The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-09-25

Yorker by birth and thlrty-slx years old.
My father died in 1856, but my mother is
still alive and travels with me generally
Just after my fathers death in 1856 came
west, and since thin have been constantly
with circuses. Twelve years ago estab-
lished my first circus, and have enlarged it
every year sioce. / have been with nv
show in every state and territory in the
Union, in New Zealand, India and Austria.
liza In May OF this year / started in
ST. Louis, going to- Kansas
City, Des Moines, ST. Paul, Chicago,
and from there here showed i'm Sedalia
Saturday, and in Warrensburg yesterday.
The bad accident at Clifton yesterday de-
laved US considerably here to-day. Is there
any other inform alton I an give you?"
How MANY shows are now on the road
IN the United States besides yours ?''
"There are an immense number OF them,
but only seven, i believe, travel by rail {:
Barnum's. Forepaugh's, Sells Bros. Bar
re,t 4 Co.'s, Doris Il Co.'s, John RobinsOn's
and Nathan Il Co 5, though see in the pa
pers that the last named has suspended.
The license is something that counts Tor
great deal in calculating circus expenses, it
averaging about 81 900 day. The license
is almost wholly for city license, no state,
except Missouri and q few Others
in the south, charging any county
license. In Missouri the charge
is larger than in any other
state in the Union, perhaps because it is
more moral. Why, down here in Clinton
they make circuses pay 81 600, but are not
visited very often, don't suppose"
"What do you estimate were your re-
ceipts and expenditures in Boonville to-
day. ., 49,, ,..o,., . ,,..,;o,
but / expect We took in about $4,000 and
paid out $500, for advertising, supplies,
etc"
Leaving Mr.. Cole, your correspondent
mex, interviewed Mr. James Robinson, the
famous bareback rider. Mr.. Robinson is a
slightly built man of about FIVE feet four
inches in height and with weight OF $50
pounds. One wouldn't take him TO be the
professional circus man that be is, as he is
modest and unassuming, and seems kind
and agreeable gentleman. AS was learned
in conversation with Mr.. Robinson,
lie was born in the year 1887, In Boston,
Mas achuse;ls, and is, therefore, now forty
six years OF age. HIS head is partly bald
and the fsin,est iinge of gray may be de-
tected in bis hair. When he was eight
wears old he commenced his wonderful
career in the circus ring, travelling first
with the old John Robinson, concern OF
the same name being still on the road.
IL can fairly claim To be the originator
of the system Of bareback riding, without
| pad or saddle, being the first man 10 at
tempt this before deemed impossible feat.
| This was in 1913, when / first did 1t. L
was with Spslding & Rogers at the time,
and continued with them until 1886. For the
next four years / travelled in Europe, going
all through Germany. France and Spain.
drawing Immense audiences and everywhere
enthusiastically received. In 1862 the
American citizens of Havana, Cuba, offered
a championship belt, an elegant thing,
which was contested to- by several riders
and whicn won Twel se years ago pads Were
entirely done away with. Fish is The only
contestant who now claims To be my equal
or superior, and even he has never sue
eesd.d i'm gaining the prize when L was a
contestant. Fish can do anything 1 can,
though he lacks the balance or finish"
"What of your travels"
"Well, l have ridden in nearly every
country on the globe. In 1866 the ci',zens
of New YORK presented me with S4ooO
silver service. 1 have also received medals
in Cadiz, Spain, Chicago and Boston
| Mr.. Robinson is now living ON what Is
known as the January farm, rear 81 Louis
about seven miles from that ciiy-where
he spends tie time he is not on the road
He mas two boys, Eugene and Clarence
almost grown. Both are said to be good
riders, and generally travel with their
father, but are not on the road this season
MIR. Robinson has been married twenty
eight wears, and has a nice home In st
Louis county, on his farm, where he III
vited your correspondent TO call ON him.
"Do you like circusing-if may So ex'
press 2" queried the BAzOOs young man
eyes, do; and more now than ever
since many OF the Objectionable features
have been eliminated. Woman circn
riders have, am glad to aay, .one out Of
fashion, and we have none with us
The time has .one by when cir
cuses ALWAYS took with them lot o
, we,l-uieh naked women, attracting atten
ton more by their forms than by their rid
ING. I am in favor of elevating, not low
. ering. the standard of morality IN circuses
don't believe it will be long until show
I will rank among the highest classes
amusemsnts, and have more me itoslou
and less objectionable features than now
E There is a popular misapprehenslOn," con
!, tinued Mr.. Robinson, "in regard to circu
. morality that should be corrected. L kno'
D all ABOUT circus people, and l tell you, si'
: that the idea that they are all lewd an
O | improper characters is a mistake. Here
+ this circus every lady is accompanied b
her brother or her husband, and is indeed
g lady. All our actors, male and femal
are genteel, respectable persons. I
A course there are more tempt'
A lions in circus life tina
n in most others. And there are some wicke
,, and immoral circus actors; but On II
;. whole, We are less black than We al
K painted" -. 40
!. ado you ever fall when riding?"
n "AbOut once a week lose my balanc
a but it doesn't affect my riding, and is scare
e ly noticeable except by very keen-eye
1t person. The principal thing in bare6at
n ~