New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-09
'SLIvERS,' TILTED,
CLOWN NO MORE
Barnum Star, in Love with
Girl Who Robbed Him,
Dies from Gas.

Slivers, the clown. died early yes
terday morning for the love Of girl
who had spurned him. In little room,
high up in the boarding house, at 30s
West Seventy-frst Street, he went on
for his last act--not the one-man base
ball game which has made a million
children love him, but the bitter ending
Of the old French pantomime.
Viola Stoll. now serving a three-year
term in Bedford Reformatory for steal
ing his Jewels, was his Columblne. and
Francis Oakley Slivers. the clown, died
by inhaling Illuminating gas when she
refused to agree TO marry him upon
her release.
He had loved her before she stole
his gems. They had belonged 10 his
dead wife, and she had access TO them
because she was "housekeeper" OF his
apartment. The thought of the woman
who had borne him his only child
caused her arrest. The return Of the
love he bore the woman who had tricked
him caused him vainly 70 try to get her
of. She was sentenced 70 the reforms-
tory in August, 1913.
She went 10 prison, and Slivers went
back 10 the comic makeup, the white
and black costume, the great duck
foot" shoes that were his stock IN
trade Children still screamed glee-
fully when he impersonated. by him
self. two opposing baseball nines'
Their elders chuckled IN remembering
the first time they had seen him. near
ly score Of years ago.
Rejected by Girl.
But behind the tent flap the clown
crew more luEubrious. more sad OF
face even than before. He was mourn
full and slow of speech always. Long
and lank and sorrOwful-eyed. he now
seemed stepped in woe His friends
thought that he was Crieving over ms
wife. who died in 1912. But the clown
was thinking Of his Columbine
Last week he went TO friend ana
told him his secret sorrow. tie loved
Viola. he said. and he couldn't i've
without her. He was going up 70 BED
ford TO see her and beg her 20 marry
him on her release. cut
ON Wednesday Of last week Slivers
went to Bedford, accompanied by
George Young, detective, onetime sec
rotary to Police Commissioner Doug J.
erty. In the presence u Mary heDecca
Moore, superintendent OF the lns'i'u,,
ton. and the detective, the man asked
the girl 70 marry him. And VIOLA nav
ing stolen the mans property, reluseI
the gift Of his heart. The clown "ePI,
so bitterly that she told him she wouid
think il over AID let him know later.
Tuesday Mrs. Moore wrote the FOL
lowing to Young: a..
81 have had long talk with the
GIRL She has no interest IN Sllvers'
neither has she a desire to marry him
now or at any other time. again al
Use Won 10 disillusion him
Late that night the greatest clown
in the world prepared 70 go on for the
last time.
Police Find Body.
Instead Of the high canvas vault OF
the "big top" the grimy celllhg o.
third floor room hung over MN.
Slivers's face was white, but II was
not the laughing mask OF zinc PANT
which made il so. The musty door OF
n boarding house had replaced tne
glamour-flled reek Of tan bark, roast
ing peanuts and popcorn. OUTSIDE the
CITY that had laughed AT MN IVr
nearly a generation groaned unhappy
bor.s+b tbsI snow. Instead of the
gleeful shouts Of boys and girls only
Inc doleful voice Of the wind sounded
in the clowns ears as II hurried clouds
Of river fog along West Seventy-hrst
Street 49,
At . o'clock in the morning. the
notice hammered on the door OF ms
room. When it had been PRED open
and they stumbled into the chamber
a thin figure lay on the bed. AFTER
they had opened the window and the
stencil OF gas had abated they looked
AL the figure more closely.
One slim hand still gripped RUBBER
tube, attached 20 the jet. The othef
Law across the skinny chest There was
dignity now In the clowns mourniul
countenance. Something like a smile
was on his sensitive mouth. His head
vas turned away little. as though ne
no longer wished to face the word
that had laughed at him for so long.
They took the body OF the zone man
baseball team" TO the morgue. Until
late afternoon II lay there, only re"
blocks from the Madison Square Car
den, where thousands had laughed at IL
IN life.
Wife Death a Shock.
Then Mrs. Josie Demott Robinson
once a famed bareback rlder-of Hemp
stead, /. l., claimed H. In her care
Slivcrs has left his daughter, Verona
ever since her mothers death.
Francis Oakley was born IN Sweden
Of English parents, forty years age. lie
came 20 America when stu chiid
In 1898 he ran away from home ana
3 became Il groom IN the John " Mann
travelling show. A year later Oscar
/ Lowande. OF IN old circus family ais
covered Onkley's talent for humorous
pantomime and he became clown
alter he vnet Nellie Dunbar, Of tho
Dunbar sisf crs troupe and married her.