The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-05-09
GLIMPSEs OF BAILEY
Stories Related About Great
Showman's Kindness.

"TOdy" Hamilton Tells of the Pater-
nal Interest Taken by King of Cir
Gus Men In His Employees-Always
Cared For the Sick-His Pet Story.
An Agents Tribute to HIS Employ
er's Generosity.
Now that James A Bailey, late head
Of the Barnum & Bailey show and
liking of the circus men," is dead
thousand anecdotes showing the kind
ness, the thoughtfulness, the big heart
ed charity, OF the man are being told
about him, says the New York World.
Secrecy was his rule in making gifts.
'He regarded us as his children"
said Richard f. CTody) Hamilton, the
we'll known press agent, who has been
in Mr. Bailey's service for more than
quarter of a century. There are q
thousand of US with the show, and
Mr.. Bailey had an actual paternal In
terest IN every one of us. He was al
ways making a present to one man or
another in his employ-today to can
vasman who needed money because of
sickness at home, tomorrow to one of
his biggest employees who was in
straits. The present always came in
the same form, Mr. Bailey's personal
check in an envelope addressed and
! marked, Strictly CONFIDENTIAL
"A few years ago he congratulated
one of his old employees won't men
ton the name-on the fact that his
wife had bought house in New York.
He found out that there was mort
gage on the property for $6,5OO Six
weeks later the man found on his desk
an envelope in Mr. Bailey's handwrit-
ing addressed to his wife. On the up
per left hand corner was written in
lead pencil, Strictly CONFIDENTIAL The
man took the envelope home to his
wife She opened it and found Mr. Bal
tey's check for $4,000. When any one
thanked him he would talk about some
thing else.
"When a man in Mr.. Bailey's en-
ploy was sick his pay was never dock
ed for the time he was absent. Ii
there was sickness in the family or
any other distress Mr.. Bailey always
knew about it, and the man would get
check from him in an envelope mark
ed Strictly confidential
"Mr. Bailey had so many pensioners
that | don't see how he could keep
track of them. He gave old Dan Rice
$25 a week regularly up to the time OF
his death Old circus men all over the
| 4 h0vonGaiarinC Ono 6aV
Mr.. Bailey handed $4,000 in twenty
dollar bills to one of his men. Give
this to needy people, was all he said.
| When the man brought him back 81
600 some weeks later he was offended.
| II remember once that he sent from
| Vienna check for $1,000 to a man
whom he had not seen for five years
and who, he casually heard, was down
ON his luck
"Mr. Bailey was very fond of jokes
and funny stories. He never used an
oath nor a harsh word. He never gave
an order-always made request
HE was fond of animals, and they
loved him. Once, thirty years ago,
the man who rode in an open chariot
with a tiger was laid up sick. Mr..
Bailey took his place Mr., Bailey him
self selected all the horses and other
animals used in the show. He never
sold an old horse or an old animal.
He gave them away to good people or
himself gave them a good home.
"He was the only man in the amuse-
ment business in America to give day
to orphans. / have often seen him
carry crippled children in from the
wagons and put them in the boxes.
when we were showing in London
the Prince of Wales-now King Ed
ward-sent for Mr.. Bailey to come to
his box. but Mr.. Bailey asked to be
excused. He hated ostentation. He
was always glad to do the work and
keep in the background.
81 remember once he went to bid for
a tiger, and there were lot Of circus
men, all bidding, too. But one little
man outbid them all. He wasn't a
Snowman. He wasn't going to make
present to any one Of that tiger. he
wasn't going to. start menager1e Mr..
Bailey was puzzled. He wanted that
tiger himself, so he asked the little
man If he would sell it back for what
he paid for it. He wouldn't. Mr.. Bal
| ley asked him why, If he wasn't
Snowman or anything in that line, he
was so anxious to keep that tiger.
"My wife died last month"; said the
little man, and I'm lonely
THAT was Mr.. Bailey's pet story"
continued Hamilton, land you should
| have heard him tell 1t.
White People Looking Southwark.