The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-04

had finished counting his winnings, 4 think
III put a little scheme in operation TO
make the owners of the show pay salaries
down to the last dollar"
Il asked him how he was going to do H.
but he simply told me to get into a ba-
rOuche with him. We drove out to the
show grounds The news of Curly 5 huge
winnings was out there long ahead of us,
and Johnson got the cheer from all hands
that sounded like a Hey, Rube' yelp.
Johnson walked direct to the Office tent of
the two proprietors, and How de do
TO them in an offhand way, and then put
his business before them.
" You're going to pay off all hands now
right noW-before the afternoon perform
ance, amt your he asked the brothers.
They looked at him in establishment.
They had been too busy to hear of Cur
ly'S luck at the Bon Ton in the morning.
What the devil are you talking about2'
they asked the cornet player in a breath.
How long have you been the spokesman
of the show?'
" Just since 7 came in here replied
Johnson coolly. You're going to pay ev-
cry man. woman and kid attached to the
show every cent that you owe them right
now before the afternoon performance, or
III gong TO get lneIn together IN a punch
and give a free show on a big vacant lot
with your people this evening. IIow's
that?
"The two brothers gave Curly the boot
They thought he was drunk
" I mean what l say he told them
They'll follow me, and this town'u have
a free circus tonight and you won't have
any circus az all if you don't pay every
one of 'em every dollar before the first
f11r at l,a RI hat 1trka
50 Get out of this tent, said the two
brothers
Curly walked around to the dressing
rooms, where all the performers were
about making up for the afternoon show,
and he made a speech to them.
I've just made bluff to the bosses
to have all salaries paid before the after
noon show, he said. And it isn't such
a big bluff at that. l told EN- that if they
didn't cough up every cent of back pay
right now I'd get you all together, we'd
rig up a ring on a vacant lot somewhere
in town and give a free-fOr-all show to
the town tonight. They gave me the
laugh. 1 mean it. You all stand by me
and refuse to go on without getting all
your money. and if they don't come 10
time I'll pay all hands myself out of the
bunch I picked up this morning. 1 IN
dertake to do that. But they'll come to
taw. They've got two dozen dates ahead
with money in them and they can't stand
a breakup. Are you with me?'
"They let out a whoop for Curly then
and there, and then Johnson made another
speech to all of the employees, telling them
the same thing that he had told the per
formers. They, too, gave Curly the big
cheer, and we were with him to a man.
The two brothers who owned the show
stood by and took the whole thing in with
| CONSERVATION on their faces-they had
meantime heard of Johnson's big bank
winnin gs-and they looked like they were
out on a limb.
"'An salaries going to be paid right
now?' johnson asked them once more.
"They were too much confused to make
any reply and so Johnson bec1oned to
the band, which was standing near. to
strike up a march. He took the head Of
the band and away they marched down
the pike for the town. Curly mOtiOning
for the employees and performers 70 fail
in behind We adj did fall in and Johnson
led the whole outft-as queer a process
sion as you ever saw-to big vacant
LOT about a mile from the circus grounds,
where he stopped.
Here's where we give the free show to-
night said Johnson to the crowd of us.
Throw the ring up, and I'll hustle down
town TO rent gear and rain-make for the
circus
1--WE all knew that Johnsons play was
more or less of a bluff, but we also knew
t+at he was game to stand for it in case
the bluff didn't have the effect sought on
the owners l went downtown with john
son and he made for printing Office. He
was writing a big dodger, thousands Of
comics of which he was going to have dis
tributed all over the town, announcing that
a free-for-an circus would be given on the
Pawnee street vacant lot by the identical
DeopTe who had, on that afternoon, quit
the Blank Brothers show because they
hadn't been paid for two months, when the
TWO brothers came rushing in and held him
up. They had wilted. Johnson's determine
ton got them going.
We nay salaries Immediately, you loaf
or. they said to him. There are 1900 peo-
nJa waiting now for the show to go on. We
nav all salaries Immediately but yours
You wait
ooh. that's all right about mine re-
nljed Johnson grinning. I've got dollar
| or Two on the side. But IN just go along
with you and see that you pay before the
show goes on. all the same
"Apd derned il he didn't do just that
| thing. The two brothers hustled into a
| barouche and gathered all the people on
tho vacant lot together, scurried them out
| IA the show grounds in carriages and when
they got there they were paid off to the
| last nickel each of EN- hustiing away to
his station Immediately upon receiving his
money. Johnson stood by Srinnng and
watched the whole performance. Then he
walked out of the tent, went downtown
and that was the last ever seen or heard
of Curly johnson in the circus business.
The $4,000 drunk he had coming may
have finished him for all any of us ever
heard"