The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-22
Fakirs Fail to Appear in Town
With Ringlings.
The Brothers Maintain Their
Own Corps of Detectives.
NO NEED OF EXTRA POLICE
City Made Safer by Arrival of
the Big Show.
No Offensive Language by
Employees Is Permitted.

Although next Thursday is circus
day when the SPACIOUS state Iair
grounds will once again become the
site of the immense city OF white can
vas, housing the Ringing brolleA9
aggregate no special preca utlollS
VIII be taken or warnings lssueu oS
the police this year. relative 10 the
proverbial influx of thieves and PICK
pockets who in years past have maze
it a practice TO follow the Dag tent
shows around the country and reap
rich harvest from the croWCs OF VS.
ftors and from the homes made va
cant by the families who attended
the shows
From the das they started in the
circus business. tnirtv years ago. the
Ringing Brothers have Waged per
slstent and relentless Mar agalns~
these unweIcome followers and al
though it was difficult and uphill work
to eliminate this undesirable element
from the circus. the efforts OF the "a
nous Brother shOwnen We're gradual
IL crowned with success. During the
present circus not a single complaint
has been registered by victims OF
pickpockets and other thieves in the
various towns which the Ringing
Brothers shows have visited
This reu1arka BILE record is largely
due to the fact that the Ringing
Brothers carry one Of the most skilled
secret service departments in the
country. II is composed of ten men
under the direction of Chief John
Brtce, an experienced detective.
known all over the country Tor ms
remarkable camera eye and his
ability never to forget the face OF a
crook The men working under the
direction Of Chief Price are also
thoroughly experienced in this lire of
work most of them having been re
cruited either from the government
service or from the detective depart
ments in the large cities
NIinsIe With the Crowd.
Chief Brice and his men mingle
with the crowds constantly, from the
time the show arrives and unloads.
early in the morning, until the last
train section is ready to depart at
night Some of them finger about the
railroad stations and closely watch all
incoming trains and excursions. for
any incoming crooks Others mIngIe
with the thrOngs in the downtown
streets while the parade is passing ana
at least three men are constantly on
duty at the show grounds, ooth IN ana
outside the tents
OF course this staff of circus de-
tectives work in closest cooperation
ton with the local police departments
and the moment a suspected pick
pocket or second story worker IS
spotted" he is Immediately taken in
custody and turned over TO the city
officers to be locked up on suspicion
In fact, two of the circus detectives
ALWAYS precede the show into the va
rious cities. arriving the day before,
in time to take d careful look around
the city and apprehend any CROOKS
who may be already on the scene
Occasionally general roundup Is
made on the night before the circus
arrives and all suspects are locked up
and thoroughly questioned and gem
orally kept in custody and driven from
town after the show has departed
Fakers Are Banished.
Equally as relentless has been the
Ringing Brothers war against the
fakirs and cheap gamblers who have
been accustomed TO follow the tent
shows. These gentry have been abb
solutely eliminated from the Ringing
show from the time il first started in
business. Although in their early days
the brothers could not afford to en-
pIoy a stan of detectives. but had to
depend upon their own efforts to keep
off the dishonest hOrdes of camp fol-
lowers, their rugged determination to
operate a clean show never dwindled
and the undesirable element soon learn
ed that the Ringing show was a
dangerous lettering place and they
accordingly passed il up in disgust
Occasionally even in these later days,
q show fakir Will attempt to follow
the organization, but the instant he is
discovered by one Of the circus detec-
IlNSS MS departure Is generally DOI0
sudden and painful
Another much needed reform was in
stituted by the Ringing Brothers many
years ago and carefully maintained.
They banished profanity in all forms
from their enterprise and from the
humblest and toughest of the working
men to the department bosses and the
executive staff. the rule prohibiting the
use OF foul language applies and is en-
forced This rule recalls another which
is enforced strictly-the elimination OF
the whip in dealing with the animals
and it is a peculiar fact that in the
big Ringing outfit not a single whip
Is carried, with the exception of those
used by the ringmasters for display
purposes only All the animals are
reared and trained with kindness and
gentle persuasion and as a result the
horses, elephants, camels and menag-
erie animals are the most perfectly
behaved and best specimens of their
kind ever carried by circus. Acct