The Evening critic., 1882-04-10
THE HERBERT BROTHERS.
rorepaugh's Great AcrobRts-Some
ching Of Their Early Lifc-.A Fatal
Icap-Tumblingi IL Catchin'.

Forepaugh's Great Acrobats-Some-
thing Of Their Early Lifc-A Fatal
Leap-Tumbling IL Catchin'.
Among the many attractions Of Forepaugh's
great circus. which visited Washington last
week, there was mono that received tho APP
plause the Herbert Brothers, tho renowned
acrobats, did. Acrobnts, like prizc-nghtere,
and others whose forte is in great physical
exertlon, soon come to the front and ere long
go the roar. Less than a half-dozen years ago
Charles Robinson, the youngest OF this now
celebrated trio OF acrobats, was q mere boy Mt
school at hts homo in Muncle, Ind. His father
is now the marshal OF that beautiful and ms
thetic little Hoosier city, and is known
throughout the State as n man Of great cour-
ago, honesty and determination. When Char
ley Robinson was a dozen years old (ho is now
Just beyond his majority he was known In his
native town as
An Active, Agile Little Fellow,
and often attracted not a little attention by
ward and forward slngle-hand leaps, etc,
while walking on sidewalks or skating on
the ice. AS he grew older he began the moro
daring feats of muscular movements on the
bar, and had he not been turned from that
study by early contact with Fred Herbert, the
first, or 'ground man." and his tutor, he would
no DOUBT have become as famous on the bar as
he Is on the ground.
There Were Originally Two of the
Uerberts.
They were In their time about tho yoar
1878 the most famous Of acrobats. About
the latter year they wlntered at Muncle, Ind.
Edward snyder, now the centre man of the
srio, was then lad about 10 years OF ago. He
was naturally tumbler, had practiced con-
siderably with young Robinson, but, like him,
on the bar. His activity attracted tho atten.
tion of the Herbert brothers, and they deter
mined TO take him Into course of training
during the winter and take him with them on
the road on the next summer. The Herberts
opened gymnasium at Muncie and took
Snyder into training. Snyder was capable Of
the double forward somersault and other
difficult feats at that time, and It was the In
tention OF the two Herberts to practice and
bring Into perfection
Some Dazzling Triple Brother Acts.
One night they were In practice in the hall.
large party OF citizens were present. One of
the Herberts was practicing very difflcult
and dangerous feat-that of standing on the
top of the back OF a chair which stood up in Its
natural position, and turning back somer-
sault and alightlng in standing posture, the
same as before the feat. Tho feat is extremely
difncult, as the slightest mismove topples the
chair over. 1t Is trebly more dazzling than
the turning from one acrobats shoulder and
alighting upon another. In performing the
feat Herbert missed his footing and alighted
across the top of the chair on his back.
He Broke His spine and Died
In a very short time.
This sad misfortune did not long delay Fred,
the remaining brother. He simply took young
Snyder into active training, and In the spring
| following was enabled to so Into the ring with
| the usual Herbert Brother acts. They (Her-
| bert and Snyder, as the Herbert Brothers) re-
| ceived round Of applause from every part OF
| the country. When they returned to Muncie,
after their first summer on the road, they took
| upyoung Charles Robinson and began practlc-
| ing their triple acts with view to carrying
| out the plans which the two original Herberts
designed with Snyder. In the spring OF 1879
| they were
| On the Road with Barnum.
| Young Robinson was a lightweight boy, and
| made an excellent third man, being a fine
| acrobat and filled with the ranuisfta
| siasm and nerve. Snyder, as a middle man,
| could not well have been excelled, being very
strong, wiry and active. Fred Herbert, as a
| ground man, stood already at the head OF the
| profession. Strong, of long breath, active and
| steady OF nerve, he was the very type of a
| perfectly-developed man. They assumed, very
| properly, the title of Herbert Brothers. and
| before they had passed half their first season
| they enjoyed the recommendation, penned by
tho great Snowman Barnum, OF being
The Greatest Living AcrObats-
OF performing with grace and ease feats which
| no other acrobats would even attempt.
When the newly-organized Herbert Brothers
| reached Muncie with Barnum, In the summer
| OF 1870, the ringmaster, on behalf of the citl-
| zens of the city, presented each a beautiful
gold medal, properly engraved, and which
| they wore in Washington last week. The
| Mayor OF the city responded to the presenta-
| ton speech, and quite
An Ovation was rendered the Aero
bats In the Ring
| before an immense and enthusiastic audience.
| on the following summer the citizens raised
a gorgeous arch over the principal business
| street at Muncie, when they visited tho city
with Forepaugh, and flung to the breeze the
words, "Welcome to the Herberts." They
have been with Forepaugh Since they left Bar
mum, and are now filling four-years contract,
having two more seasons yet TO I'LL. Their rep
| utation has reached beyond the oceans, and
| every nrst-class circus In the country has at
| tempted to secure their services, but Fore
paugh knows a good thing when he sees It
| and they are permanent fixtures with him.
The Herberts ON the Stage.
| During the winter season the Herberts per
| form on the stage. Last winter they per
formed some very difficult feats on the stage
in New York, whereby Snyder. the middle
man, worked out of joint both his knees
| While In Washington they confined them
selves TO their most simple acts for the pur
pose OF giving him rest. AS soon as Snyder
is In shape they will show the people somt
daring.
Muncie, tho homo OF the Herberts, alway
does the honors when they there. Tn
citizens are proud Of them. When, a fey
summers ago. these acrobats began their mos
difficult feats, all the young America Of Munci
| that had quick movement and an ambition
to become "tumbler," caught the fever an
in the summer OF 1879,
The Woods Were Full of Risini
AcrObats.
On Sunday afternoons the yard about tn
antiquated cOurt.h was filled with peopl
who came to see the "young tumblers," an
from early morn till late at even young idea
shot about with younger bodies. 1t is need
less to say none OF them havo developed int
| Herberts. There are but three Herberts, an