Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-16

About year ago there died in Kel-
win, Ark, travelling salesman. Joseph
Mulhattan. who conceived hoax and
fooled many editors. aroused the ne
groes of the north and south and
amused a ration. Mulhattan originat-
ed the story that monkeys were to
supplant ihe negro cotton pickcrs.
Mulhattan told the story so often
that his eainestness made some news
paper men who printed the story
think II was possible, He figured II on
paper as a paying Investment The
monkeys. OF course, would receive no
wages, SO that on the face of 1t much
would be saved In the cost of picking
the crop. Then, too. the monkeys
would Increase rapidly. For II time
| the story that monkeys would sup
plant negroes In picking cotton was
believed. particularly as the expert
ment "wds being tried on a Louisiana
plantation" The address OF the plan
| tation, however was so vague no one
was able TO locate It.
Barnum's White Elephant.
Barnum loved to fool the people. A
rival Snowman obtained a white ele-
lphant ljarnum by telegraph tried to
obtain Il and offered a huge sum.
The owner of the real white elephant
used Barnum's telegram as 1t newspa-
per advertisement aud poster which
made Barnum the more eager to get
the animal Failing IN getting the
White elephant, he cabled all over the
world to get one. Then he resorted
to subterfuge. He bleachod an ordi-
nary elephant, and did Il SO well that
he not only fooled the people who
came TO see 1t, but also a learned body
Of scientists, who gave him a testi-
monial to the effect that II was a gem
uine albinc elephant.
Another Barnum hoax was the giant
of Cardiff, which was really n hoax
OF hoax Barnum failed in getting
the real giant Of Cardiff, but that did
not deter him from showing the
original Cardiff,
Making Fossil Giant
George Hull OF Binghamton, n. T.,
and REV Mr.. Turk Of Ackley, Ohio,
| got into dispute about giants.
| Probably Il came about through a
discussion of a giant that Hun had in
front of his tobacco shop, II may
| have come through am Interpretation
OF the text. And there were giants
| In those DAYS" No one Is alive who
recoHects the original dispute, go that
one story is as good as another as TO
how the hoax began
Hun spent two years In the study Of
| fossil remains and archaeology, FL
inally he got slab Of stone IL
feet long, I feet broad, % inches
thick. and had it carved according TO
specifications.
Mr.. Hun very cleverly had the giant
carved so that there might be a ques-
ton or a difference Of opinion as to
whether 1t was Il fossil or prehistoric
sculpture. The giant was rubbed,
scrubbed. bathed washed and picked
With pores, an acid was used that
would take off the look of Chicago
and modernty
Finally It was shipped, buried on
a farm OF a relative Of HUI and dis
covered by men digging q well. The
digging Of the well was plausible
enough. Delegations came from all
over the country including both
learned men and curiosity seekers, So
great WIS the possession that IL became
quite profitable, and finally il attract
Jed Barnum's attention. lie failed TO
get the Cardiff giant, but II did not
take him two years to have a replica
OF 1t in his museum.
Nicodemus, the Prize Cat
Newspapers have not been above
hoaXing the public
one newspaper in New York be-
lieved the old menagerle cages in Cen
tral park We're not sufficiently strong.
Il conceived tale of the lions, tigers.
leopsrds and other animals breaking
out and killing and injuring people,
and printed pages about il.
No story of hoaxes is complete UNI
less New York's wen known Joker is
mentioned He is Brian @. Hughes,
and he has perpetrated more than a
dozen totes that have mnde the me-
ltropolls chuekle. TO perpetratc these