The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-13
A GREAT CIRCUS MANS WAYS.
JAMES A. BAILEY AS DESCRIBED
By TODY HAMILTON.

ohIOSttlt " 10 " sO the's 'Ac ''
Succeed Him as Executive Head OF the
Circus-The Widow Has HIS Stock.
The flag Of the circus flew at half staff
yesterday from Madison Square Garden
The circus went on just the same because
it had to fulfil its contracts, but there was
mourning all about the place for James
Anthony Bailey, who died Wednesday after
noon at his home near Mount Vernon.
Some OF the older circus men, who had
been with Barnum d Bailey's Greatest
Show on Earth for a quarter Of a century,
talked about MIR. Bailey with tears In their
eyes.
The funeral services will be held at 2
o'clock tomorrow afternoon at The Knolls,
Corcoran Manor, Mr.. Bailey's home. They
will be private. Only members OF the family
and those who we're Mr.. Bailey's most
intimate friends and associates will be
present. The interment will be In Wood
lawn Cemetery. There will be no per-
Torrance Of the circus OIL the day OF the
funeral.
There vas considerable speculation
yesterday az to who will succeed James A.
Bailey as the executive head Of the circus.
Mr.. Bailey's successor will not be chosen for
o week or more. The most probable sue
oessor, in the opinion Of circus men, Is
Charles Hutchinson, a nephew OF Mr..
Bailey and the present treasurer OF the
show. He is for the present the nominal
head. As to the future Of the circus,
Richald F. (Tody) Hamilton said yesterday:
"Mr. Bailey owned the controlling interest
In the show, l think 81 or 81 per cent. OF the
stock. During his lifetime he gave away
$1,000 shares to employees as rewards for
faithfulness, and at the present time every
old employee of the show is a ~stockholder.
The employees hold "a per cent. OF the stock
and rs per cent. is owned by outsiders.
"Mrs. Bailey will have the direction OF
her husbands controlling interest and she
will, Of course, virtually select Mr.. Bailey's
successor. 1t is not likely that Mrs. Bailey
will take any active part in the manage
ment, but she is very proud OF the circus
and regards 1t as a monument to the energy
and enterprise Of her husband; There will
be, l am positive, no radical change in the
affairs Of the show.
Mr.. Hamilton estimated the value Of
Mr.. Bailey's circus properties at between
81. 500 900 and $50 600. Mr.; Bailey was
an active partner in the Buffalo Bill Wild
West and the Forepaugh and Sells Brothers
shows.
THAT is a comparatively small part OF
his estate, " said Mr.. Hamilton. He owned
a large amount of real estate here and
in various parts OF the country. He bought
stock of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
He owns stock in a number OF large cor
porations. Mr.. Bailey was 80 close
mouthed about his business affairs that
even when he purchased a home at Cor
coran Manor Mrs. Bailey knew nothing
about it until the deed had passed and
- - - 49,. an H. knl AAAn concluded
Nobody knows, perhaps, the real value OF
his estate, but it is worth more millions, l
think, than anybody imagines.
Il knew Mr.. Bailey as few men knew
him." Mr.. Hamilton continued. He was
a singular Snowman IN this respeot-he
He wouldn't let a newspaper man inter-
view him and he wouldn't have a picture
taken for newspaper or even circus ad-
vertising purposes. We had to conspire
with Mrs. Bailey and purloin a picture
several years g when we needed one
badly.
"One time in London the Prince Of Wales.
now King Edward, invited Mr.. Bailey to
luncheon, Mr.. Bailey declined on the plea
of business, and it was Mr.. Barnum that
went to the luncheon. 1t was the same
dozens Of times.
~He treated his animals as he treated his
men. Mr.. Bailey never sold an old or worn
out animal. Either he gave IL to a ZOO
logical garden or else kept it to the end OF
it's days in the Bridgeport quarters. To
abuse a horse was as much as a mans job
was worth, and Mr.. Bailey watched his
horses like a hawk. All that were bought
he selected himself, even the draught
horses.
mir. Bailey probably never issued an
order in his life-it was always a request
politely put, even in the rush and hurry OF
business. The presents he gave his men
were in cash always, slipped in an envelope
which was sealed and marked Strictly
confidential
Here's a little story that illustrates
what kind OF a man he was. Whiting
Allen went with Mr.. Bailey some years G
to visit Western circuses and see what
was doing out there. They went to one
big show and looked around without ask
ing questions. The proprietor focked
around Mr.. Bailey and besieged him with
questions about his OWE show. It is under
among circus men that it Is mighty
bad Manners to ask questions about one
another's affairs. They said:
How many. elephants ere you going
to take out neXt year. Mr.. balleyf
""Twenty-four.'
How many cars will you use?'
az shall try to get along with eighty
ut went on that way for a long time,
Mr.. Bailey answering dozens Of questions.
Mr.. Allen said afterward: Why. did you
do that? You have told those fellows con-
fdential matter
"'Oh.' said Mr.. Bsiley, I merely told
them the truth. 1 ave found that the
keenest business. The chances are ten
TO one they will believe l was lying to them
Tho truth ia n ma wing investment