Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14

AS for their employers, the owners of the
outside ticket privilege" they would di-
vide up net profits of from 10000 to $4,000
on their $4,000 investment.
Ticket speculation with a circus was so
highly ''remunerative' that organized
gangs of "freebooters'' would follow the
show from day to day and dispose of
tickets on their individual account These
persons invara bly, ran afoul of the regu-
lars in the employ of the owner of the
privilege, when the clashing of interests
resulted in daily fights between them. The
aid of the police was often sought to pre-
vent "freebooters" from selling tickets. and
usually it would be effective. except in
cases where the police had received as
much from one side as the other. where
upon they discreetly left it to the ticket
sellers to fight it out among themselves.
Detectives have even sometimes been en-
ployed by circus at 500 a week salary to
point out to the police the other fellow
selling tickets as a CRATER following the
show.
X
When Mr.. Bailey became a partner with
P. T. Barnum and manager of the big
show. he merged the privileges" in the
show. Ticket speculation was abolished at
one swoop And so was the general mess
of scoundrelism that was. even under the
best circumstances. incidental to the
former system. The shows own salaried
employees conducted all branches of the
business, and direct responsibility was
thus assumed by the propretors of the in
stitution. Nothing either rented or
sold. Mr.. Bailey is to be credited with
many reforms in the circus business, but
none, in my judgment, of more Importance
than this abolition of the privilege
An unusual situation never perpleXed
him. providing he had confidence in his
men.
At times / got orders from rival shows
to write .'show paper of special char
acter for them. Mr. Bailey once found me
doing this for a particularly active COM
petitor
"Tody,'' said he, care you writing paper
for the = SHOVE
.'Yes. sir said l.
We'll, is that right"
Certainly Why Mr.. Bailey, if 1 write
it well know that nothing is said against
us, anyhow
He gave me one keen glance and walked
away without another word. And he never
again alluded to the subject, while | con-
tinued for years to write paper for vari-
Gus other shows.
Like every other detail of the show, this
detail of show paper was under the per-
sonal supervision of Mr.. Bailey and had
him in it, AS soon as the performers
were engaged and an outline of the entire
exhibition decided on Mr. Bailey had his
ideas put on paper and furnished to the
printing houses. They returned original
sketches-water colors. AS soon as these
were received they were spread out on the
office floor and criticised by Mr. Bailey
and his executive staff
He had a marvellous faculty for attend
ing personally to things. He was a be-
lever in personal work. One time, when
the show was in Europe, Mr. Bailey
wanted something done. He started from
Vienna caught the first westbound ship,
had exactly three hours talk in New
York and caught ship back that after
noon. He reached Vienna after trip of
twenty days-but the three hours personal
attention did the business.
The English amusement managers