Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-20
Marshalltown Boy Who Always
Wanted to Run a Circus, Now
Manager Of Gentrys'
MAKING a BIG SUCCESS
Unique Organization In tho Amuse-
msnt World, the Gentry Bros. Shows,
is Making Great Hit This Season
Under |. c. spsers' Management
Show Comes Here on May 80. y

IA barefoot boy With cheek Of tam"
putting up ghosts in dark stairways
for some midnight returning tenant to
blaze at with 49," placing fake
bomb In the construction work Of the
new odeon, when the country was
stirred to fever heat over the HAY
market riots in Chicago, he dreamed
boyhood dreams OF theaters and cir
cuses. He had done everything there
was for a "kid' to do about the old
Woodbury. opera house, and had held
In the parades many a fierce blood
hound which was anxious to get q taste
OF Eliza, that he might see the Tom
show He also carried water for the
elephants, ana If he could get in by
no other,iway, crawled under the tent,
when the burly canvasman wasn't
looking.
IKE" Speers' boyhood ambition was
to some day run circus Today 1t Is
being realized insofar as a tent show
Is concerned, and Mr.. Speers Is general
manager OF the famous combined Gem
try Bros. dog and pony shows without
doubt the most unique organization in
the amusement world today. Some
day, il the T.-R. is not altoge Their
wrong In It's prediction, Mr.. Speers'
name will be identified, with one Of the
big circuses OF the country. IL he still
chooses to remain In the business.
Il NE Speers spent, Sunday in the city,
being on his way from a business trip
to Minneapolis to Omaha, where his
show exhibits today and tomorrow.
There are two Of the combined Gentry
shows, and Mr.. Speers spend his time
with the No. show, which comes to
this city on Thursday. May 80.
Making Great Success.
Mr. Speers said that the shows had
proved a great success this season. and
that Mr.. M. w. Savage. Of Minneap-
oils, the millionaire stock food man
and former. Iowan, who bought the
Gentry shows last winter, IL satisfied
with his investment. Tommy" Downs,
Mr. Speers' old pal used to pull onions
for Savage on his farm near Montour.
On the strength" OF the onions, or
some such gag, Tommy is going to
try and see the show here on Memoir
ial Day. It's dollars to doughnhts that
he won't havA to crawl under the tent,
either.
The Gentry shows opened this sea-
son at San Antonio, Tex, and In the
east. The No. 1 show has played
Texas Indian Territory, Oklahoma,
Kansas and Nebraska. and enters Iowa
on Wednesday,, appearing at Council
Bluffs. The show will be in the gener-
al managers native state until June
Is, when it will enter Minnesota. and
the home Of its owner, at Minneapolis.
The other show will remain east OF
the Mississippi probably turnout the
entire season. One Of the Gentrys is
with the other show.
Is Has the Countess Magri.
Years ago, when Mr.. Speers was IN
the theatrical business, he met Mrs.
Tom Thumb, the famous midget anu
wife Of the still more famous Genera
Thumb, whom the late r. i. Barnum
created. Mrs Thumb promised Mr.'
Speers that, il he should ever run
show. she would join him as a feature.
AS Countess Magri she has kept ner
word. and Mr.. Speers is featuring this
season Count Primo Magri, and MS
wife, also the counts
brother. Baron Magri, another midget
Mr.. Speers also has the famous coach
that Barfllra had built for> General
and. Mrs. Thumb in Dublin. Inc
Countess Magri is now 66 years old,
but doesn't look day over 40. She IS
an ardent Christian Scientist, q me.n-
Der Of the Second church Of Boston.
also a member Of the Eastern Star, 70 /
which she is very much devoted.
Offers Band to a, A. r.
= To Commander Bruce Wallace, OF
Frank M. Thomas G. A. r. post. Sun
day, Mr.. speers offered the post The
use of the famous Gentry band for the
Memorial day services mt.
Wallace accepted the offer, and the
band will play with the soldiers home
band. It has been the custom o. the
Gentry mana cement for years TO visit
Riverside cemetery each time the show
comes here, for the purpose of decorat-
Ing the grave of Louis Lonstetter, the
employe who was burned to death here
on June 20, 1898. AS the band wouli
go to Riverside any way, Mr.. Speers
lAOuSAL lie1S lag hOoS AAANo>-S \
ciate Its services.
Mr.. Speers left early this morning
for Omaha, and may return to the city
a day in advance Of the coming of the
show.
Mr.. Speers is modest, and says but
little OF himself in connection with the
success of the show this season He
was asked why he did not have his
name appear on some of the papen and
replied that the public wasn't inter
ested in Ike Speers, but in the Gentry
shows. Mr.. Speers' likeness, however,
IS shown on the paper portraying the
four heads, used extensively In the
billing. The other likenesses are those
II the three Gentry brothers who
founded the business. ~
Gilman Memorial Committees.
The meeting called by Mayor Ems
nlnger, OF Gilman. for the purpose Of |
making arrangements for Memorial |
- Solid foods are not easily
digested. Pabst Blue Rib,
BON Beer is delicious liquid
fo,,d easily dirested. full Of |