The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-01
Mardi Gras Festival Opens GayIy in
Tomlinson Hall with Big Crowd
I'm Attendance.
PUZZLES OF NATURAL HISTORY
ANTLERED BRETHREN FURNISH
QUEER COLLECTION OF CURIOS.
Witch from Bagdad, Temple of Justice
and POnderOus Couple Are n Few
Of the Unique Attractions.


been a question on every tongue. made her
debut last night. when the Elks' Mardi
Gras opened with blare of barkers' voices
and variegated display of interesting
things, both animate and inanimate. The
booth OF Bess was the center of attraction,
and did land office business. so keen was
the hungry host to solve the question. WHO
is Bess?' Every one who entered her
dimly-lighted hall emerged with a self-sat-
isfied smile. On the lapel of his coat was
a badge-"Yes, have seen Bess.''
Bess, being the feature Of the carnival.
is kept well in the background. On enter
ing Tomlinson Hall one is attracted to the
entrance of her booth by the vociferous
cries of Bill Quinn. The entrance Of the
booth leads you into one of the long cor
ridors of Tomlinson Hall. down which you
are ushered to the dark end. When the
corridor is well-flled the manager of Bess
steps forth and, with an extravaganza
highly-colored introduction, raises his magic
wand; the dark curtain draws aside and
the colored lights blaze full upon Bess.
Gustav w. Kevers is the general manager
of the carnival William Rost has charge
of the amusement and museum part of the
programme.
MARDl GRAS PAGEANT.
The first notes of the Elks Mardi Gras
were sounded at noon yesterday, when
the band in the van of the automobile pa
rade struck up a lively tune as the caravan
of machines passed through Washington
street in long single file. There were
eighteen automobiles in the line headed
by the $1,000 machine which is being raf-
fled off at the hall. In the automobiles
rode the women who are participating in
the Mardi Gras. while the Elks marched
afoot, wearing long black coats and high
hats.
When the doors at Tomlinson Hall were
| thrown open last night large crowd was
waiting. The first night OF the Mardi Gras
was decided success. While the crowd
was not one that packed the hall, the floor
| space was comfortably occupied through
| out the evening. Every one seemed to have
money TO spend and spent 1t freely. The
| hall presents an elaborate array OF booths
and other attractions. At almost every
| one there is wheel of fortune, where you
can take chance or two to get something
cheap. AT intervals throughout the even
| Ing vaudeville turns are presented on the
/ stage and the din of bankers voices keeps
| the excitement running high until the end.
In the center of the hall, placed on plat
/ forms, are the automobile and the Racine
| launch, which the Elks railing off.
Chances on these are III cents each, or
perhaps one may get seven chances for 10
| cents IL he is lucky with the wheel of for
! tune. Sport" Wilson has charge of the
| automobile tickets, while Homer June and
Sol Munter are handling the launch end
| of the rattle. The sale Of tickets in both
| cases was unusually good last night, thirty
books having been sold on each.
AY-E-SHA, FROM BAGDAD.
Save the booth Of Bess, that of Ay-E-Sha,
the fortune teller from Bagdad, drew the
greatest crowd At the entrance of her
| booth, which is in the northeast corner of
the hall, there were always from ten to
twenty waiting to have the future revealed
to them. Ay-E-Sha is a wise woman. and
she does not tell secrets for less than q
cents.
Although Bess is the bell cow Of her
BOOTH" as the manager stated there are
other attractions that form the museum
whose talent is due to the earnest efforts
OF William Rost. There is the contrast
couple-two brothers, one towering sever
feet eight inches and the other standing
but thirty-one inches. There is the tat
world seven times and the AlbinO girl from
Albany. and the Hindoo Queen, direct from
the mountains of Himalaya.
| On the other side of the hall is the bootf
of the largest married couple in the world
whose combined weight tips the scales a
cey Morlan. Mr. Morlan weighs 7i8. an(
Mrs. Morlan 454. Next to their booth is tina
! of Snoozer, the smallest horse in the world
1t Is not much larger than the averag,
dog.
Around the hall the fancy booths
where wares are sold. In the southeas
corner Is the refreshment BOOTH In charg,
cious booth of the carnival, and refresh
ments Of all kinds are served at the man,
tables. The cigar booth is in charge o
George Coulter. The Lady Bountiful is an
other mystifying booth. By paying 10 cent
to the barker, Charles Balz-nick- name,
DUSTY Roads'-the Lady Bountiful hand
| ord 49,
} is in charge of Ed Sourbier, assisted b.
o. ID. Bales. Mrs. Feibleman has charg
, Of the flower booth, which is one of tn
most attractive of the carnival. 1t is il
) connection with the candy and fruit booth
. where Mrs. George Cortelyou and Mrs
, Fred Smith are in charge. The doll and to-
booth is managed by Mrs. Horace Haynes
/ Mrs. Sol Munter, Mrs. K Munter, Mrs
Joseph Bell and Mrs. John Farris. Mrs
Gus Kevers has charge of the novelt
booth. In charge of the fancy work boot
are Reina Miller. Mrs Theodore Wilson
! Mrs. Newmeyer and Miss Pearl Howard.
: ARRESTED AND JAILED.
The booth known as the Marion count
1 Jail was one that created good deal O
/ fun. Two policemen circulated through tn
audience and ever and anon arrested per
son and carted him off to the jail where h
2 was tried by Miss Justice Miss Lillia
! Olcott) and James Heeley, and fined ]
cents. Judge Whallon was the first ma
arrested. The officers were Fred Schau
| and Albert Samuel.
The feature of the programme was tn
vaudeville turns that were given at frequen
intervals. j. Russell Powell amused tn
: | audience with coon-shouting stunts"
Jesse Clark the dancing boy wonder c
seven continents" gave an exhibition c
dancing, and De Varo and Carlo, profes
| SIGNALS, did sensational turn the hor
zontal bars. The feature of the vaudevill
e was the drill OF Company of William +
q Englsh's Zouaves. The vaudeville pre-
gramme tonight will be changed. IL wi
include Neal Fleming, a baritone singer
Z II. Z. Mulbarger. monologuist, and the tw
n La Maws, acrobats