The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26
From the Boston Globe.


 While am a native of Manchester, England" says William Hanlon, the genial veteran of the spectacular stage, "and the son of Irish parents. I have al- ways claimed to be a thoroughgolng citizen of the United States. For in the States we have met with our greatest success.
 T began early. l was but s. think, when 1 made my first appearance at Liverpool theatre. The show was that of Magician Jacobs, an old-limer in his art, and with other little things like myself, it was planned that l should emerge rom between the covers of an enormous book which was located beneath the perform CTS table.
 But alas for human expectationsl At this critical point in my artistic career fell asleep, missed the cue, and when l was eventually dragged from my place of concealment. it was a lustily yelling kid that received the shouts of laughing audience.
 My father, Thomas Hanlon, was an ac- tor on the English stage, and all of his six boys-Alfred, George. Frederick. Thomas, Edward and William-became acrobats and gymnasts. In 1S47 when l was but years of age, three Of us. George Edward and myself, with John Lees, an English artist of much ability in his then somewhat novel profession. went to France to present a new act of trapeze and bar combination, together with a posing feature, by MT. Lees. and all of which proceeded from the fertile brain of our preceptor and patron.
 We became literally. In the French towns, a band of strolling players, jour neying from village to village and meet ing with varying success and failure. Af- ter touring France for a brief season we crossed the frontier into Spain, in which country we encountered many adventures. such as the forming of most delightful acquaintances with persons of noble rank, and continuing down the scale to the fighting brigands in the Spanish noun tains.
 "At Madrid our first night opening was greeted by a small audience. But as our entertainment progressed, and the Span iards began to realize the novelty of it all the cafes in the vicinity gradually emptied their patrons into the theatre, and when the final drop fell it was in the front of B large and applauding house.
 From Spain we continued our wan derings into Malta, thence to Turkey and Egypt, and to India. At all these places, which seem something of remarkable route for young English travellers, as I look back upon it, we met with much success.
 Our acts were new to the natives of the various countries we visited, and we had appreciative audiences. At Ismalia we gave 6 special exhibition before the Khedive Abbas Pasha. He was fat, jolly sort of a potentate who was keen enough to see all the good points in our tricks and performances. In India the Rajah of Dude took fancy to us boys, dressed us like princes and kept us with him for several months
 At Alexandria, by the way, we saw the two obelislxs which are now located so far away in foreign lands One of these, as you know, is on the Thames enbankment in London and the other is standing in Central park. New York.
 'Well.' said Mir. Hanlon i've have seen both of them in their. new localities, and 1t ifs difficult to describe the peculiar feel ing which took possession of us as we Alexandrian friends
 From India we journeyed to Australia and we made a round of the principal towns of the antipodes. At Adelaide MT. Lees nearly killed several people one night during his posing act, with a huge stuffed club and we left Australia for the west coast of South America. We made a tour of some of the chief places of Chile and Peru, and eventually brought up al tfe lStniiius ol fdndfna. we crossed to Aspinwall and took a ship for Havana.
 Tt was on this voyage that great misfortune befel us. For Mr. Lees, our guide and leader in all things, died of yellow fever, and his body, much to our great sorrow. was given to the waters of the deep. Well, when the ship reached Havana what to do became a serious problem to us,'' said MT. Hanon.
 MT. Lees had said to us in almost his last moments, Boys. go to America and we felt that his advice should be taken at all hazards For a time, though it was failure, we leased the Tacon theatre Then we got an engagement with a local circus. When we had accumulated funds enough to do so we sailed for New York and reached the scene of many future successes during the cold days of Feb ruary. With our light Havana clothing we nearly froze to death. And the snow! saw the snow for the first time since leaving England. We promptly got an engagement however, with G. F. Baileys circus and toured the country with that enterprise.
 "In some far western town, whose name | have forgotten. we three brothers were one night sitting in our dressing room and awaiting our turn to appear. Suddenly we heard outside the tent whistle whose familiar noises were a music to our ear. It was the family signal of the Hanlon