The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-09
THE BITING HABIT.
Apes That Have 1t Very
Badly.
MRS. SArIWELL'S UGLY PETS
They Are Enough to Try the Patience
of a Very Job of a
Trainer.

You want to know about the apeS1
said Mrs. Samwell. who with her husband
was bitten by their performing monkeys at
the Wigwam Theater last Monday. well.
l can tell you something. / think. I'm only
sorry though my husband is away. for he
has been six,y-three years in the show
business. He was born in circus tent at
Maidstone. England. and was first circus
rider and juggier but after he grew older he
took to training animals. Still, l HAYS had
fourteen years experience. so / know a
little more about 1t than most people. have
cen in the show business all my life on
account of this" and Mrs. Samwell showed
her wrists, which were tattoOed In a delicate
deep blue pattern.
Yes. IFS all over me. from head TO foot
When was child my father. who was a
British army officer. aud my mother both
died IN Mandalay. Burmah.
VI was brought up by the natives, and
almost the first thing they did was to tattoo
me all over. | was taken home 10 England
by the master of merchant vessel, Cap
tain Chase, ana was exhibited at the
Crystal Palace, England, as Firgia Grace.
the tattoued girl.
"But you want TO talk about animals.
Now where shall we begiu? Accidents?
Well. that accident at San Jose on Thanks
giving day when my husband was bitten In
the right hand, and the one on Monday
a light when he was hurt in the lett wrist
and ! in my left hand, are the worst we nave
ever had
Thanks to DR.. Vecchi of San Jose do
not think my husband will lose his hand,
though all the tendons in his wrist are sew
cred. l have had plenty OF scratches from
the monkeys, but never anything as bad as
this. Tom here and Sam, who are two OF
our attendants, have been both badly bitten
by Joe, the young baboon."
The men exhibited deem long scars one
bite being completely through the lower
part of the right arm, and the other from
one side Of the left thumb 10 the other.
Joe is the monkey who bit me the other
night, but i think it was not intentional.
He is fond of Mr.. Samwell, and when Pete
| misbehaved aud Bit him. Joe went for Pete.
/ was afraid he would kill the smaller
| monkey. and so l put my hand between
them. and got badly hurt for my rashness.
| Joe Is our best actor In the monkey line;
| but he has got very bad-tempered of late,
and now my husband is away we cannot
| show him.
Monkeys can learn very quickly, but
| they soon forget their tricks. They have
| very bad memories. aud they are not to be
| trusted, especially as they grow older.
| Sometimes they give you warning before
| they bite. but they will sQueal and chatter
when pleased very much In the same way
as when they are angry. They don't like
strangers. Come and look at Jimmy and
| you'll see what mean"
Jimmy was seated on fence. apparently
! meditatlDg on the variety of matters simidn,
| but as soon as he saw u stranger he was all
| attention and showed a mouth full of very
! ugly looking teeth.
''rhese incisors were filed down two years
| ago." said Mrs. Samwell. but as you see
| they are nearly three-quarters Of an inch
| long and he eau give nasty bite with them.
| Poor old Jimmy" and, as his mistress
| caressed him, he Quieted down at once !;
hes u years old and suffers a good deal
| from tOothache.
Heres Pete. This is the monkey that
bit my husband. Look at his teeth"
And four incisors nearly an inch long
were exhibited.
Pete has been we'll behaved till lately.
but we hardly like to trust him now, and
he was muzLled when he performed last
night. This is quiet animal" and the
lady took a small tailless monkey from
cage.
He's a Borneo ape. two aud half years
old and just cutting his incisOrs. and this is
The baby. Poor little thing it's cold"
The little animal nestled under Mrs. Sam
wells open ulster. its teeth chattering
SHE'S only year old. Our other four
monkeys are males. but this little girl
promises to be real cute. Take them Alto
gether monkeys are decetful and danger
Gus, and as, OF course, every one knows,
miscellaneous. They don't get on we'll with
tue other animals, FOR they Will tease and
bite the dogs every time they get a chance
Often, too, when they are riding a horse
| they will nip its neck TO make it kick and
play up. But they are the best show
animals and go well with the public. lust
because Of all their tricks and mischief.
! How do we train the animals? Well,
| first of all. We begin with kindness, and in
| the beginning Of their lessons we never
| punish them. By and by when they know
their tricks and are yet stubborn and won't
| perform We perhaps give them cut with a
| whip, but We never under any circumstances
| beat them Eve seen people In the streets
| thrash their poor dogs"
The way In which monkeys, goats. a
| dozen dogs and Shetland pony, all loose
| In the yard, fawned on their mistress and
poked their noses against the pockets of her
| ulster showed pretty conclusiveIy that they
! were On the most affectionate terms with
Mrs. Samwell.
You see." continued the lady, ''soms
people have peculiar knack OF handling
| animals. L have known my husband TO
| take dog that other people have given up
| as hopeleSsly stupid and show him before
| the public in three months. My husband
| and L once trained troop of mongrel dogs
| ~ three months. and they performed well.
| too.
| I'VE have taught Shetland ponies In four
| months, but then they were not thoroughly
| mp in their parts, more like amateur actors
than professionals. you know"
Each monkey has a cage all to itself, ex-
| cepting the baby, who occupies the same
| apartment as little half-bred skye-terrier
| dog As they were going 10 appear in pub
| lie In the evening they were not fed in the
| afternoon, and they most strongly disap-
| proved OF their enforced abstinence, chat
| tering and showing their teeth at the dogs,
| and stretching their hands out through the
| bars of the cages to which they had been
| relocated when the dogs were Ioosened.
Monkeys need watching and attending
| to all the time." said Mrs Samwell. I've
| have to keep man constantly around them
| when we are IN town, for they are always
in mischief. But still they please the public
| better than any other animal we have md