The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-01
OLD FASHIONED CIRCUS RIOT.
lPeck's Sun.l

Plankinton House office, a few evenings since, talking over old times, when one of them remarked that Levi ]: North, the old circus man, was dead. That re- minded one or them of something, and he said, after taking of his hat and point ing to a scar about six inches long on his head:
 "You see that beauty spot2 That was made by one of Levi J. North's canvas men, with tent stake"
 The crowd gathered around and in- sisted on knowing all about how the speaker had happened to get into a fight with canvasman, and many expressed wonder that man who held the position he did in the church and society, could have been fighter years ago. The old fellow finally started in on his explana- tion:
 "I think it was along in '52 or 's3. Anyway it was the year the old Prairie du Chien road got into Whitewater. Levi J. North's circus and menagerie was showing there, and during the afternoon there was one of the worst riots l ever saw, the circus men against everybody else. l saw more knocking down and dragging out thaR ever saw before or since in my life. It started, as all riots do. by the most trifiing incident. There was side show that had an alligator in box. The side show tent had been taken down, and countryman stepped up and looked at the alligator without paying, which seemed to be a breach of etiquette, for a snowman promptly knocked the countryman down. A friend of the countryman pulled off the handle of the town pump and knocked the show man down. That seemed to be fair, and all would have been amicable if some snowman had not rushed in to knock the second countryman down. As the show man started for the countryman he yelled
 Hey, Rheub ' Lord bless you, but you ought to have seen the showmen come running from the main tent across the bridge, armed with tent stakes and any thing they could get hold ot l had charge of a gang of Irlshmen grading the railroad over back of where Winches- ter's plow factory was, and they saw the circus men running and yelling, and knowing instinctively that there was a free fight on hand they stopped work. yelled to them to go on with their work, but little irishman named Gibbons picked up his long handled shovel and said, Kim on, b'ys,' and in a second was left alone, aud my boys were on a run to meet the circus men, armed with shovels and picks. don't know what the secret power is which draws men into a fight in which they have no interest, and ia which they are very liable to come out with broken heads. but there is some thing, and my crowd of Irish boys could not have been stopped by any power on earth. hurried on behind them, 10 see what was up, and to get them back it possible. and as got on top of hill near the main street, where could see, the ght was going on, and it was the widest thing ever saw. could see little Gibbons with his long handled spade, and could hear the spade strike on the heads of the circus men, and saw him knock down half a dozen, at least, and then l saw a big tent stake hit the little man on the head, and he fell The circus men, half dozen of them jumped on my little man, and were kicking him in the ribs, and trying to kill him, and rushed in to drag out the brave little fellow, who was as bold as a lion. of course had to knock down a couple or three circus men with blow h indie, be- fore could reach my fallen Irish fighter, though did not intend to mix in the fight, except as an evidence of good faith. The circus men fell back, and got Gtb- bon's into Uncle Wakely's house, near by, and poured bucket ot water over him, when looked out. and saw dozen circus men surrounding big three hun dred-pouud blacksmith who used to sharpen our picks. He had no club and was simply knocking them down with his lists, when l rushed in to hand him my plow-handle. can remember how his arms looked, as with sleeves rolled up. just as he came from the shop, black with i honest toll, he would reach out and knock ! them. ust then a dozen Indians, that travelled with the show, rushed out of the hotel opposite, and began to help the canvasmen, and at that point 1 received blow from tent stake, and laid down 1 in the sand, and they all walked over me. i Well, l was sensible, and could see all | that was going on, and there were at least htty men on the ground knocked silly, | many with broken heads, and the excite ment was intense. Respectable citizens who never thought of nghting before, grabbed axe-hau dies and pitchforks in | front of the stores, and rushed in, and | finally each party withdrew. and guess it was draw game. Levi J. North came along about that time, ordered his men to the tent, ordered it pulled down, and | loading his injured men into wagons, the circus pulled out for Janesville before dark, he evidently not caring to give an evening performance with a prospect of | worse row in the evening. Some of my men were laid up for several weeks, but none of them died, though little Gibbons had close call. tried to reason with them afterwards, and show them that go- ing into row that did not interest them, or hunting chance to fight, was foolish. but they asked me how I happened to get in and have my head broke, and couldn't explain very satisfactorily"
 "Well," said one of the listeners, "here- after when see that bald head in church, with that scar on I shall remsnhsr that