The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-30
WAX MAN CONFESSESI
How He Has Puzzled People All over
World.

FontineHe, the mysterious, as he is
known to the vaudeville stage, has
really proven to be a live being.
| However, about one-half of the peo-
pie who have seen him think the
model to be a mechanical device.
The mysterious model is Mr.. w. SUIT
ton, whose home is in Chicago ard
ness for the past seventeen. years, put
ting on the wax man stunt all over
the world.
MIR. Sutton has been at the Palace
Clothing company for the past week
appearing in their. show window every
day and drawing crowds that have
covered the sidewalks and street dali
~. Mr.. Sutton in his confession to-
day said: II have been a wax man
for over sixteen years, being with Il
stock company showing in Philade1-
phia when I first conceived the idea
of the wax model. Later I went into
the freak advertising business and re-
marks would continually come to me,
How much he looks like u dummy
which always injected stimulus to my
ambition to become successful as a
wax man. Eventually, after nlucI.
study, ard that is putting it exceed
ingly mild 1 have become IL mechan
ical man and operated by means of
clock work
Mr.. Sutton's performance is. re-
markabIe, to say the least, for he
has even gone beyond possibilities
predicted by scientists and doctors,
In New Jersey, before some of the
professors of Princeton university,
Mr.. Sutton continued Cor 4 period of
80 minutes without moving d muscle
or batting an eye. zone of the requi-
sites of a wax man, the ability to
keep from winking the eyes, is the
first thing that [ accomplished at the
outset of my career. l discovered that
a quick movement of the hand or
stamping the foot would lubricate the
eye, making the closing of my eye
lids unnecessary during my perform
ance. This was a long stride in my
desire to become a wax. man. said
Mr.. Sutton. However, The eye per-
Torrance is but one feature IF the
models stunt, as viewed by curious
crowds from day to day during the
past week.
A wax man undoubtedly has many
amusing experiences, as well as excit-
ing ones. a few years ago Mr.. Sutton
happened to be in Sioux City playing
a vaudeville engagement, and was all
ready and made up to go on the
stage, being locked in a box, in which
manner ne appeared on the stage,
when a fire broke out in the theater.
The wax man for a time was forgot
ten, and i'll describing his experience
tells of the terrible suspense, hearing
the cries and shouts of the firemen
and the sound of water being thrown
on the flaming mass, all these things
made the wax figure in the box
forget that he was merely a mechani-
cal devise. However, after what
seemed to him a lifetime he was re-
leased from the box and taken to his
hotel, almost unconscious, and as II
result was confined to his rooms for
several days.
on one occasion in Quincy, ILL.,,
through a mistake, the box in which
the performer was locked was raised
by the side of the theater building
and the occupant was allowed to re-
main standing on his head for Pc
riod of twenty minutes. Hence, there
is evidently more or less wear and
tear on the nervous system of such p
man. On several occasions people
have been allowed to resort to the
use of hatpins to determine if the
so-called mechanical man is really
alive, and on one occasion Mr.. Wax
nearly lost his life as a result of a
hatpin jab
FontinelIe, the mysterious man, left
the Eden museum in New York six
months ago. where he was posing as
a wax figure, and since that time has
business houses over the country. Mr..
Sutton went through the Spanish
American war together with John T.
McCutcheon, the artist, and afterward
drifted back into vaudeville, in which
he remained until a few years ago,
when he again took up the posing as
a wax figure.
Mr. Sutton, when asked if he was
married said, Am I married? Yes,
and 1 have the sweetest and cutest
bulldog in all Chicago"