Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-04-07
HOW FREAKS ARE MADE.
the BREEDING OF MoNSTRoSl-
TIES FOR MUSEUMS.
An Ingenious Frenehman Found = Srolit-
able Trade In Buying aud settling All
sorts OF Queer aud Hybrid Animals r.
Human Nature.

Human Nature.
With all tine queer doings and say
lngs that are credited to the Bowery,
it is doubtful If that noted thorough
fare, or indeed any part OF any city
can produce, more remarkable in
stitution than one recently in opera
tion in Washington There is no
recognized name for the business in
which the ingenious Erenchman who
conducts it was engaged. but it
might be very properly termed
freak factory.
There is a certain morbid tendency
in all human nature TO gloat owes all
sorts of monstrosities and deforml-
ties, If not with enjoyment. at least
with an understandable curiosity that
is satiated at every opportunity,
even though the more refined part Of
the individual nature feyolts at the
sight aftcr the first wonder Is salts
fled. This il is that keeps the cof-
fers of the dime museums full on the
strength of advertisements Of the
bearded women. or the big-footed
boy or the Wild man OF the woods.
who is only some unfortunate aud
misshapen idiot
Freaks Of all sorts are gold to the
museum man. and the more grotesque
the better II il is only a kitten
with the tail OF rat, well and good;
but If he, with some degree OF truth,
can advertise man with a snake 5
head and eagle wings and preheu'
sile tail, he is that much the better
of in prospect.
So it happens that shOwmeu OF the
dime museum sort are always on the
lookout for freaks and buy them at ii
good round figure. Dealers OF ant
mails of all sorts are not aycrse 10
turning a dollar or two by buying in
any sort OF monster they may happen
to run across. but it remained Tor
this enterprising Washington man TO
conceive the idea OF starting up a
factory where such monstrosities
could be grown to order. 50 TO speak
G.. Sabille is his name, and for some
time past he has kept bird store
near the Washington Circle. whore
. EfstA bN5H Iti III ehtltA V0A u 5BAkh Wv
twittered and iabbered under the
caves Of the picturesque little cot.
tage, and guinea pigs and rabbits di.
gided tire honors OF the front yard
with fuzzy little terrier dog and IA
occasional 'possum or raccoon.
The establishment is altogether o
:. queer one, from its swarthy owner
and MS family Of toddling children
down to the fan.tailcd Chinese gold
fish that fill "a series Of glass Jars and
tanks inside the house The inner
rooms are lined with hutchcs o.
pigeons and fancy chickens, and a
South American monkey has the free
dom Of the place when the weather
is cold enough to have the doors
closed.
Sabille talks a very small amount
OF poor English. but chatters yolu-
bly, ia French He says that tue first
freak he handled came accidentally
into his possession from street boys.
who had it for sale, II was alto
gether a nondescript animal with tho
head OF a cat and the body OF a rgb.
bit. while its tail was long aud bare.
like that OF a rat or an oDo-sum. II
attracted considerable attention aud
Sabille finally sold IT, presumably to
the agent Of dime museum.
Then It struck him TO try breeding
freaks himself which he did for
some time. the most remarkable be-
ling hybrid dog and monkey. "a most
grotesque looking animal. which at
traGted almost as much attention as
the rat-tailed rabbit The bird
dealer regarded his trade a. one Of
the most natural and innocent ia tho
world, and with the tolerably good
stock OF animals he had on hand
there is no telling what remarkable
results his experiments might have
led 70. the last acquisition 10 his
stock being a big Western gopher
upon which he was going to expert
meut when one Of his customers
called his attention to the fact that
his trade was one that was liable 70
get him into serious trouble with the
authorities.
This frightened him into reform.
and when called upon by Washing.
ton Post reporter for an interview
regarding his peculiar business he
protested fervently that he had
abandoned il entirely. and hence.
forth intended TO contine himself
strictly to the legitimate part OF his
trade, handling only such freaks as
chance might throw into his hands
He added that il there were any very
urgent orders for monstrosities he
might be able to supply them on his
annual trip to Berlin, where the
freak breeding business was prac-
ticed to a large extent. and where
monstrosities OF all sorts were kent
on sale constantly
white Blood.
II was a Sandwich islander who. on
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