The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-11
TODANS SPORTAPARADE. :. k8f&&M4@e
BY HENRY McLEMoRE

(United Press Stan COrrespOndent)
 Sarasota, Fla, Feb 11.-1(UP)- Just as one man collects first edi- tions, another ancient firearms, another stamps, so does Samuel ~Gumpertz, general manager of the Ringing Bros & Barnum and Bailey circus, collects freaks.
 Edward Newton never thrilled thrilled more to a rare manuscript, nor King George to a precious stamp, than does MT Gumpertz to hon-faced boy, a double-bodi lady from India, or 8 fat woman weighing $50 pounds in her bed room slippers.
 All over the world-Calcutta, Madras, Hamburg, London, Auck- land. Paris and Yokohoma-his scouts comb the highways and by- ways for bigger and better freaks. He trusts the scouts just so far, though, for before he signs con- tract, and assigns him to side- show pit, he must personally ex- anime them. He wants no frauds. When he engages an alligator boy he wants just that.
 Freak Business
 In his office ar circus head quarters here, from which he di- rects the destinies of the Al c. Barnes and Hagenbeck-W Wallace circuses as we'll as the Ringing one, MT Gumpertz talked freaks with me to-day.
 The topic may seem a bit err freakish for a sports column, but then is it? I have known quite 8 few left-handed pitchers in my day:
 pathy on freaks" Gumpertz said. 'seeing in them only horrible monstrosities and deformities. That's wrong, for first-class freak wants no sympathy. In his heart a ranking freak, such as Lionel the lion-faced boy, considers him. self a great artist, placed in this world to entertain with his talent. He is proud of his calling, and jealous of his standing. Let an- other freak draw bigger crowds. more questions. and freak will strive to better himself as an at- traction.
 And they are all such charming people. I have discovered and handled thousands of freaks in my 1udHy years WiLh tlC CiiSuS, dhu oAA of them have been cultured people. Unable, because of their form, to mingle with the outside world, they devote themselves to literature, languages and the arts. And they man appearance. You'd never find a finer chap than Lionel. He looked like lion. With that great rd ell, r, ,af fs. al htC body, but he was a delightful com panion. And so was Peramel Sam" of India, the double-bodied man, and I have known few finer women than Myrtle Corin of Texas, who was born with four legs. When she died she left a devoted husband and six strapping hand. some children"
 asked MT Gumpertz what was the most consistently popular of
 Charming!
 "The fat woman. Her appeal is undying. And you know why? Simply because she is such a source of great comfort and satisfaction to normal fat women. You will always find a towns fat women around the fat woman's stall. have seen fat women-and by fat, I mean women of around 200 pounds-stand there by the hour. comparing their size with that of the freaks. They probably leave feeling skinny as a rail"
 Freaks are seldom discovered ac- cidentally, Gumpertz said. The fin- est market is at the Dom Fair, which is held annually at Ham, burg. They gather there by the hundreds, using stalls that are willed to them, and which they. in turn, will hand down to others. One of the few freaks ever dis covered accidentally was Mary De- ban, who, billed as, the worlds ugliest woman," was tremendous drawing card. Gumpertz found Mary when he stopped one night at a little inn between Glasgow and Edlnburg.
 "She was waiting on tables, and the minute I saw her, knew she was a great find. I could hard ly eat in my excitement. Funny thing about Mary. She was the ugliest woman I ever laid eyes on, but she had one Of the loveliest voices I have ever heard. It was so soft and rich, and with just enough of a burr to make it ap- Scopyright 1ssS by United Press)