BOY AS MERMAID

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 105, 3 April 1926, Page 10

BOY AS MERMAID

MOTHER’S DISCOVERY. COURT CASE SEQUEL. SYDNEY, March 20. For a mother to discover her lost son in the person of an “Arabian mermaid" sounds like an Arabian Nights tale, but, nevertheless, such an inoidont occurrol at Glen Innes, New South Wales, this week. Mrs Smith, of Macquarie street, Glen Innes, had gone to the show ground to look for her 12-year-old son John, who had not been home since breakfast time. In the course of her search, she visited tho tent on which was advertised “The Beautiful Arabian Mermaid.” “Would you like a chocolate?” she inquired of tho “mermaid,” and she was not very surprised when the “mermaid” said, “Too right, Mum. I have not had anything to eat since breakfast time.”

Mrs Smith told this story in tho Glen Innos Court, where Frank Douglas was charged with having fraudulently imposed on the public by representing that John Smith was a mermaid.

Sergeant Colmer gave evidenco that he visited tho side-show, and saw what he believed to be a young girl lying in a cabinet in a pit-liko arrangement in a tent. Douglas later admitted that lie had a boy named Smith in the cabinet, representing the “mermaid.” The sergoant’s suggestion that ho was imposing on the public was met by the statement that everyone knew there was no such thing as a mermaid, and anyone who paid to go into the show did not expect to seo a mermaid. Young John Smith explained to the Court that Douglas asked him would he like to earn five shillings. Ho said he would, and was promptly wrapped in a green covering and locked in tho cabinet.

Douglas went out on to the stage in front of the tent and called on the people to “come and see the beautiful Aralbaian mermaid.” “She’s just being fed,” he told them. After a number of people had visited, the show, Smith told Douglas that he l was hungry, and wanted to go home. Douglas said, “Stay there for a while.” Smith then went to sleep. H el was taken out of the tent at 4 |.m. by his mother, and he had had nothing to eat or drink from the time In/went into the tent until 4 p.m. /fin defence Douglas said that tho ‘ ®iermaid” stunt was only the last of im entertainment, which included sJkne tricks and an escape from a tjpait-jacket. Ho said ho had shown ■e “mermaid” at Newcastle and Injferell, and in each case a young lad -Imd represented tho mermaid. ?/ In dismissing the charge, tho magistrate said that the treatment of Smith might well bo brought under the notice of the Children s Welfare Department, with the object of action being taken.