year 1873; he came
of family of six children, Of which every
other one were dwarfs. The first Of the
family was a son three feet four inches
high: then came another who was six feet
10 his stockings after he had attained man 5
estate: next came Joseph, the object Of this
sketch, who was but twenty.seyen inches
hi.h oa his twenty-frst birthday; Of the
three that followed Joseph, the hrst and
last were Of ordinary proportions, the
middle one being dwarfess, who died at
the age of twenty-five, being then but
twenty-three inches tall Joseph became
celebrated for his remarkable longevity as
well as for the breyity of his stature, he
living to the advanced age of niRety-eight
After tour through England he visited
his native land, hut returned two years
later To the british Isles, married lady
Of ordinary size, raised large family, and
died at Banks Cottage, near Durham, in
1887,
TON THUMB.
About FIVE years after the death Of Bor-
owlaski. in 1912, Tom Thumb, the most
celebrated dwarf Of modern times, although
no, the smallest BY any means, began his
triumphant march under the auspices Of
his patron saint, 2, T. hhruum, Toms
real name was Charles Stratton. He was
born in 1898, aud was, therefore, but four
YeaEs af age when put on exhibition at
Rarnums Museum, New York city. He
weighed twelve pounds when first exhibited,
soon became famous, aud made his trip
to England in 1914, | believe, but it may
have been a year or two later, He grew
but very little until after the end of his
fifteenth year; then grew until he was
tweuty-three. At the age of thirty he be-
gan to "fill out, and during his last trip
West, in ISSl, he stated his weight to be
seventy pounds. Not much of a midget
sure. He died at his summer residence
near Middleboro Mass, July 18th, 1888,
aged for,y-hve.
THE WARREN SISTERS.
Mrs. Tom Thumb, the wife of the sub
jest of the foregoing. was, before she at
tracted the attention Of her husband I
patron saint, little Betsy Bump. Wher
put on exhibition beside her future hus-
band, at the New York Museum, she
adopted L4avina Warren as stage name
She was married to the little General al
Grace Church, New York city, in 1868
aud was, therefore, just twenty years wife
1 Mrs. Stratton, when young, weighed
anywhere from fifteen to thirty pounds
/ As age advanced she became quite portly
aud weighed when she made the last triI
west, not less than fifty pounds. Robus
health, general portliness, combined will
a natural rotund figure, gave her quite l
motherly appearance, which earned for hel
the soubriquet of the "Matron in Nina
( ture.
After mourning the death of the re
u0wned Tom for year and nine months
I Mrs, Stratton tried abbreviated matrimony
a second time by a union with Count Prime
Magri. April 9th, 1885 The Count i
! but thirty-two inches in height and weigh
/ less than his miniature bride. Like hel
! first marriage, this second one was also
performed in New York city, at the Churcl
Of the Holy Trinity, Rev. DIR. Watkin
officiating. The large church was packed
to overAowing, Many distinguished face
were seen among the audience, including
among others, Mrs August Belmont, Mrs
Paran Stevens, Mrs, w. w. Astor, Mn
W. K. Vanderbilt and others. Luc
Adams, the midget, acted as bridesmaid
and Major Newell as groomsman. Newell
is also well known dwarf.
Since her second marriage the late Mrs
Thumb has settled down to the enloymen
of an enviable reputation; but few inkling
of her every day life arc given to the public
Minnie Warren was another celebrates
dwarfess, She was sister TO Mrs. Tor
Thumb, and before being put on exhibitio
beside her sister was plain Huldah BumE
Minnie was some ten years younger tha
Mrs. Thumb and weighed forty-tw
pounds. She was born on the Bum
homestead, two miles out from Middleton
Center, Mass, and early began the sho
business. She was married to Majt
Newell (same person mentioned as groom
man at the Magri- Thumb wedding above
. and died July %, 1878, eight hours aft,
e the birth of girl baby weighing S
a pounds, one-seventh the weight of the lit
mother. The baby lived but few hour