Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-03
WASHINGTON AWAITS GERMAN VERSION OF SINKING AMERICAN S
CIRCUS CLOWN IS
FOUND A SUICIDE
Poison Ends IU-Starred Career of Boy
Who Ran Away From His Home
in Iowa.

Chicago, Ill, May 3--Phil Brinker-
hoff stole away from his home in Red
Oak, Iowa. one night and joined cir
/ Gus. He was Is years old then. Fm-
/ ployed as an errand boy, caller. and
water boy. he studied the tricks of the
/ acrobats and one day when the high
/ diver fell and was injured Young Phil
Z Brinkerhof was given his great op-
portunity and the disabled mans
tights
Phil had daring and genius. He in
vented new thrills and put fancy frills
on old ones. He was a parachute
jumper, a trapeze performer. and a
contOrtionist under the big top.
His name was printed in large type
on all the handbills. posters and pro-
grams. He earned a big salary and
travelled in style.
Then one day when the circus was
in Topeka, Kan. and Phil was per-
forming up near the canvas roof, with
nothing between him and the saw
dust. he fell. And somebody else got
PhiIs tights. Phirs collar bone and
two ribs were broken.
Friends took up u collection for
him, for he had spent his money as
rapidly as he made it.
He wasn't IN shape for high diving,
parachute jumping or acrobatics when
he came out of the hospital, but he
couldn't get away from the sawdust.
So he dOnned the costume of a clown.
Glowing is an easier job than being
an acrobat and there are no risks in |
it. hut to get a decent salary a clown /
must get the laughs"
out to be clown, but he kept at II be-
cause he couldn't get anything else to
do and by copying the antics of sue
cessfuI laughmakers he was able to
get away with it"
Last November he married. He
wasn't able to support his wife
Clowns, like grasshoppers. do not play
in the winter, for the circus lasts only
during the summer. During the win
ter ii lays up in Baraboo. Wis, and
pays no salaries.
There was a job as clown in a de-
partment store at Christmas time and
Brinkerhoff took it but it lasted only
q few days.
His wife couldn't stand IT. She in
sisted on a full dinner pail, and finally
left him TO take job of her own. So
the clown struggled through the win
ter as best he could.
Friends got him position as ticket
taker in a dime museum on State
street and saved him from starvation,
but he caught cold from the draughts
which blew in through the window of
his booth and was forced to quit. Then
he was put at shilling for the place
walking in and out and buying tick
cts to attract passers-by.
When Ringing Bros circus came
% town Brinkerhoh asked for a job
downing. The Ringlings had all the
alent they needed, but, noting that ,
he man was in distress. they employ :
ID him as an extra"
He clowned with an effort now The :
lard winter. his wife's detection. his =
Il health and the actions of friends he :
lad counted on dulled his wits. And :
lis smile was gone. What is a clown :
Without smile? ,,
So Friday night he was forced to 3
id good-by to the sawdust. The same :
vening he lost his job at shilling" :
He went 10 his room in the Inter
lcean Hotel at 33S South State street.
The maid knocked on his door Sat
rday morning. There was no an n
wer. Yesterday the police broke the s
oor open. They found Phil Brinker- n
Off dead. o
The police report to the coroner p
eads Suicide by poisoning" Fl