The evening world., 1889-09-06
A FREAK" TRUST.
An English Syndicate to Buy Up All Our
Dime Museums.
Barnum and Bailey the 0rlglnatOrs
Of the Scheme.
Living CuriositIes TO BE Paid will
British Gold.

A hutter Of excitement was caused in Wall
street this morning by the news that a
Freak" Trust had been formed in London.
and that a rich English syndicate, like the
one which bought 80 many American rewer
les. was about to buy all living wonders in
the United States. and TO control and manage
the entire number of American freaks"
SO eager was the syndicate. it was said,
that the only freaks it had not succeeded in
obtaining control Of were freaks of imagina-
ton and freaks Of fancy.
1t seems that Messra. p. 4. Barnum and
james Bailey who are thoroughly competent
business men in everything pertaining to
freaks Of nature and living curiositIes, are
about to form n syndicate to gain control Of
all the principal dime museums of the United
States.
Mr.. Bailey sails for London next month to
interest English capitalists in the project.
Both stock and bonds will be issued ON the
museums, which will be capitalized on the
basis of their drawing powers.
II. for example. a museum cleals $500 q
week. it will be capitalized at q round sum
though it contains only O fat woman and a
kan CARGO.
Mr.. p. T. BArnum md Mr.. James Bailey
will be the American managers OF the Byndi-
cate. The present museum owners Will be
employed by the Dime Museum Trust o.
directors of its many places Of amusement
and interest.
The foreign syndicate will not only absorb
all the dime museums of the country, but II
will have au absolute monopoly of all the
wonderful freaks of nature aud all the living
curiusities.
Every one knows what n freak of fancy is.
yet many readers may not know what o freak
Of nature is. Judging from the number of
her freaks in the dime museums, nature must
have many eccentric moods.
To give q few examples An alligator boy.
an lndiR-rubber man, a living skeleton and
q Circassian girl are : freaks of nature" A
i" living curiosity " il always q " freak OF
necessarily "a living curiosity. " as it may
be n deceased CURIOSITY, The Egyptian king
In the museum, who has not reigned for
5000 years, IL "A dead curiosity but the ossi.
fed negro, who looks like an ancient Egyp.
tian king awakened, IL II living curiosity.
Thu great English Freak Trust.will make a
cruel monopoly. Freaks of nature are like
land. They are limited. They cannot be in.
creased or diminished.
II IL easy to zee that the syndicate o.
English capitalists may get:possession of all
the American freaks of nature and charge
the American public what it pleases for the
pleasure OF looking at its living skeletons, Its
ossified men and alligator boys.
1t will cost twice as much to see giants and
fat women. Living skeletons will advance
100 per cent. The kangaroo and the gyas.
outus will be beyond the reach of the poor
Some museums will close up and others will
supply q cheap line OF curiosities.
The facts in regard to the Freak Trust were
made public by Mr.. Bailey's brother. in-law,
Prof. j. 3. McFadden, M. A.. LII. D.. whC
10 q lecturer in Kohn 4 Middl toms lime
museum in Minneapolis, MINI.
Prof. McFadden says that the English
syndicate proposes to raise -, 900. 900 for thu
purpose Of absorbing all the American dim,
museums and absolutely controlling oil oul
freaks. Kohn, Middleton 4 Co., who hay'
ZONE Of the most remarkable living curiosi
ties that walk. have been offered $500, 900 TO
their six dime museums in Minneapolis, st
Paul. Cincinnati and Chicago.
Prof. Worth, Of New York, and the owner
of the Grand Street Museum, have receiVeC
fattering offers from the syndicate. At tn,
present moment everything 10 uncertain il
the world of freaks.