The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1896-04-23
"HEY, RUDE"
The Circus Trouble.

gang than the one travelling with Bonds
circus. All sorts of games are practiced
to fleece those people who imagine that
they can beat the gambler at his own
game. Several people tried their hands
at the s'sure thing' games and they were
fieeced, one man losing $50. Officers
interfered and caused the money to be re-
funded, except in the case of the young
man who lost the $50; on his own inter-
cession he compromised for the return
of s25 90. Marshal Rhodes ordered the
games stopped outside Of the big tent,
after dinner, but three Of the games were
run in under the big tent for short
time before they were stopped.
Why the circus managers tolerate such
things we are at a loss to know; and why
people of ordinary intelligence and well
known responsibility should indulge in
such gambling games, we are at an utter
loss to account for, unless on the well
known principle that some peoples cupi-
dity leads them to believe they can beat
the other fellow at his own game.
The trouble at St. John grew out of the
efforts of officers to stop the gambling;
and owing to the cOwardice and imbecil-
ity Of the sheriff serious results attended
the attempted arrest of the circus gam.
blers. The Governor was appealed to
and he ordered a company of militia
from Newton to St. John to quell the
''riot;" but before the arrival Of the mill
tia at st. John the circus had pulled out
for Dodge City. In the evening of Tues
day officers arrived from St. John with
] warrants for the arrest of two of the
gang engaged in the St. John fracas.
The two men were arrested. and the
officers were proceeding with them to the
depot to take the O'Clock train for st.
John, when gang of circus men assem-
bled and made form of resistance; but
through the intrepidity and firm manner
of Under Sheriff French the gang was
abated. and no further resistance was
shown.
The performances at the circus were
conducted as though nothing had happen
| ed on the outside; and there was no par
ticular excitement here until evening,
and this grew out Of the arrest of the
two men and the exaggerated reports of
the trouble at st. John. Talk subsidized
and big crowd witnessed the evening
performance at the circus.
! At st. John five men were beaten in
the melee, one man, a deputy constable,
by name of GlasscOck, being knocked in
sensible and at last accounts he was not
expected to live. The constables had
attempted to arrest two men charged with
gambling and fleeing two victims, but
they were overpowered by the circus
men and fight ensued. Here is where
the sheriff failed to do his duty, and his
neglect to summon a posse to quell the
riot lead to call for the militia.
The circus men readily respond when
one of their number is in danger, aud they
rally under the alarm of ''Hey, Ruber'
this signal being given by a leader.
| When the st. John officers arrested the
two men here Tuesday evening, ''Hey,
Rube"' was called out, and about sixty
circus men rallied; and here is where
Under Sheriff French forced the mob
back by wave of his hand, and he i'll
formed the leader that at the least sign
of resistance he would be the first one to
receive the contents of pistol that the
under sheriff held in his hand. This
timely action propably averted repeti.
ton of the St. John riot.
| All kinds of means were used to extOrt
money besides the gambling devices, the
principal one being the s'short change
racket and not a few people were un-
Willingly cheated by this deceit; but most
generally the deception was discovered in
time and the proper change exacted and
refunded.
The circus gamblers and confidence
men are some of the worst Wichita
toughs, and they wintered in the Windy
Peerless city. st. John was the first city
on their tour, and they naturally played
their games with more than ordinary
indiscreetness; and as they move west on
through Colorado, California and to the
British Possessions, they may be permit
ted to ply their games without molesta-
ton, except in certain cases, as gambling
is one Of the fine arts or the coast.
Marshal Rhodes arrested two men and
placed them in Jail, for swindling and
gambling, but on return Of the money
were discharged, for they were withou,
money to pay fines, and it would cost the
city some expense to keep them.
! There was no trouble in Dodge City
other than little excitement growing
out of the gambling, aud no arrests were
made, for general order prevailed.
The County Capital at. st. John gives
an account of the affair as follows: