The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-16
FALL IS FATAL
TO Renowned
CIRCUS QUEEN
Lillian LeitzeI, Famous
Aerial Artist, Passes
in Denmark.
WELL KNOWN IN CITY
Old Trouper Here Reveals
Previously Unrelated Biz
Top Drama.
Picture If Lillian Leitzel will he
found on Page one, second section.
BY ARCH STETNEL


BY ARCH STEINEL
Old Trouper tucked his hat down
, over one eye.
do I know Lillian Leitzel7 Sure
what's tie mstter2" he asked.
Then ne was shown a wire dis
patch from Copenhagen, Denmark,
that ran 1.-THE thoughts of thou
Bands of circus goers and perform
FRS in sawdust rings throughout the
world turned to Copenhagen today
where Lillian Leitzel. aerial gym
mast and queen of the circus, lay
dead.
Miss Leitzel was a performer
end gymnast for twenty years. Her
most spectacular act was to make
400 revolutions while swinging by
bne arm from a rope. Her record
was 249 revolutions She starred
with Ringing Brothers and Barnum
" Bailey circus" the dispatch read.
She was a Game Kid
. ''Leet-zell deadl" exclaimed the
Old Trouper. "A game kid, and
Ahey'1l never know q gamer one on
Ehe big track.
Let's see that again. HUH A
hope broke while she was barn
btorming across the Big Pond. It'd
q never happened with Ringlings
never with a circus.
"She was here in indianapolis
last year. Been here every year,
buddy" Old Trouper stroked his
khin.
You're not using my name? NO.
Well, here's something that shows
She was dead game. It's something
ehat shows Just how game circus
folk are. It's a peep behind the
eanvas-top. She's dead so I guess
ehe biggest circus yarn of them all
ear be told. The press agents never
used it.
a Marriage Mixup
you remember last year and the
gear before that on the old Key
stone avenue circus grounds when
she'd come out for her act. It was
the high spot of the program wasn't
it2 The f1iers--aerial gylnnasts-
had gone before her.
DO you remember little dark
faced hombre in the fliers? He was
O. catcher, caught flying men and
women while hanging from a trap
csc by his feet. That was Lee-Zell's
husband, Alfred Cordona.
Old Trouper eyed the dispatch
again. This says Cordona was in
Berlin when the accident happened
HUH I wonder where Clyde In
gals was. Over on this side and
not in the wings this time"
Drama of the Tanbark
DO you remember just before
Leet-zell would come on q big bozo
hn a. high-topper would come out
and announce, Jad-eee-s and gen
tlemen, you are about to see the
greatest Of them all Miss Lillian
teet-2ell. This little LADY
Old Trouper hesitated. N''Do you
know who that guy in the high
hopper was, Buddy?"
ut was her eX-husband, Clyde
ingalls,, sideshow barker and sub
stitute for the barker in the main
ring at times"
"teet-zell would begin her 1OC
revolutions on the rope hanging by
one arm.
"Cordons, her husband. would
watch her from the big tops entry
way.
ingalls,, her ex-husband, would
he watching.
Tell Troupers and Friends
And, buddy, over at another en-
try-way to the top would be a lit
tie lady in tights and she'd be
watching those monotonous revolu-
tions, too.
"She was Cordona's first wife
and in the same act with him.
Many's the time he's caught her
as she flew through the air. Caught
her in his arms. Yeah arms that
an hour or two later would be
around Leet-zell.
The four of them. Cordona, In
gals, Cordona'S former wife, and
Leet-zell trouped together. They
were friends despite the matri-
monial tumble. The audience, as
they watched never knew. that
strong personal drama paraded on
the Keystone circus grounds"
Old Trouper shook his head, It'd
never happened with Ringling's
They always tested the ropes.
"Leet-zells dead. Cordona wasn't
there. ingalls, wasn't there. Cor
dona's former wife wasn't there
Huh! no one in the WINGS
1T was best that way wasn't it?
"Huhl Leet-zells dead" and the