Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-02-12
HUMBUGGED
BY TRAINED FLEA
SWINDLE
BY Means of sloping Table
and Mechanical Contriv.
ances, Little Animals Are
Forced to Perform"
Tricks.

When y r. BarnuM. the late circus
King, said that 'the American public
liked 20 be humbugged," he HAD prob
ably been approached by the really
wise" one, who had told him thar
his wild Man From BOrneo" was a
fake and then proved II 10 him. Bar
mum has been dead for a number OF
years. and Judging by the way people
hand their money over 70 CircuSes and
carnival companies when one comes
20 town, his words have either been
forgotten or the public has not taken
warning. as It still continues 70 be
humbugged.
Perhaps tho cleveres, humbug Of
fered the public H. recent years nc
cordlng TO an authority who has had
show fakes under observation for
some time ana one which few have
ferreted. is known as the flea cir.
Gus" II In the past FIVE or six years
you have failed to witness perform
ance OF a FLEA circus" In which are
seen real live leas performing such
tricks as walking the tight rope, luG-
CLING balls. dancing 10 photographic
music. hauling iiny carriages, Or per
forming tricks which are seen when a
circus Is visited. YOU have alissod
something which IS really worth see.
ing and which Is said 10 be the best
hnmbug which has been offered the
showgoing public in years.
Even Scientists are Fooled.
In Houston. Tex. there Is a well
known physician who is actually at
tempting TO train fleas TO hop al COM
mand to jump through hoop and "a
perform tricks which, after mCntns To
endeavoring. dogs are taught Perhaps
by This time II has dawnod upon him
that u Is an impossibilliy 90 trGin an
insect and that the only tricas which
can be done hy the flea Is uy the trick
cry aid OF the trainer" end he has
given his task mp as being impossible
Men who claim 10 be ablo scientists
are az this time giving up their time
and are spending much money IN pro
curing instruments which viii AID
them In teaching the flea to hop AT
command"
With a well known carnival com
pany playing through the south there
Is young German who Is exhibiting
what he calls "the original German
flea circus" and judging by the money
his unique attraction Ia netting HIN
daily, it Is only matter OF very
few years before he returns 20 his
native country a rich man. And there
in an FIVE Of these flea clrCuses IN
this country. an OF German origin
Originated With the Romans.
II you were 10 ask the young Ger
man In the south how II was that tho
idea of training the flea FIRST occurred
60 him. In his broken English he would
relate a most interesting narrative
He claims that the training OF the flea
dates back TO the time of the Romans
and that at that time the tiny insect
was only trained 10 fight According
20 him Romans OF the wealthy class
taught the flea TO battle, and for pas
time they would COngregate about the
floa pit and wager as TO the outcome
OF the bnttle as do tho MoXcans al
a cock Eight today.
n he found YOU an attentive listen
or he would tell OF how the custom
was lost and how IL was revived N
Germany almost a century ago by MS
grandfather, who, after many trylnn
years, succeeded IN training a species
of the flea family known as the Ger
man house flea to perform tricks.
You h2ar the "spieler" tell OF tht
wonderful tricks performed by the
fleRs and at the same time read th'
saying of the banners which state thnl
ITS the only one IN the world "uni
que in It's presentation" otc" anG
then you will resolves TO pay ,he shos
visit. A ticket Is purchased and yoI
enter the tent,
The Sloplnu Table.
II YOU are Ohseryant You viii SEE
only table surrounded by severa
raised platforms and a strong cluste
OF electric lights shining upon the IA
end of the table, When the tent d
well filled, the trainer" viii announce
that he IL ready and that II possible
everybody Get as near the table as can
lie first takes from one OF the six air
tight leather boxes a small magnify
ing glass which he passed 10 the aud
CnCo 10 gaze through.
Looking through the glass one see
q flea with an almost invisible goi
wire attached to Us neck, the wiz
being fastened ID the top OF the glasi
The German explains that TO handl