Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1908-08-25
LONG YALE MASCOT
RECENT DEATH OF HANNIBAL
REGRETTED By ALL.
Quaint Old Negro Candy Man Had an
Interesting Career-said to Have
Been More Than Gen.
fury Old. ....

The death of Hannibal, the negro
candy man, has left Yale with no mas
cot but Pop" Warner, the cross-eyed
eXpressman, whose auto trnck now
takes an official crowd to all the ath.
letic games. Pop" has just made his
debut, and it will be years before he
aftains the fame of Pop" Smith,
'Davy, the candy man." Murray, the
hackman," and Hannibal.
IN many respects Hannibal was the
most remarkable of the long list of
Yale favorites. He was gifted with a
versatility granted 20 few men, black
Or white. He was one of the campus
tarorites in 1869, when G. F. Woods
wrote In -Four Years at Yale"
Candy Sans chief rival is a crafty
black man named Hannibal, whose en-,
trance into the room is always ac-
companied by some such formula as:
Not wishing to disturb the gentlemen
in their studies l call to see IL either
of the gentlemen would like to invest
In purchasing from me some packages
OF superior old-fashioned homemade
molasses candy This rigmarole, like
the rest Of Hannibal's speeches, is de-
liVered with the greatest appearance
of gravity and without pause or In
Election d any Sort
Hannibal's age was in dispute. He
was said to have crossed the century
mark. One of his original sayings
when asked how old he was used to be
that he had a faint recollection Of
the first thunderstorm in Connecticut.
The mock orations he delivered will
live In the memory of Yale men as
long as they cherish recollection Of
the university, and hardly an alumnus
Will read Of his death without re-
calling some anecdote Of the old negro
who sold candy, gave boxing lessons,
sleight of hand exhibitions, sang and
danced and made speeches on all
occasions.
Early in life he was an instructor
In boxing in the Yale gymnasium. He
was one Of the quickest pugilists in
action who ever struck blow and he
met George Dixon in several bouts
without the former negro worlds
champion getting the decision. He
was thrown into a room with John L.
Sullivan when that champion was at
the height of his popularity. John L.
at that time weighed more than $50
pounds. and when Hannibal was asked
II he wished to meet the champion he
answered: Hannibal is not Mahomet,
and must refuse to mix 1t up with the
mountain"
Approaching group of college stu
dents, Hannibal used to say: mot
wishing to interrupt the gentlemen,
and wholly in the search for knowl.
edge, which has been my unvarying
custom through life, would like to
ask the gentlemen here a question,
What is the first thing gentleman
puts or when he gets up in the morn
ing?" ..... 0 ......,.....
Everybody took a chance In an.
sWering, and when all had finished
Hannibal would say: mot wishing to
place myself above the gentlemen
present In knowledge, l beg to say
that all you gentlemen are wrong. The
first thing a gentleman puts on in the
morning is his foot--on the floor"
HIS Latin orations were his spe.
c1alities. He had attended commence.
ments half Century ago, had lleaf,,ed
ny heart some of the addresses 81,
mad copied the pronunciation Of re
speakers.