Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-16
Circus Day Attracts
Boys-Old and Young
and Other Folks, Too

The Walter l.. Main circus eXhl-
bitcd in Waterville, Thursday coming
from Belfast where it showed the
previous day. A lot of young people
and old-young people got u early
in the morning and hied them to the
Maine Central station to watch the
circus unload. 1t was late in the
morning before the elephants and
camels finally were brought to view.
and it was quite q sight to watch
huge freight car, standing on sid
ing. sway beneath the heavin of
monster elephant. anxious to get out
onto firm ground. The street par
AIDE started earlier than usual and
was on its way back to the field
few minutes after - o'clock noon.
AS soon as the street parade arriv-
cd the side-show opened, giving
several performances before tie main
show began. The main show had an
excellent program, including the
usual bare back riding, trapeze per-
formances, funny clowns. tI,-ined an
imals, and ending with re time
honored chariot race.
An untoward incident marred the
day. At the beginning of tho first
sideshow. tables were set up in the
sideshow tent and some kind of a
spindle game with numbers and col
orS was started. 1t is alleged that
the game was for money and there
was a system Of doubling which rails
ed the game to rather high stakes
in a very few minutes. Michael
| Blair Of Oakland put down various
,, amounts on the board until he had
$4,000 in a pool. The proper number
turned up. SO it il alleged, I'd he
demanded his money, but was refus-
cd by the man operating the game.
According to witnesses, he demanded
| his money again in a loud voice and
reached for it. He succeeded in
grabbing his $4,000 but was i'm
mediately bounced upon, it is said by
| more circus people than were believ-
ed to be in the sideshow tent and
| the money taken from him. They
are said to have rushed Mr.. lair to
| the entrance kicking and beating
! him, and striking him with clubs all
| the way. He received such serious
| injury to his left leg that it was al
most useless, and he had been struck
| in the side by hammer, thrown by
the operator when he first tried to
grab the money. Blair proved HIM
| self an able bodied man, anG bowled
over three or four of his ar gonists
before he was finally downed, but at
! the finish received quite betting up
j in addition to his previous injuries.
| He is said to have secured Il war
rant which was given to a deputy
sheriff to serve, but it is stated that
| the young man. who was running the
, same. snapped with n ticket taker
and blithely gave all the info~' alton
| he could. which was nothing at all,
as to the whereabouts of the nan
! wanted. Mr.. Blair stayed about the
grounds until late hour in the af-
ternoon trying II identify h assail-
ant. but was unable to do so.
On the whole it was a very good
| circus day, there being very few evil
dences of intoXication. City Marshal,
William H. Murray. had his police
force well organized, both in the traf-
tic department directing the course
OF vehicles at various strategic
points. and also in keeping order.
Late in the afternoon. young man
appeared at the police station. who
said that he had been fired from the
circus for some cause he did not
state. and that lis weeks pc. was
being held up. When asked as to