The Forrest City times., 1903-11-20
The Circus.

4 II tHc Neth d HalEON escape With lis lie
not putting 1t any too strong.
The circus last Friday was legitimate
and alright from every standpoint. 1t
was clean show from start to finish, and
the several acts, feats, &c, seen under
the circus tent, were of a high order OF
perfection. We sincerely believe that
those who visited the biz show got the
value of their money.
The circus was little late in arriving,
owing to a long run and the fact that their
engine ran of the track. but the parade
took place about IL O'Clock, and was wit
messed by the largest crowd of people that
| was ever seen in Forrest City.
| The crowd was variously estimated at
from 5000 to 10 ,OO0-pr obably about 1900
would be our estimate.
The Wallace Brothers deserve great
credit and praise for the splendid charac
ter of their circus. Their menagerie, too,
was considered very fine, containinga hip.
popotamns, group of sea lions, two ze-
bras, and other rare animals and birds.
80 far we have heard of no complaints
ABOUT the circus people or of anyone in
the employ of the Wallace Brothers.
1t Is said. however, on the best authori.
ty, that there were more fskirs, grafters,
ssparators, con games and skin games fol-
lowing this show than was ever known
before.
They began to arrive even two days be-
fore, and the number of strangers one met
upon the streets was a matter of general
remark.
They Logan to operate very quietly, grad
ualy becoming more bold, until circus
day, some of their acts amounted simply
to highway robbery, grand larceny and
other crimes.
We are told that two negroes were held
up near Stuart Springs and relieved of
their pocket change.
Short changing was favorite pastime
with several of the side attractions.
One fellow is known to have passed a
DO lar up for ticket, and the vendor ask
ed him to wait until he went after some
change, and he has never returned.
Pickpockets were quite numerous, and
several negroes lost various sums in this
way. In fact, all sorts of rascaity was
practtced, and successfully, too, in most
cases.
The climax of boldness was demonsta.
ted by slick duck at the Bank of Eastern
Arkansas.
Postmaster John c. Bell took SIS down
to the bank to buy New York Exchange.
lie passed the money in to the cashiers
counter and stepped back to sit down aud
wait for Cashier Fondren to write the ex-
change. a stranger came in just at this
time and asked Mr. Fondren to give him
$40 bill for ten dollars in Silver.
Mr.. Fondren wrote out the exchange,
came to the window, counted Mr.. Bells
money, and remarked to him, why, Bell.
you haven't got S75 here.n Mr. Bell said
that was the amount he had just laid on
the counter. The cashier then asked the
man If had taken it, and he answered in
the negative, of couree, got the ten dollar
bill for his silver. and started out Bell
began 10 realize that he had been robbed,
and that the fellow who had just gone out
was the duck who had his money. He
started after him, and when the fellow
reached the pavement he broke into run.
He went through Rollwage's store, giving
confederate signal, aud they both ran
up Front street. The confederate was run
down aud captured in Rev. Dyers hay
loft, but the principal made his escape.
The man arrested denied any knowledge
man who ran past him. When asked why
he ran, he said that he had asked woman
to go to the circus with him and some one
had told him she was married woman,
and that her husband would blow his head
off. and that he became frightened and
ran off
Lbtci ulueT dTTtstS were maze, ana II
was finally believed that the right party
had been captured. At any rate his friends
put up the money for him, and as the evil
dence was not thought sufficient to convict
him, he was released, and the postmaster
was reimbursed.
Several negroes were known TO have
been robbed OF various amounts-one of
$50, one of $40, one of S22, and others of
various smaller sums--in a skin game car
ried on inside the side show tent.
On the streets were fakes If all kinds.
There were the lady athletes, consisting
of three or four tough-look ing females,
who did very poor turn at swinging In
dian clubs and dumb bells, closing with a
wrestling match and three-round glove
contest, of a very tame character. The
snake eater separated many persons from
their coin. The vendor of very cheap
perfume did very nice business, and the
man with the rubber balloons and the
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