The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-23
MISHAPS AT CIRCUS OPENING.
BIG SHOW BEGINS WITH A 100000
HARD AT WORK.
woman Rider Breaks q Leg, the Little
Elephants Quit Their job and Eight
Horses Tandem Take the Ring at the
Wrong TIme-But It's a Great Display.

NTOnR IlInb- but H , u pEtht DIspluH'
The circus opened at Madison Square
Garden yesterday afternoon with a few
new thrillers and a brand new adjective
by Col. Tody Hamilton. A little hoodoo
which came to the Garden with the circus
and hid until James A. Bailey gave the
eignal that started the wheels going did his
best to make trouble.
There was q series of mishaps and annoy
ing accidents that caused worry and beauti-
ful profanity. Except for the broken leg
which Josie Demott, the bareback rider,
* got in the afternoon, nothing went seriously
wrong, but there were half a dozen miscues
and hard luck happenings that circus men
don't expect after the long grind OF re-
hearsals.
Miss Demott is the woman rider who is
advertised as the only "somersault eques-
trtenne on earth Before the matinee she
was going through n rehearsal. Her horse
rot fractions, swerved suddenly to the
YiRht and down came Miss Demott, all her
weight thrown suddenly on one ankle, which
4 twisted. The fall fractured her hip and she
bad to be taken to a hospital.
Then the little elephants got troublesome.
There are eight Of them that do stunts in the
middle ring with Bill Mooney handling the
hook. They had been peevish all day and
Mooney was nervous about taking them out.
Coco was the real instigator. Right in the
middle of the act he jumped the ring and
bolted for the big doors at the F~ourthavenue
end Of the house. The seven elephants
swung into line and out they galoped after
him. equealing for pure deviltry.
Bill Mooney yelled himself hoarse and
an army of roustabouts tried TO shoe the
little elephants back, but 1t wasn't any
use. They headed for their stalls In the
cellar and there they stayed. 1t was
thought best to cut out their part or the
show at the performance last night until
Coco had gotten what was coming to him
The chow hadn't much more than got
going last night when the Jap Jugglers
and equilibrists met with an accident.
Takazawa, Conkiohi and Matsu were swing
ing thirty feet above the, sawdust, balano-
ing from a wavering ladder, when a guy
rope parted and down came the ladder.
The little Japs got a hard fall, but they
saved themselves somehow from serious
injury. They jumped up, grinned, bowed
and scurried for the dressing rooms.
That seemed to be enough tough luck for
one day, and Mr.. Bailey figured that the
show was out Of the woods surely: Then
the runaway came. 1t wasn't, just an
afdinary everyday r1lnaway either. lhe
three teams of the two horse chariots were
getting into action when the stable doors
swung oren with a crash and out came
eight horses hitohed tandem.
They had been waiting for their cue, but
the noise had been too much for them.
Around the arena they galloped full tilt,
q man on the back of the leader saving at
the reins. Fifty ring men scrambled for
the chariot horses and haul ed them out
of the way just as the eight horses in tan
dem Numbered by.
The circus has a new spectacle this year
called Peace Mr.. Hamilton entities
It "A Internationally beautiful allegory
symbollizing the conclusion of peace be-
Colonel says, "the first presentation of the
pretty, picturesque. poetic, prime, prlnk,
pretentious, professional prelude to the
prodigious programme Of performances
NOTHING party Of Russian cavalry and
infantry. A sentry fires. on a japanese
spy,who manages to get away and bring an
army Of Japs upon the Russians.
officer gallops In waving a white flag. The
audience understands that an armistice
has been agreed upon. The Russians and
the Japs swap ci %garettes and march away.
Then comes the parade of nations, Joan
Of Arc escorted by dragons. Hessians,
Hungarian Hussars, Cossacks. turbaned
Moroccans, rosy checked maidens waving
the British flag and finally a big float symbol
king the United States.
Three big silk flags drop from the girdersS
the band breaks out with The Sta
Spengled Banner switches to Dixie
and then the cheers and applause ONE
with a roar. When a picture of President
Roosevelt is displayed the racket browns
out anything that went before.
After the spectacle came the parade OF
the freaks and the solemn march of the
animals around the ring. The little people
took a lot more interest in these things than
they did in the big picture. Their eyes
followed the Finland Giantess until she
atAlked ont of sight and they laughed and
laughed when Marie, the fat girl, waddled
her 400 pounds around the arena.
Then out came the clowns carrying a
sign which read: