Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-24
POOR TIM HAYES.
Early Buccesses and MeIanehOlv
Exit of the Great Original Clog.
Dancer Ne

Exit of the Great Original Clog.
Dancer.
Cor. Hartford Times.l
WASHINGTON, May ii = Seventeen
years ago, Tim Hayes, then a young man
o. eighteen years Of age, arrived in New
York from Dublin. he had a little repu-
tatlon as a jig dancer, but that was ali.
Whlle on his way to this country he con.
celyed the idea Of dancing q liz in clog
or wooden bottom shoes, and as o 0 as
he put his foot on this country he ordered
TO be made a pair Of shoes with wooden
soles. On each one of the heels he had
nailed an old fashioned large-size conner
cent. be tried a dance and succeeded.
Immediately be secured an engagement
as a clog dancer. His idea was a oood
one, and his fancy steps, that would not
have any particular attention in an or
binary shoe, created a sensation. He
alter filling many engagements in the
theaters in New York, made a European
trip With Christy's minstrels. Ho next
made a tour over the United States, dan
cling his clog dance to the time Of INV
Mary Ann to rounds of applause In
every city in the Union. He was Maid
from Sl25 to $3.50 a week and all expen.
ses, and after that frequently received az
high as $500 per week. All this was be-
csu7e his style of dancing was novel.
Soon be had many ~imitators, many Of
whom turned out to be better dancers
than the father" of clog dancers, as Tim
Hayes was everywhere recognized to he.
Some of them made money and kept it,
but, notwithstanding ali that HAYES
made, he died in the Washington poor
house hospital on Saturday night last.
He was buried in Mount Olive Cemetsrv
yesterday afternoon. Hayes let his bon
ularity and remarkable success mako
him unpopular with the members OF bis
profession. He refused to associate with
them OF the stage, or to talk to them in
the street, BE a ugly, and soon he
did not have a friend ia lhe world. Then
he began to drink. His dissipation con.
tinued for years. In 1863, in this city.
be danced Dick Sands for the Cham.
pionship clos" and 81, 600, aud won both.
About Tour years ago he got so low that
no manager would employ him. To
raise money enough to buy the whiskev
he needed, be frequently danced a stem
r. two in the low dives in New York.
] hree years ago be ran himself down So
low that he could not work at all. Con-
sumption had a strong hold on him, and.
being without money and friends, and
being too proud to kHuckle down to any
OF his professional brethren, he went to
the %poorhouse in Philadelphia tc die.
DE improved somewhat several weeks
ago, and, being allowed a short liberty
outside the hospital, raised q small sum
OF money and came to this city in a Gy.
ing condition. he applied for an "a.
gagement at Q variety theatre, laying:
u know | am dying, and l want to die
with my clogs on" BE was sent to a
boarding house nes by and q physician
employed to attend him. Being inst az
proud as ever, he did MOI like to be kent
st the expense Of q friend, and he ex.
pressed a desne to be sent to the poor.
house or hospital, otherwise known as
the Washington Asylum. He was there
but one week, when be expired. On
Saturday, several of the ~vocalists and
female dancers employed at variety thea
tres here visited the hospital and had
the body prepared for burial. The fu-
neral took place yesterday, everything
being conducted in q very private man.
ner Thus closes the story Of the life Of
the first man who ever danced a clog
dance in the United States. 1t ia a sad
one Of a man who, though he WIS but
thirty five years Of age, lived g most re-
markable and checkered life. he had
been reported dead several times, and
has on several occasions read obituaries
over his own death.