The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-24
HUGO, The 8 FEET 4
CIRCUS GIANT, DEAD
End Comes in Hotel From
Heart Trouble After Illness
Of Several Days.
Ills FIRST VISIT TO L. y.

The towering. sallow faced man whom
thousands az visitors to Freak Hail at
the I'arnum a Bailey circus in Madison
square Garden will remember seeing
billed rs Hugo. the French Giant" died
al 1870 o'clock yesterday morning at
the Hotel Preston. 363 Fourth avenue.
across the street from the rear entrance
to the Garden.
Hug had been suffering from hea ri,
trouble for ~otue time. bu; was able
to appear in Freak Hall and take mar,
twic" u day In tho parade OF freaks
around the arena Immediately after the
opening pageant, At the wedding Of
two of the circus midgcts, Miss Elsie
EeinckinG ~ Joseph Francis short. in
the middle ring Of the circus u week
ago last night. Hugo. wearing his ia
niliar tall top hat and lengthy black
frock suit. was best man. but his illness
prevented him from staying throughout
the wedding supper served in Freak Hall
later.
The giant came YEARLY into the Gar
den for III" performance last Monday
afternoon, l,lt had been in Freak Hail
only u short time when he tried to
make known In Italian and Frcnch-hc
Know no English-that he wanted to
60 back to his hotel. \ midget known a.
BARON Naucci finally was summoned TO
act as interpreter. and the circus man
segment thcrcupou had Dr. !. +. Man
Icy, the ply stefan who travels with the
circus, examine the giant and then ac-
company him lack to his hotel
First Time In America.
Huge waS appearing for the first time
IN America during the present engage
mont at tho Garden. Although billed as
hugo. the French Giant" he was born
IN italy forty-seven years ago. and he
was a younger. brother of the original
HUGO. the French Giant" who for a
year or more has been living In Europe.
put for many years before that was eN-
hihifed annually at the Garden and then
travelled the length and breadth Of the
country wi'h tho Barnum n Bailey COM
panN. TIL" original Hugo was not quite
so tall AS his brother.
The Hug" who died yesterday meas
ured \ feet I inches. Til. amount of
TOO" VI" ""ud consume at a meal was a
constant source If amazement. even ia
circus men accustomed to unusual hap
penings Eight or ten eggs. , dozen
cups OF coffee aud other breakfast dishes
IN proportion made M his regular morn
ing meal. ana the size Of the two meals
no sat dow to later IN the day was even
moro generous. He would amuse circus
patrons standing around his platform
ny passing u half dollar through his
iinRer ring or cover a silver dollar with
inc hail Of his thumh. feats which the
original Hugo performed for years be-
fore him in Freak Hail.
lis Lack Of knowledge 81 English
ana his increasing Illness combined to
make Hugo a lonesome and pathetic fig
urc among ms surroundings OF circus
Unset az IN" Garden during tho last two
weeks or more. The tiny Baron Paucci
was tho only member of the circus or
ganization with whom he could rom
verso, and III" only time a glimmer 81 a
smile would tighten up tho gaunt feat
ures of Hugo would b" At those mo-
n"nts when Freak Hall was free IT Wis
tors. thus enabling him to prop the
midget up on his enormous knee and
have an old home ak in Italian.
'"ree "c"s N"'""s"rs.
Wien the giant came TO the Hotel