The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-10-22
AFIGHTING cIRcUs.
Having Fought Its Way
Through Kansas Starts for
the Southwest.

SAllDNhhhf 4AAn,-- 4llt OItVu
circus which was engaged In the
riot down in Barr Oak the other
day, is getting along now on
cruiches, 50 to speak. It's season
has been one of cornag6 from iirst
10 last, and few Of the men who
started out with II are now Of the
party.
We've buried one Clown said
the boss tanyasman here, 4two
ieamsters, and three Canyasmsp,
and there are 1 don't know how
many in the hospitals along the
route. II has been a hard season.
The boss may have made money,
but the men hayen't.p sa
"The performances in this town
were about the only orderly ones
which the show has given in a
month. Many Of the performers
were disabled, and most Of them
we're a little wildeyed, but things
went smoothly enough. The
crowds were large aud good natur-
ed. 4s So
"Thingslook very different thore,''
said Jim Knight, the door tender,
waving his hand toward the we'll
filled tent, from what they have
in most Of the towns where we've
been this summer. This laughing
and shouting does me good, II
sounds like old times. AS a rule,
we expect the fighting to begin
about now.
at would take me a week totell
you what this show has been
through since we started, We
caught it the FIRST night, and that's
a bad sign. ] never knew d circus
to gel into trouble the first night
without going through the season
thatway. But other show every
got it the way we have. I've been
tending door for sixteen years, and
/ know what I'm talking about,
I've carried a Winchester in every
town until | struck this one, and
Ia have done il here out of habit
if the city marshal hadn't told me
it wasn't necessary.
sUp here in springwells 1 took
my seat on the box, with the rife
between my legs, when the mar.
shal tapped me on the shoulder and
said he didn't allow anybody tc
carry rifles in that town but him,
self. / told him | had no desire "a
carry the gun, except for protect.
ion, and that ifhe would guarantee
me that | would putt away. He
drew himself up as high as he could
and said, with great gravity, that
he never compromised with law
breakers. III didn't pnt up the
weapon he would have to pull the
show. Well, l didn't want any
trouble, so l carried the weapon
Into the dressing room, leaving him
to guard tho door during my ab
sence. While l was gone he lei
about twenty roughs in without
tickets, | found this out, and un,
dertook to bounce them. They re
sisted, and we had it right there
III the ring. Finallythe boss came
around and told us to let them
alone. The performance began
just then, and nothing more wal
done about 1t. When we came Il
leave town We found a mob follow
ling US, and as soon as we goton thC
highway they lot US have it will
stones, clubs, and fsts. 1t was
bad scrape, but we managedto ge
away whole. The trouble will
that gang, though, was that they
followed US for about week, ant
neverlet up until we had killet
one Of them. It's terrible wearing
for circus men to be hunted il
that way. Our work is hart
enough at best, but with those fol
lows on our trail we didn't dare I,
sleep.
"when we got clear Of them tn,
boss went around and saidi Nov
boys, this thing is over with
Let's don't get into any NOR
scrapes. They don't pay. Stan,
everything but murder. We mus
get along with these people an,
humor them. We oil agreed tina
that was the policy, and the mex
town we showed in we were al
smiles and humility. That was a
Wellington. Things appeared t,
be going all right / was at lh,
door taking tickets, when | hear,
a terrible noise over in the sid
ahnr ond ryaifu eoon fbara was