The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-18
BARNUM AND WHITE EAEPHANTs.
Press Agent Thomas Account of a Great
Circus War.

Press Agent Thomas Account of Great
Circus War.
David S. Thomas was for twelve years press
agent for Z. f. Barnum's show. and probably
few who have been connected with the great
Snowman have had a better chance 10 see Mr..
Barnum IN his daily lite and business career
than Mr.. Thomas.
Il was press agent for Mr.. Barnum from
1872 until 1884" said Mr. Thomas, and du-
ring that time had probably more to do with
Mr. Barnum than any one Of his agents, tor
the reason that | kept right along with the
show, while the others were usually AHEAD
The great white elephant war IN Philadelphia
was one Of the greatest things that MIR. Bar
mum ever had on his hands. IL was in 1883,
and both Barnum and Forepaugh were billed
% exhibit in Philadelphia about the same
time Barnum had genuine white elephant
from Siam. and FOrepaugh had one he adyer-
Used AS the only white elephant IN this coun-
try. but we knew 1t wasn't genuine one.
We'll the war waXed hot and fierce. MIR.
Barnum gave us instructions 70 carry it 10 the
very end Columns weren't anything to us
then: we purchased whole pages Of the news
papers and advertised all the time. Mr. Bar
mum afterward told me that the newspaper
bills for the three weeks amounted 70 $4,000,
and know that the bill-posting and other adj
yertising came TO as much more. Philadelphia
was Forepaugh's home but we made It lively
for him We knew that his white elephant
was painted, and We sent over 10 London tor
the two boys who had done the job. Our
agent got them and shipped them over. Bill
Durand. another of Barnum's agents, and N.Y.
self went down from New York IN tugboat
and took the boys of on their arrival so that
Forepaugh's men couldn't get hold OF them.
We disguised them and took them TO
Philadelphia. They were about sixteen
or seventeen years old, and made
I'D first class as country boy
and girl. In this Disguise they
purchased their tickets, and went into the
tent where the so-called white elephant was.
The first chance they got when nobody was
looking they called Tiny chat was the name
Of the elephant). and it recognized them and
struggled to reach them. We took the boys
right before a notary public and they both
made affidavit 10 having painted Tiny with
two coats of paint over IN London. The next
day we published the whole thing in the
papers. and it made great sensation.
Then Forepaughs men trumped up some
horse doctor who certified that he had sclen-
tiically examined the elephant and that 10
was a genuine one and not painted. We put
detectives ON his track. and we soon found
that he was not doctor and that his only
diploma was one of those bogus Buchanan
affairs that he paid twenty-five dollars for.
We let this fly at the Forepaugh people.
The white elephant business fell through
after a while. however FOrepaugh took his
out West and it was finally laughed aud guyed
at so that he took il out Of his show. Barnum
left his at his headquarters III Bridgeport the
next year and never ran 1t on the road again
/ think it was burned in the big ire at
Rarnum's quarters some years ago. Barnum'
elephant was cream colored. but it was as
white ~ any elephant ever Is. IL was a gen.
uine sacred white elephant from Siam. Fore
paugh's was good deal whittier. but there was
no doubt but that his was painted. New
Haven Register.