Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-14
used to be bad until Forepaugh's men taught
thep lesson in 1880. party of students who

Ihe4 d IessoH III IooV a party OF students, VINO
think it smart, seat themselves all together. and
relying on their numbers for protection, inter-
rupt the performance Any attempt to make
them keep quiet usually leads to a row. and the
young men find it easier to study than to whip
crowd OF circns canvasmen. They got it at
Ann ArDor from the Forepaugh show but the
students followed the show to the next town
and burned the canvas with yitrioi As said be-
fore these things are going out OF fashion, though
there were some terrible fights last year. The
Natnans show had one at Amsterdam
\. l., that was caused by drunken party en-
dfaVoring to force its way into the sde-show
murphy, the Irish giant who came to this coun-
fy with Hagues MINISTRIES. was with the show
and III the fight he proved himself a good one
ms size and strength serving him well The
gang were badly handled, and one of them
Killed AT indianapolis John O'Brien's show
nad row last summer and the doctors were
buSy tor few days. One of the shovmen was
beaten to death on the grounds. In this case, as
IN many Others. the police We're to blame. A
circus pays a heavy license and is entitled to
protection the same as any other establishment,
but the officers sent to preserve order usually
20 inside. taking in all the friends they can and
while they are looking at the performance in
stead OF doing duty outside, trouble arises be-
tween the eighteen-year-Old boys aud the can
vasmen. When they do appear a battle, which
Could have been prevented by their mere
presence. is in progress, and life is in danger.
sometimes the police themselves cause the
trouble by the assumption of too much author
n.y. or even intOXicatiOn. 4 drunken officer at
Dubuque shot an attache of Forepauwh's dead
in 1881. and was tried for his life for doing it,
but was acquitted
besides these general rows I've told YOU
about, there have been great many eases in
Whicn n revolver has been drawn. usually by
drunken man. and
THE SNOWMAN PAS DROPPED DEAD
or mortally wounded. Many an owner of a
show has died at is door. some drunken brute
who wanted to force his way in firing the fatal
shot. John May. clown with Mabie's show,
was shot in Missouri in 1855 by a party who did
not like his Jokes. James Mcfarland. of the
Spaulding Il Rogers party, was killed at Liberty
Mo, in 1858. J. Leonard, a doorkeeper for
Bnckley's exhibition. bad his head cut off in
Georgia by man to whom he had refused
admission because he was drunk In 1865
Jack Robinson was killed at the door of Roll
lnsons circus at Crttenden, KY and a fight
followed in which five other lives were taken
Gil Eaton, an agent of RObnson's was killed
III the same way at Lincoln ILL., in 1869 That
was bad year Tor dOOr-keepers and proprie-
tors. Bill Lake. proprietor was shot down at
his door in CRANKY. No. Den orion. of the Or
ton show was killed at the door while showing
at Boston. Tex. Harry Whitby of the Whitby
cooper party, was killed at the door in
LOUISIANA Colonel G. r. Amcs was fatally
Woulued ar Dawson, Georgia. These all Oc-
Cured In 1859. Bill Lakes widow married
Wild Bill, and he used to stand at the door. gun
III hand. but they never bothered him. 1t takes
man OF nerve to tend a circus door especially
In the south. It's all right in large cities. but
when you come to the small towns where the
Wild boys come in. fill up with red liquor. and
then 90 to the show. it's different. In Texas
II not unusual for desperate to present q
revolver when asked for ticket eXcaiminp:
There's my ticket" Sonnet ines they allow
nm to pass, but oftener row ensues. and the
man kills or is killed. It's one of the dark
SIDES OF show life. but an interesting one." And
the old Snowman began his meal.