Sayman Finale

“Old Aaron Sayman, the curiosity man, charged Mrs. Jessie Gilbert, No. 117 Catharine street, with stealing a pair of pincers from him.
          Hamilton Times.   May 01, 1896.

Yet another Hamiton Police Court case involving Aaron Sayman took place on May 1, 1897. This time the old man was the complainant, not the defendant. The defendant was a Mrs. Jessie Gilbert who once was a customer of Aaron Sayman :

“The complainant amused the court in telling how the prisoner got one of his tools. She called at his workshop and told him her pocket was torn. He left to get a needle and thread and returned and mended the garment.  After she left, he missed the pincers. His son,, Eleazer, who is wealthy in hair on the top of his head, said that his short name was ‘Lally’ and that when he asked Mrs. Gilbert for the pincers she took him to a shop where ‘bee-cy-cles’ and ‘moo-sical’ and got the instrument for him.

“The prisoner said it was a ‘put up’ job because she would not do all Sayman wanted her to do. She said the pincers were placed in her basket when she was looking in another direction. She was found guilty of the charge but was allowed to go on suspended sentence. The defendant is about 65 years of age very feeble.”¹

¹“Old Aaron Sayman, the Curiosity Man, Charged Mrs. Jessie Gilbert, No. 117 Catharine Street, With Stealing a Pair of Pincers from Him.
          Hamilton Times.   May 01, 1896.

A few weeks later, a member of the Sayman family made an appearance at the Police Court, as a defendant:

“Eleazer Sayman, son of the old curio man, who was arrested yesterday afternoon on a charge of vagrancy, was discharged last evening by the Police Magistrate. Old Aaron Sayman pleaded for his son’s release, although Eleazer ran away from home and got his hair cut off against his father’s wishes.”²

²“Tea Table Gossip”

Hamilton Times.   May 16, 1896..

Mrs. Sayman decided that her son might settle down if he got married and so set out to seek a mate for him:

“This morning Eliza Wynn, a young woman who lives on MaCauley street, called on Magistrate Jelfs for two reasons. She wanted a summons against Jas. Lewis, restaurant-keeper, on a charge of refusing to pary $5 wages, and to get permission to marry Eleazer Sayman, who is known as the ‘boy with the hair.’ She sot the former, but His Worship said if he thought she wanted to marry Sayman, he would order the police to lock her up. Mrs. Aaron Sayman, Eleazer’s mother, was present and was disappointed at the Magistrate’s expression. She said she thought Eliza would make a nice mate for Eleazer. She admitted that Eleazer was not anxious to get hitched up. Detective Reid says the girl is ‘daffy’ – like the boy.”

: “A Match Maker  : Mrs. A. Sayman Wanted to Get a Wife for Eleazer Sayman”

Hamilton Times. May 01, 1896.

Just a few weeks later, Eleazer “Lulu” Sayman would once again be in the Police Court room:

“Eleazer Sayman, son of the old curio man, who was arrested yesterday afternoon on a charge of vagrancy, was discharged last evening by the Police Magistrate. Old Aaron Sayman pleaded for his son’s release, although Eleazer ran away from home and got his hair cut off against his father’s wishes.”

“Tea Table Gossip”

Hamilton Times.   May 16, 1896.

While the Saymans often caused a rukus in the Police Court and on the downtown streets, the state of their being was just as tumultuous in their shop and home, which was basically the same building at Vine and MacNab streets.

 In a brief item under the headline, The Old Curiosity Shop, the following item, probably related to the problems with, Eleazer appeared:

“The police were called to Aaron Sayman’s curiosity shop last night by neighbors who heard terrible shrieks. A large crowd gathered and listened to the female voice, which was pitched very high. The trouble was a personal one, both Mr. and Mrs. Sayman said. No action was taken.”

“In the Old Curiosity Shop”

Hamilton Times. May17, 1897

The very next day, the incident described in the Times took place:

“Last evening, Mrs. Aaron Sayman, wife of the Vine street curiosity man, complained to a policeman that a Miss Wynn, who some days ago expressed a wish to marry Lally Sayman, annoyed her. While she was complaining the girl happened along, and Mrs. Sayman said she had her era-rings in her ears. The officer questioned the girl, and she said Mr. Sayman had pierced her ears and put the rings in them. The trio proceeded to the curiosity shop, and Sayman said he loaned the rings to the girl. He just wanted to make his wife good to him, he said.”

“Miss Wynn a Winner”

Hamilton Times. May 17, 1897

For the next few years, the Saymans appearance in the Police Cour, involving disturbances in the store or on the streets decreased.

 Aaron had quite elderly and feeble, as evidenced by the following:

 “Aaron Sayman, the old curiosity man, who lives at the corner of MacNab and Vine streets, fell down a flight of stairs last evening, and was nearly killed. He was found in an unconscious state, and Dr. Mackelcan was summoned by the police. The doctor dressed a bad scalp wound and did all he could for the old man, who came to in about an hour.”

“Sayman Fell Down Stairs : Aged Curiosity Man Was Injured Last Evening at His House.”

Hamilton Times.   September 12, 1900.

Finally, the two Sayman sons who had left their tumultuous family home in Hamilton to live in Memphis, Tennessee decided that their parents were too old to handle the business of the curiosity shop and the non-stop strain of dealing with their brother. They returned to Hamilton and after some prolonged urging, convinced Aaron, Mrs. Sayman and Eleazer to sell off their Hamilton possessions and go with them to live in the United States:

 “Aaron Sayman, the eccentric old scissors grinder and collector of curios, who has been one of Hamilton’s noted characters for over a quarter of a century, is about to leave the city. He is 85 years of age and has been ill for some time at his old curiosity shop, at the corner of Vine and MacNab streets. His two sons are here from Memphis, Tenn., and as soon as  the old man’s belongings are disposed of, they intend to take their aged father and mother, and LuLu Sayman, a half-witted brother, back to the Sunny South with them. They had a hard time to get the eccentric old man to consent to have his collection of curios and antiquities sold as he prized it, apparently, more than anything else in the world. He gave his consent three times and afterwards withdrew it, before finally agreeing to let the stuff be sold under the hammer. There is fully two wagon loads of all kinds of old things, from all parts of the earth.

“This morning, Mr. George Burkholder, auctioneer, started to dispose of the stuff at auction, and he will not get through before tomorrow noon, he thinks. The sale is taking place in the old man’s shop, and many historians and hunters of relics are in attendance.

“The most spirited bidders at this morning’s sale were Mr. F.W. Fearman, of the Wentworth Historical Society, and Mrs. J. Calder, of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society. Both persons bought a large number of articles. None of the really valuable articles were pit up, about $1 being the most received for any one thing. Mr. S. Landers, Mr. E. Brown, Albert Crawford, James Dickson and the Daniel Brothers, showmen, were among the purchasers. The Daniel boys intend securing the nucleus of a museum, it is stated.

“A considerable number of the old articles were left to Sayman by his grandfather in Germany, and were brought to this country by him. They are from 100 to 300 years old.”

“An Old Curiosity Shop : Being Sold Out By Geo. Burkholder, Auctioneer : Many Old Relics Shown.”

Hamilton Times.   September 26, 1900.

The Hamilton Herald taking note of the impending removal of Aaon Sayman from Hamilton life, published a biography of the man and his family.

Aaron Sayman was a German Jew who originally came to Hamilton in 1840:

“He lived in strict observance of the old rites of his forefathers, and regarded himself as a holy man. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday he kept the Sabbath spending the time kneeling in prayer or chanting the weird hymns of his faith. His habits were mystifying to his neighbors. He would heckle with the small boy on the street over the purchase of turtles, snakes, toads and like creatures. These he would nail to the fence until they reached the state termed as ‘high’ , when he would take them down and boil them, raising the most unpleasant odors.”

The Spectator also published a summary of the Sayman’s story starting with their entry to the city as immigrants:

For some time, Aaron Sayman and his family lived in two covered wagons, set up in a vacant lot opposite the Central Fire Hall on Hughson Street North:

“They were enshrouded in a dark cloud of mystery and a foul atmosphere, that not even the most curious or courageous dare pierce. It was an uncanny place. Children would not pass it alone after nightfall. Two children always had to be sent. They would turn up their collars, stop their ears, close their eyes, clasp their little hands together, and run by, with hearts pounding into their throats. ‘Hush, hush, mothers would say to their children, ‘or old Aaron will carry you off to his cave!’ and the little rouges, terror-stricken, would subside into silence.”¹

The cave mentioned was the excavation ‘which had been dug under the two old caravans. Chests, it was said, filled with gold and silver plates were piled up there. It contained fabulous wealth, but for all that served as a cellar for vegetables as well.”¹

Aaron Sayman could speak seven or eight languages fluently. He used all of them to abuse his wife. Every time he went away from home, he would charge her with inconstancy and  she would be subject to his indignation.

Once, while Aaron Sayman was away, the firemen at the station across the street, sent her a phony telegram announcing her husband’s death. Mrs. Sayman immediately called in all her friends and began to rejoice wildly. The party was cut short by ‘the unlooked for and unhoped for appearance of Aaron himself.’¹

In September 1900, Aaron Sayman was 85 years old and in poor health. Sayman had opened a shop at the corner of Vine and Macnab streets where he carried on his business in antiques and curios:

“In his old home on James Street North, he was visited from year to year by men from all over the country who were interested in the curious and quaint, and from year to year the old man’s collection grew. Aaron moved from James Street to his present abode, taking his collection with him. In the years following, age came upon him and he has not been able latterly to look after his things. A bad fall some time ago left him in a semi-helpless condition, and it was then that his sons who have been for many years on the American side, came to the city, and determined to take their father way with them.”¹

There was at least two wagons filled with curios and items of interest:

“It is almost impossible to tell just what there is of value in the mass of odds and ends with which the place is filled. That there are many curios of great value is beyond question, but to separate the rare and valuable items from the bogus and the worthless is the work of an expert.’²

“He Will Leave Us : Aaron Sayman and His Family Will Live No Longer in Hamilton”

Hamilton Spectator.   September 26, 1900.

The dispersal of all the items housed in the curiosity shop was a challenge which the Sayman sons dealt with by hiring auctioneer Harry Burkholder.

The auction, spread over two days attracted a lot of attention:

Before the auction, citizens were invited to the shop to inspect the items which were to be put up for sale. Eleazer was present to provide assistance :

 “Among the expert appraisers of Sayman’s curio collection were representatives of local historical organizations, Mr. F.W. Fearman of the Wentworth Historical Society and Mrs. J. Calder of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society.

“The Sayman family had more than its share of domestic troubles over the years. Aaron had been particularly incensed when his son Eleazer allowed someone to cut off his long flowing locks of hair. It was thought that there would never be a reconciliation between father and son, but Eleazer was present for the cleaning out of the museum collection.

“The papers print shameful lies about us,’ Eleazer complained to a Herald reporter. ‘They say our place is in a filthy condition. See! Look her! How clean we keep it! As he led from one room to another. In the kitchen, Indian tomahawks were mixed up with the oatmeal. Stuffed alligators warmed themselves under the stove, and everything was reeking with filth and dirt”

Finally, the auctioneer had hammered down as much as he could, although there was much left unsold. It was decided to box up and ship the unsold items, hoping to find a market for them in the US.

 It was time on September 27, 1900 for Aaron Sayman, his wife and sons Eleazer to look at the shop, their home and Hamilton generally for the last time:

“Aaron Sayman, the eccentric old scissors grinder and collector of curios, who has been one of Hamilton’s noted characters for over a quarter of a century, is about to leave the city. He is 85 years of age and has been ill for some time at his old curiosity shop, at the corner of Vine and MacNab streets. His two sons are here from Memphis, Tenn., and as soon as  the old man’s belongings are disposed of, they intend to take their aged father and mother, and LuLu Sayman, a half-witted brother, back to the Sunny South with them. They had a hard time to get the eccentric old man to consent to have his collection of curios and antiquities sold as he prized it, apparently, more than anything else in the world. He gave his consent three times and afterwards withdrew it, before finally agreeing to let the stuff be sold under the hammer. There is fully two wagon loads of all kinds of old things, from all parts of the earth.” .