El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-05
DAN RICE, CLOWN
The Passing Away Of A Fa-
miiar Public Character.
OFTEN VISITED THE WEST
Began Life As A Stable Boy and
Made Three Fortunes His Edu-
cation In Shdkespedre.-TraVeI-
ed Once AS A Temperance Lee
turer-OnIy Once.

ed Once AS A Temperance Lee
turer-OnIy Once.
The death last week of Dan Rice, the
old clown, at Long Branch, N j.,
caused much regret in the amusement
world.
Dan Rlce's real name was Daniel
McLarin, says the New York Sun. He
was born in New York city. His
father Daniel McLarin, nicknamed the
boy Dan Rice, after famous clown in
Ireland. After his fathers death his
mother married q man named Mona
nan, who had dairy near Freehold,
when small, boy, delivered milk to
his step-fsther's customers. His
sister Elizabeth m srried Jacob SchOles,
circus rider, who lived long in New
Jersey. Dan, weary OF the milk route,
struck out himself when young and
made his way to Pittsburg, where he
was excessively stable boy, race-rider
and hack driver. After little time,
under the name of Dan Rice, he
achieved prominence, if not exactly
fame, as the owner and exhibitor of q
learned pig, with which he and q man
named Lindsay travelled through
Pennsylvania and neighboring states.
Rice and Lindsay sang songs and
danced, but the pig was the principal
attraction.
Old friends of Dan relate that the
death OF the star performer broke no
that show aud he driftsd out to Maui
VOC, Ill, where the Mormons then
were under Joseph Smiths leadership,
and remained with them for time.
He returned to Pitssburg and went to
hack driving gain. H. married there
his first wife, and came to New York
In 1874, Nc aking here his first appear
ance as clown and negro song, and
dance performer with DIR. Spalding's
company in the old Bowery AmDhi-
thea ire, tn en- under the IA ana cement
of John Tyroo. In the company with
him a. that tims were Barney Will
nams. Dan Emmett, Dan G ardDer,
Frank w. Whitaker and othe whose
nam ss have since attained wide cele-
brity on the stage and in the ring.
In the season of 1915 Dan travelled
with tn 3. Howes' circus. Seth B.
Howes was a brother of Nathan Howes,
one of the old "6at-foot C N animation"
which started the famous Geological
Institute at 81 Bowery. He billed and
advertised Dan Rice more extensively
than any clown ever was advertised |
before in this country. One of his ad |
with special carriage and horses to |
take him through the country. In the |
winter of 1856 Dan made his first sp |
pearsnce In Philade phia in Gen. Ru-
fus Welch's National amphitheatre,
c wnIsh of was N;oth then and C chests sn
occupied by the Continental ho;el. At
that time he was simply good, rough
knock-about clown" in the phraseol-
ogy of the ring, not quick to catch
points on the audience from the ring
master and Innocent OF any knowledge
of Shakespeare. He tried successfully |
Nicholas Johnson aud Ben Young, both
actors, and Horace Nichols and some
body else. in the capacity of ringmss-
ter, yet could not make hit with Ell
ther. Finally he got Frank w. Whit
taker, who WAS at the time master of
the ring for other clowns in thu same
show, assigned to him. and on his first |
night made hit, on business suggest
ed by Whitaker, which carried him
into instant popularity with Pniladel-
phia audiences.
That nit cost Sandy Jameson, leader
of the orchestra, new violin, for part |
of the funny business consisted in Dams |
tumbling Frank headlOng among the |
orchestra.
During the summer cf 1886 Rice was a |
clown with Welch's travelling chow in |
Canada, and in the succeeding year |
he went to New Orleans, with his first
manager, DIR. Spauldiag. At this
time, it is said, Mr.. vaa Orden, a |
liking to Dan and urged him to much
needed mental improvement. supplying |
him with Shakes peare, Byron and
other dramatic and poetic works, aid
ing him in making from them the
selections on which he subsequently
became known as "Shakaspearean
clown " and encouraging him In study,
not only for his professional purposes,
but for the acquisition of general
knowledge. Mr.. Van Ofden also
wrote number of Rice's most popular
songs. After a season or two Rice OBJ
tanned an interest with DIR. Spaulding |
and that connection was kept up until
about 1850, when they separated. 10
1853 in consequence of some legal pro-
ceedings Instituted by Spsulding for
recovery of payment for show with
which he had fitted Rice lost baud
some farm which he had acquired in
Colum bia county, N. Y. Shortly after
that Dan bought homestead in Cir
ard, Pa, and fine farm two or three
miles from that town, whsre he shelf
cred his show in the winter.
BY 1856 he had so far recovered
from the disaster which follow the
severance of his connection with
Spaulding that he was deemed q
wealthy man and certainly was
popular one wherever he Travelled.
For he was a general, whole sOuled
fellow, kind and generous, seeming to
think nothing of riches more than as a
means to promote the happiness of all
around him. Fortune smiled upon
him steadily up to 1860 when there
was separation between him and his
wife. Old Snowman said: Dan lost
his luck when he parted from
her."
She was spoken of as noble wo-
man. who by gentle method supplied