Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-03
KINGS OF THE RING.
RecOIleetiens Of One of Them, Who
Gives Long List OF the Merry
Men Who Have
Retired, Have Been Promoted, are
BrOken-DOWn or Dead-"FrOm
Lively to Severe"

reguiatIon table tDat always 0Oef QulV IN
one OF these articles, Gus wound himself up
and talked freely Of old clowns and clown
life telling many a quaint and funny story
of those merry-makers. He started as
clown in 1859 with the Great WesterD circus,
small concern known a. a "cross roads
show. They had john Davenport, row IN
Toledo, running equestrian training
az marks, the clown" Gus was
three years with Barnum, and was
principal clown most OF the time. He
was with l.. b. Lenps New York circus
one season, and went TO Europe for HeDgier,
performing in England, Ireland and SCOT
land. He tells some good stories of the ways
and salaries OF Engiish clowns. j. K. Wal
lett is known as the "Queen's Jester" He
gets percentage fuom circuses, but plays
only with the best. III he wants d tie all
be does is to write for II. Should he write
lin circus, and the latter did not send an AZ
swer favorable, Wallet would bill Dublin
that he would appear there, and Hengler
would be obliged to take him or The patrons
OF the cirque would create grand disturb
ance. Eoglish clowns are poorly paid, only
getting "a to &c per week, while in America
lie same men receive from SIS to $50 per
week. Holloway is one of this class, and
while here year sgo he was we'll paid, and
proved big favorite, but he went b ,ck to
the old country. He got sick of it there,
worked for Coup. Wallet was here some
years ago for Dan Rice, but did not take
well at frat.
Speaking of old clowns, Gus recalled
many memoirs. Dan Costello was the best
leaper of his time. He started in many
years ago and is still at it, only bad de-
moral 3D. He used 10 be part owner with
Bsrnum, in 1871 1918, and equt sirIan
manager, worth about 100000. h is now
advance or som, thing of that sort for
Ravens circus. Costello took the first
tented show that ever went to California; he
and Jim Nixon. The old clowns used 10
make a-good salary.
OF their cong books for year,, or until about
1874, when the managers nearly cut this ous.
Dan CO made $4,000 in tweniy.niue
weeks at one time, his being the largest
amount ever made by clown. He, him.
self had made SIG 600 in one seastp Ii
was the usual thing TO call tweniy-nine
weeks a season. Patent medicine firms
published the clown sorg books mostly
Tree for the sake OF putting IN their "ads"
The clown used TO count in the song book
privilege always then with his salary. Now
great many Of these big shows, like the
Inter Ocean, Forepaugh and Baruum, sell
the privilege OF selling these books TO the
lemonade aud eandy-stand people.
As to salaries, there are only six or eight
principal clowns now in the business here
Clowns are divivided into principal clowns,
who siug in tn :. first act, the testers, or talk
ing clowns, and then the "kDock aboutr," or
tumblers. They rank in that way, and are
paid accordingly. The "knockabouIs" have
20 be padded fom head TO feet and some
have pads IN ade like suit of underwes r, into
which they slip. Jerry Hooper, 81 mock
about" used TO be with Barnum. He was
very lean, and would not face an audience
without these pads One day the boys stole
a. - 10 4 ~.
greatest high stiit performer of the ring, and
worked twelve-loot pair.
Old S.ni Long is about the oldest living
clown, and ranks beyond Dan Rice. Long
now kegs saloon in Philadelphia Joe
Gosson was a great fayorite. There are
also pantonfiIne clowns that were at one
time well received in rings, but vino now
stick to tine stsSe. Charles Abbott WIS one
of the fsm3u laugh makers of this class.
He died insane His sister was thrown
from horse 10 procession at Rome, n.
Y, and was killed Charley never goi over
the effects OF the sad event. Old Joe Pent-
land did insane, as did also Fox
Thurstou. and o;htr clowns of mote. II
seems as though insanity preyed upon tht Sc
fun kings Gus had heard that it was caused
by the use of bisnuth, but he did not be-
lieve THE, as he had used it for years and
never felt any ill effects. Rismuth tad cured
cracks OF the skin and sores for him many
. family affairs that caused 40 many clowns
TO become insane. OF the principal clowns
now here BIN Msginley, Billy Burke,
"Xhimsicap Walker, Billy Holloway, Ned
Ausiin aud one or two others were the hi Oh
saIaried men. There were Pico, Rollins aud
other pautomime clowns that were good, and
there were great many that had Just start
ed 10 the business Ia the last two or three
years. Those he mentioned were the favor
ties and the kings of the ring. The salaries
now paid range from SIS TO $3.50 per week.
All their eIpensss are paid when out, and
come made money by advertising something
or another. Oae clown, Shealey, used 10 go
to a merchant of town upon arrival, and
get him TO allow the use Of an advertising
placard and ring costume made for this
act alone. 1t was a part Of his contract
privilege with a manager. OF course no
show like Bsrnum's vonld permit Ihis Many
shows will not allow their olowns 10 use any
local topical hits or songs. Bsrnum used to
"kck" sgainst this. On one occasion when
in New York, shortly alter the Greeley cam
paigu, Gus was approached by p. I. himself
and told not 10 make any hits politics,
but to get 10 "crack" at Horace Greeley If
he could. Barnum Lost 100000 on Greeley.
Ali the three years that Gus was with Bar
mum that was the only time the latter ever
spoke TO him.
Ned Austin, one CT the best clowns in the
ring, is now running a saloon in Worcester,
Mass. Ben Msgiuley is starring 10 Il
Square Nan. Tony Pastor used TO cut up
antics in the ring with the rest, and made
his first appearance here in Chicago years
ago, in pantomime. Pete Couklin an old
Johu Foster were decided favorites.
Old Ben Gardiner il also OF the old
circus clowns. aud lives AZ Philadelphia.
Charley Parker cut his throat at Schenec-
tady. Old Ben Jennings, one Of the first TO
start out, and who was with Levi North, used
L.. l..rN IL uN
Johnny Iolle, old time high-ssl tried
clown has beer sixteen years with old John
Robinson, principal clown. He il one of
the hardest workers in the ring.
"WelI, i suppose the summer being ended,
the clowns of last season are out OF occupa-
tion? asked the reporter.
ayes, bat nowadays it's different. You
should gee how The bows used 10 live in New
York each winter. On, it's worth listening
TO. They would blow in their dusP 3 fast %
they made il, aud then go down 10 Gotham
broke for the winter. they stopped at he old
Metropolitan, on Retcber and Broadway.
They would put up for a couple OF weeks In
adssnce, then run on the credit. They
used 10 carry the key of their room, and
we're afraid to give it up for fear they
would be locked ou'. There were Billy
Burke, Abbott, myself and one or two other
oId-timers We used 10 sneak 10 at ght,
and If we could tell funny story, new
one each time, got something TO cal from
the night clerk. We were afraId 10 ask io'
n any letters, there were 50 many bills from
The cyshier for board in our msil. When
bar Robbins, then a grsenhorn, or any
Other Western circus manager used to come
down 10 New York, we would hire out to
them and get a few dollars on the contract
This would soon melt away. We never would
play with those fellows, but got their moues
just the same. We told funny stories aud saps
songs for the boys, and were prime faToritei
everywhere. Oh. it was great times mus
ling If the manager OF n country side
show landed 10 New York we al laid fol
him, and getting him up TO the DucroE
House we would sell him come old, rotten
mouthed snake for IS or $40 sDd get halt
The DueroW House used to be the plsca
where all the toothless and played out me
nsgerie animals used to be left That wa
the way We 1iyed.'
"Will you go on the road next year
Gust"
II think so; / am wanted b5 several shows
bat I go out with Paddy Ryan as msnage
OF his combination next week. / stay on
all winter. Good-by."
How the spider Snares Snakes
Some weeks ago q spider was found unde
the settee In Justice Rsbipson's Office, witt
snake entwined in his web. Many hough
n ,,<.ax arIs HE feat for he snide-