Be prepared to be amazed by this remarkable book from author
Claire Prentice. Carefully she introduces us to the main protagonist, Mr.
Truman Hunt; a man as shrouded in mystery as he is flamboyant; and then just as
quickly we are witness to his vagaries and vices, which eventually lead to his
ultimate downfall. This story takes
place in the Philippines and then in the United States; notably in Coney Island
at Luna Park; in 1905, just as America was advancing her interests in the
Philippine Islands.
But the real story begins one year earlier when a band of
assorted tribes from the northern Philippine Islands were first exhibited at
the International Exposition in St. Louis. But calling it an exhibition did not
allay the true purpose of the show; that is to turn a profit. The show featured
the natives in a village like setting; kind of like the “natural habitats”
found in zoos today, only with human beings on display rather than animals.
Truman Hunt had been an assistant governor of the Philippine
Islands and was regarded by the tribe known as Igorottes to be a fair minded
and intelligent man. And, at first he was. As a physician he was invaluable to
the tribe; healing the sick, setting broken bones and even pulling bad teeth.
His reputation was so great that at one point it became a symbol of status to
have a tooth removed; if only to prove that you had been to the white man’s
doctor. He was the man to whom the tribe would come with legal problems,
considering him to be a very learned and compassionate man.
Having seen the Exhibition in St. Louis Dr. Hunt returned to
the Philippines with the idea of bringing his own tribe of natives home to
America for a tour of the fairs and amusement parks that proliferated the
nation. But any exhibition would require financing and so he began to cast
about for partners in his venture. He needed about $3,000 to get the Igorottes
to America. It would be a long journey; beginning on foot and then crossing the
Pacific Ocean to Washington State and from there by rail to Chicago and finally
Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.
By 1904 the movies were beginning to show their potential
for entertaining the masses, and to that end most entrepreneurs were scrambling
about for newer and bigger ways to attract audiences. In New York City that
meant a new venue called the Hippodrome was being constructed. It would be a
veritable palace of entertainment for decades to come. It was the Madison
Square Garden of its time. Fred Thompson and Elmer Dundy, who owned an exhibit
in Coney Island, were also the owners of this new venue. They had heard of Dr. Hunt’s plans for
exhibiting the Igorottes and were bidding on the rights to have them set up in
Luna Park.
The story of the back dealing to get the tribe to America;
as well as their reactions to things like ships and trains, which they had
never seen; is a gripping story all by itself. This group of natives was
planning on spending on year away from their families before returning with
enough capital to start businesses and even get educations. But, after every
promise made to them has been broken; and after they have been ill fed and ill
clothed for over a year, never getting paid for their efforts; they would
return home with only $35 apiece. However, they did get quite an education in
the ways of the outside world in the time they were gone.
The cast of characters include Julio, the Igorotte who acts
as the interpreter for Dr. Hunt and the tribe. He is also the most affected by
Dr. Hunt’s eventual betrayal. As the
interpreter he felt personally responsible for all of the lies he has relayed
to his friends and family. Even when the case comes to court he feels some
guilt at betraying his master. By that time the tribe; as well as Julio; had
been reduced to slave like status, following Dr. Truman wherever he led them to
make a buck.
This is a story of an innocent people who think they have
made bargain to ensure their future, relying on the word of the man they had
come to view as somewhat of a god. This is also the story of how he abused that
trust, becoming; as the money rolled in; a completely different person than the
man he had been before.
It is also the story of the Unite States government and
their search for Dr. Hunt on a variety of criminal charges; ranging from
kidnapping to robbery and even bigamy. The book is filled with villains of
every stripe; but for every villain met along the way there are heroes who
pursue the case doggedly, until the Igorottes have been returned to their families.
This book is a tour de force for the author as well as the
reader. Ms. Prentice has created a book which not only chronicles the case at
hand, but also the climate concerning entertainment and what was acceptable as
such at the time. And along the way she gives a wonderful history of Luna Park;
and the fascinating men, and money which created it.
