The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-05
MoNzUMA's RECEPTION.
Newspaper Men and Women Enter
tanned at the Zoo.

A reception was held yesterday after
noon at $3.50 o'clock in an upper room of the
Cyclorama building in honor OF "Monzu-
ma" the ehimpanzee which IS the latest
arrival at the Bostock Geological garden.
About twenty-five or thirty newspaper mon
and women attended the affair, which
proved very enjoyable. The women de-
INJURED slightly at entering the room I'm
which the reception was held on account
Of the dense clouds of smoke which issued
therefrom. Upon Managers Louis Beck and
Harry Potter assuring them that the fumes
were nothing more harmful than incense
from burning aromatic wood, they were
induced to enter the apartment. In a brief
Introductory talk, Mr.. Potter explained the
extreme rarity of the chimpanzee in coun-
tries other than Africa, its habitat, and de-
clared that when the present specimen shall
have been fully educated it will be worth
no less than $4,000, which is the value said
to have been placed on Barnum's CHM
panzee, Johanna. Prof. Day, the lecturer
at the Zoo, then proceeded to give an in
teresting discourse on the habits and
structural peculiarities of the animal. He
asserted tina one could scarcely look into
its anthropoidal face without finding him.
self favorably disposed towards the OAR
winian theory of the origin OF species and
descent of man. When the door of Mon
zuma's' travelling carriage Ga box made
of cedar wood was opened. the animal
manifested unmistakable signs of life and
activity by giving vent to peculiar noises re-
sembling mingled boots and screams. He OBJ
jected strenuously to appearing before so
many strangers, but was finally landed
safely on top of his box. Here he proceeded
to show his rage at being disturbed, by
rising almost to an erect position and
hammering violently with his massive,
hairy hands on the roof of his house, much
after the fashion of an excited public
speaker pounding the desk before him. BY
way OF illustrating the c~himpanzee's hui
man characteristics, a glass of water was
held to his mouth and he dralk from il in
the same manner that a human being
would do, by taking the rim of the glass
between his lips. 1t is said that all other
members OF the simian family insert their
mouths and noses into water when drink
ing. Monzuma was given a piece of toast,
which he held between thumb and first
finger in the most approved fashion. This
specimen appears to be In perfect health
and to possess great strength In proportion
10 its size. 1t is a little less than four feet
In height. but of massive bodily construc-
ton. The hands are almost as large as
those OF a fullgrown man, while the feet.
WHICH look more IKE nands, are mucn
larger than the hands of a man. The educa-
ton OF the new animal will be entered upon
very soon. and it is expected that in a
short time it will lave table manners al
most equal TO those Of Members of the
-four hundred" The name Monzuma is
only a temporary appellation. A perman-
ent title will be secured through a voting
contest, which will be decided by judges
chosen from among the newspaper men OF
the city. This afternoon the local physi-
clans and surgeons will inspect the new
arrival and express their scientific opinion
OF it. Not the least enjoyable feature of
the reception yesterday was the serving
or punch 10 the men and women present
and cigars to the men.