The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-07-22
DANCING TURKS
MADE AFORTUNE
FOR OLD FAKIR
"Old Bill" kiIlip, Dead At go,
Originator of Many Catch
penny Schemes
HE PULLED TEETH WITH
THUMB AND FOREFINGER
After Civil War Fooled the Ne
groes With Uncle Abe's
Hair Straightener"

"Old Bin" killip, the dean OF street
takers, died near Pittsburgh rev
weeks ago aged about 80 He had
been living by his wits from the time
he was boy OF IS in New England
docloring Brokendowu horses and
selling them as sound
lit was KiIlip who introduced the
sacred Dancing Turkeys from Per,
sla, and later Uncle Abes Hair
straightener warranted 70 straighten
the kinks out Of the hnkiest wool
that ever spryuted Oh the head OF
colored brother For 40 years be was
la peripatetic tooth extractor, drawing
teeth with his thumb and forednger
Ills "umce was a buggy and he
travelled aH over the country attract
ing crowds by raylng banjo sing
ing song ia deep bass. and rafting
a Jar filled with a thousand evidences
o. his deyterity No charge was made
for extracting an aching molar, but
BiIl managed DO sell. many bottles OF
his Sovereign rOOtlache Remedy
between pulls To relieve the monot-
ony he occasionally sold the Magic
stain EIaIleatOr small cake OF
soap guaranteed 10 remove stains
from the clothing stains from the
linen and stains from the character.
TO draw attention he covered his
horse with a scarlet robe and his own
bare heed with thick lather until he
had piled UP a C0ueshaped trothy
helmet N dollar bill was wrapped
arrlal one on the cakes OF soap and
covered with an outer wrapping OF
Tin foil y was . - thrown into a
box wish hundred other cakes sim
Harry covered, and the audience was
invited tQ pay ten cents for a grab
and try to pick ont the prize. New
lorkgts who can go back 30 years
wlu recall tle soap man selling his
"crad Gator iu Nassau and Ann-sts.
and lower Broadway
"Oll bills' main achievement how.
ever, was one of the cleverest and
most amusing catch-penny tricks ever
perpotratel although 1t couldn't be
presented in New York today without
quick action by the s. =. c. A. IN
deed. it ddn last more than two
days in chat city in 1865, just after
the surrender ar AppomattoX The
keen Old trret fakcr made Il a rrle to
ayoiu large CIrIes ae gathered in his
dollars from rural communities The
temptation 90 get some OF the soldier
money az the close Of the war, how
ever. was TOO great and Bin started
his show up near the Haymarket lie
carried a tent on sort OF blackboard.
and on top OF the hattened-Out can
vas was rectangular box covered
with "A black cloth From within at
intervals, could be heard the 'gobble-
or a turkey cock. An OBJ
servant old philanthropist discovered
the trick on the second day In New
York. aud his threat 10 call the police
drove Bti and his outfit across the
river 70 Jersey lie travelled without
from Jersey City TO Tren-
ION thence 90 Camden, and from there
vest and south.
The erection OF the tent and the
tagging OF the feathered performers
COX less than an hour. with the as
distance OF a couple OF country boys.
rhe box carried on the blackboard
yas really q barred cage six feet
oue four feet wide and five feet deep.
TA. ROOF and edgs were oi pine, and
ho floor was OF thin sheetirOn iron
Iars OF small diameter gas pipe form
ad Che front and back sides and gave
a f1u view of two launt turkeys
whose necks were bare - feathers
caused by Trusting their heads be.
tween the bars in svain efforts 90 cs-
cape from their dancehouse prison.
Outside the tent was n banner bear.
ing the following announcement In
red aud black lettering