Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-01-23
JAMES ROBINSON.
One of the Most Famous Self.
Made Men in the World.


One of the Most Famous Self
Made Men in the World.
From the ST. John, New Brunswick, Gripsack.
James Robinson, the champion
bareback rider of the world, is in
town to take quail hunt at his old
farm of Edgewood, eight miles
north of town. His old gray horse
that carried him around 80 many
circus rings and crossed the ocean
six times with him is out on pasture
near town.-Mexico LEDGER.
This renowned bareback rider,
who has had the honor of appear
ing before Queen Victoria, and
wears the diamond belt as the
champion of the arenic circle, is a
native OF this city. In the summer
of 1916 Rockwell & Stones circus
visited here, and they pitched
their tents on Lowery's Green,
nearly opposite the Presbyterian
Church on King Street East. The
company was a frst-class one,
among whom were Eaton Stone,
the daring equestrian; Hiram
Franklin, the famous vaulter and
double-somersault turner; and
Hubbell, the modern Sampson, who
laid on a ladder and could not be
pulled off by a span of horses
belonging to a local teamster named
Lawson. They put up at Wet
more's Hotel on the corner of King
and Charlotte streets, opposite the
st. John Hotel, kept by Messrs. J.
& w. Scammell.
One morning an active gamin,
named Michael Fitzgerald, but who
was better known among the boys
as "Toby" Lyons, was turning
handsprings on the sidewalk and
attracted the attention of the clown,
who asked the young gymnast ifhe
would like to 60 away with the
circus. "Of course l would" re-
piled the youth. "Do you think
that your father and mother would
let you go?" said the clown. 81
amt got any; they are both dead
and live with my uncle Lyons on
Brussels street," replied the boy.
TIE clown accompanied ''Toby"
home and after a short interview
with his uncle, who agreed to let
him go, they went down to the
store of Alderman Porter on King
street and had the indenture
papers made out which bound him
to the clown, and "Toby" started
on his circus career. Some years
later he was apprentioed to John
Robinson, the famous circus pro-
prletor, who taught him how to
ride, after which he took the name
OF James Robinson and become the
acknowledged champion of the
world.
Among his many wonderful
equestrian feats, the following was
considered the most daring. A
covered stage coach, ,from which the
wheels had been removed, was sle-
waited in the ring high enough to
allow his horse to pass under, and
just as he reached the coach, he
would leap from the horse, 60
through the coach and alight on
the back of the steed en- the other
side. One night while doing this
feat he met with an accident which
nearly proved fatal. Through a
miscalculation of the ring-master in
getting the horse there in time, he
missed the horse, and falling head
long in the ring was badly injured.
He has accumulated a large
fortune, is married, and owns one
of the finest farms in the West,
where he spends his winters. 1t is
situated near the town of Mexico,
| in Missouri.
A few years ago he was here with
Ryan & Robinson's circus, and re-
newed the acquaintance of some
he knew in his boyhood days, in
cluding Richard Dim, Rolane
| Bunting, and Bob Dustin, witt
when he had some pleasant chats
over cid times and early reminis
cenceS