Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT, CLICK HERE
PART THIRTY-NINE – Some of the Fool Killer’s targets in the September of 1910 issue of James Larkin Pearson’s Fool-Killer:
*** The scholar and philosopher William James, brother of Henry and Alice James, for his speculation that after death a soul could communicate or even return to the world of the living. (This was an exaggeration of James’ beliefs for comedic effect.) A fictional cult of William James was proposed, waiting to hear from the late philosopher or for his actual return from the dead. James had died in late August.
*** “Republocrats,” as Pearson and his Fool Killer called the corrupt fraternity of career politicians/ career criminals who belonged to the two gangs called Democrats and Republicans. Today the term is spelled “Republicrats.”
*** American colleges and universities, for what Pearson and his Fool Killer ALREADY saw as their over-emphasis on football instead of academics. That trend intensified in the coming decades.
*** The supposedly promiscuous wealthy debutantes of the American Northeast.
Some of the Fool Killer’s trenchant observations this time around:
“I believe the belly and the pocket-book call more Preachers than God does.”
“The man who isn’t as virtuous as he expects his wife to be ought to be hung.”
“If all hypocrites were dead there wouldn’t be enough people left to bury them.”
“The rich man has his ice in the summer time but the poor man gets his in the winter, and so what is the difference?” (A variation of this saying, with ice-water substituted for ice, was supposedly typed out by gunslinger-turned-reporter Bat Masterson before his death in 1921.)
As I always say, it’s fascinating to read this old publication and its odd mix of viewpoints – even the ones you disagree with.
I WILL EXAMINE MORE FOOL KILLER LORE SOON. KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR UPDATES.
FOR MY LOOK AT JOE MAGARAC, THE STEEL MILL VERSION OF JOHN HENRY AND PAUL BUNYAN, CLICK HERE
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Talk about vintage publications!
You know it!
If you hadn’t already pointed out the similarity to Bat Masterson’s later dying words I was about to.
I understand. It’s hard to say if Masterson was plagiarizing or not.
Republocrats says it all even today.
I agree.
I used to think Bat Masterson invented that saying.
I understand.
These are so interesting! Such an odd folk character.
I know what you mean.