Evening star., 1907-08-23
OLD, CIRCUS QUEEN DEAD
AGNES LAKE, A SAWDUST PER-
FORMER OF LONG AGO.
Widow of Clever Clown-First
Woman Owner Of Ring Show
in America.

NEW YORK, August 23.-Mrs. Agnes
Rickock, better known Mrs. Agnes Lake
died Wednesday evening at 191 Montgom-
cry street, Jersey City, the residence of her
son-in-law. Gil Robinson, who was the son
OF the old-ttme circus man John Robinson.
Mrs. Lake would have been eighty-one
years old today. She died of infirmities
incident to old age. She was the first wom-
an owner Of circus in this country and
was the first to adapt the drama to the
circus ring, producing a version of
"Mazeppa," in which she took the chief
part herself. She was accounted the best
slack-wire performer the sawdust ring
ever saw. She was also an unusually
skilled rider. Her daughter Emma Lake,
now Mrs. Robinson has always been re-
garded as the best high school, woman
rider in the country.
Mrs Lake was born in Doehme Alsace,
IN 1876 Her parents name was Mersman.
They came to this country when she was
about four years old and settled In Cincin-
natl. One brother later went to ST Louis
where he died several years ago, million
are. A sister married into the Katterhorn
FAMILY of Cincinnati, family well known
in the grocery trade in that city When
Agnes was about seventeen there came to
clhchhaIl on one of its periodic visits the
famous Spalding Rogers circus. 1t had
with 1t an attractive young fellow named
Lake, who was a clown. In those days d
clown was man of keen wit. well edu-
Gated. good looking and a fairly good
singer He was the stamp of man that
court testers used to be made of. Agnes
fell in love with him. They ran away and
were married. From that time on her life
was linked inseparably with the circus.
Her husbands real name was Thatcher.
of the well-known family of Bordentown,
With spalding & Rogers.
Spalding G. Rogers show was one of the
old floating palaces" that went down the
ONO and Mississippi rivers. tying up at big
and little towns and at plantations where
thousands of slaves could be assembled A
tug towed the outfit which consisted of an
enormous barge which the ring was set
and also big enough to erect several hun
dred seats 1t was paying business. The
young bride got tired of doing nothing on
these Journeys and under her husbands S di-
rections she practiced for slack-Wre per-
formance and soon became so expert at it
that she was known throughout the circus
world as the greatest in her linz
For nearly fifteen years she worked with
her husband. They saved their money and
in the late fifties her husband formed a
partnership with John Robinson and Rob-
inson & Lakes circus followed. This, part
nership lasted for about three years. when
each partner went his way and Lake start
ed a circus of his own.
Life on the Road.
1t was of the old-time variety, with forty
or fifty wagons. the performers sleeping on
the wagons at night they went from
town to town. With the Robinson G. Lake
circus there had been a small boy named
Gordon, picked up in hotel at. Pontiac,
Mich, to help out Fred Bailey. one of the
chief employees. He took Bailey's name
eventually. When the Lake show beca me
one of itself Mrs Lake insisted against her
husbands Judgment, in making the young
fellow, who had now grown UP, general
agent of the show. That young fellow was
the late James A. Bailey of the Barnum &
Bailey show Mrs. Lake continued to per-
form in the show. She not only walked the
slack wire but rode in the ring on a spirited
horse and helped out in the management
The Lakes had a beautiful home back of
Covington. KY, across the river from Gin
cnnati. and there Mrs. Lake taught her
only daughter, Emma how to ride.
Initiated "Mazeppa."
In the early sixties the great actress
Adah Isaacs MenkeD had caused a furore
in this country and Europe by her perform
ances of "MaZeppa" Mrs. Lake knew her.
and one time in Cincinnati the Robinsons
had lent Mrs. Menken horse for her the
ater act when her own horse had broken
down. Mrs. Lake studied the "Mazeppa"
play carefully, and being able to speak
German went to Berlin and played the part
in the theaters for winter with great sue
cess Her husband remained at home to
run the circus. When Mrs. Lake came back
she adapted the play to the circus ring. She
fought with the prince and at the proper
time was tied on the white horse, which was
trained to dash madly around the ring sew
eral times and finally run into the side
tent. 1t was a great hit and the Lakes
made lot of money.