Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-20
BROKE UP a CIRCUS.
An Old Red Skin k;-ater Thought the
Indian Act Was Heal.


Major Henry A. Newman broke iu-
to another Of bis characteristic stories
the last time he was in ST. Louis. This
is the way he told it, and there were
present a half dozen to vouch for its
truthfulness:
Away back in '5s or SO there lived
an old fellow by the male of Sumpter,
who was a neighbor OF mine
He had been in the Creek war I'M
der Gen. Jackson, and one of his rela-
tives had been killed in the massacre
at Fort Mimms. He had 4 great and
undying hatred OF indians, and was
very bitter in his denunciation OF them
at all times. He was tall. iron gray,
and well preserver for his age. He
made tubs, half-bushei measures, g.,
and made mere living at this oc-
cupation. gave the old man the It'll.
OF General Of which he was very
proud
Frank Perrine, a ne:shbor of mine,
who has since died, and myself, opened
our hearts and hands and agreed to
take the General to circus at my
town, Huntsville, No. We purchased
the tickets and gave him some odd
change to buy lemonade. The Gen
eral,' Frank, I'D myself took lower
seat. Now, tic c:lcrs had Il &c sch
came in with war paint and feathers
and danced the green corn, the ghost
dance, and other Indian performances,
and then performed a scalping scene
1T was very realistic. white wo-
man rode into the ring with an Indian
holding a tomahawk and scalping
knife IN close pursuit. Round and
round the ring they flew, the Indian
gaining on the white maiden, whose
black hair hung in glossy waves down
her back. She acted her part well,
and was apparently much frightened.
The Indian grabbed the woman and
dragged her from her horse, threw
her down. and scalped her He held
up the wig, all dripping with blood
/ Venetian red: A thrill of horror nenc-
trated the audience. Gen. Sumpters
blood was up, and befoI Frank aud
myself could restrain him, rushed into
the ring and with his hickory stick
felled the Indian to the ground The
remaining Indians closed alo nd-the
General, but his 'dander' was up.
| The Indians commenced falling
asleep under his repeated blows as fast
as they did at the Horse Shoe Frank
and myself rushed into the ring to
bring the General cut. The c. cwd
was yelling with delight, thinking it a
part OF the show. Above the yals of
the combatants could be heard the
loud laugh of Forked-Eycd 3 dams, a
weli-known character frCm the Char
ton divide, who could laugh so loud
that it was said it killed the r7nsuui
toes on the Charlton River q e off.
AS Frank grabbed the General =
big burly Snowman knocked hin
down. The old clown made It me. !!
was an athlete in those days dcds cd
him and gave him a rsht-haudsr on
the nose and sent him out OF the ring.
AT taat moment an Indian struck ME
over the head with a stuffed war club
and sent me to the sawdust. The Cen
eral sent him on top of me with a
club that was not stuffed. Several Of
our friends rushed in TO help us, bat
the darned fool crowd yet believed it
a part of the show, and were enjoying
1t hugely. Forked- Eyed Adamsss
laugh was heard above the war or es
of the Indians, and the old General
was yelling at the top OF his voice.
Hurrah for Gen. Jackson and Davy
Crockett
Il finally got hold of the clown. and
Frank grabbed the General and mat
tiers were adjusted without actual muir
der being committed. Frank carried
away a black eye and had a knot as
big as a hanging birds nest over my
right ear. The next year we declined,
to take the General to the circus"