The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-06-03
sARNuM's WHITE ELEPHANTS.
Press Agent Thomas's Account of a Great
Circus War.

David S. Thomas was for twelve
years press agent for P. T. Barnum's
show, and probably few who have been
connected with the great Snowman
have had better chance to see Mr.. Bar
mum in his daily life and business ca
reer than Mr.. Thomas.
Il was press agent for Mr.. Barnum
from 1872 until 1884," said Mr.. Thom-
as, land during that time l had prob
ably more to do with Mr.. Barnum than
any of his other agents, for the reason
that | kept right along with the show,
while the others were usually ahead.
The great white elephant war in Phil
that Mr.. Barnum ever had on his
hands. 1t was in 1883, and both Bar
mum and Forepaugn were billed to ex-
hibit in Philadelphia about the same
time. Barnum had genuine white ele-
phant from Siam, and Forepaugh had
one he advertised as the only white
elephant in this country, but we knew
it wasn't genuine one.
''Well, the war waxed hot and fierce.
Mr.. Barnem gave us instructions to
carry it to the very end. Columns
weren't anything to US then; we pur-
chased whole pages of the newspapers,
and advertised all the time. Mr.. Bar
hum afterward told me that the news
paper bills for the three weeks amount
ed to $4,000, and | know that the bill
posting and other advertising came to
as much more. Philadelphia was Fore
paugh's home, but we made it lively
for him. We knew that his white ele-
phant was painted. and we sent over
to London for two boys who had done
the job. Our agent got them and ship
ped them over. Bill Durand, another
of Barnum's agents, and myself went
down from New York in tugboat and
took the boys off 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 16 or IL years old, and made up
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 rec
ognized them and struggled to reach
them. We took the boys right before
a notary public and they both made
affidavit to 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 Forepaugh's men trumped
up some horse doctor who certified
that he had scientifically examined
the elephant and that it was genu-
inc one and not painted. We put de-
tectives on his track, and we soon
found that he was not a doctor and
that his only diploma was one of those
bogus Buchanan affairs that he paid
$25 for. We let this fly at the Fore
paugh people.
THE white elephant business fell
through after while, however. Fore
paugh took his out West and it was
finally laughed and guyed at so that
he took it out of his show. Barnum
left his at his headquarters in Bridge
port the next year and never ran il
on the road again. l think it was
burned in the big fire at Barnum's
quarters some years ago. Barnum's
elephant was cream colered, but it was
as white as any elephant ever is. II
was genuine sacred white elephant
from Siam. Forepaugh's was good
deal whittier, but there was no doubt but
that his was painted. ."-New Havea
ReQlSter