Leavitt's Fifty Years in Theatrical Management

M. B. Leavitt, Fifty Years in Theatrical Management, Chapter X, New York: Broadway Publishing Com., 1912, pp. 118-139. Corrections to the information have been contributed by William Slout and Stuart Thayer are included in italics. There were a few handwritten comments in the text margins, these are labled margin note. There may be additional errors in the text, other sources should be consulted regarding the information Leavitt provides.

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Chapter X. [Circus History]

The Circus World from Its Primitive Days - The First "White Tops" - When I Was a Circus Clown - The Robinson Family - The Notable Early Equestrians - "Gil" Eldred and Young John Robinson Partners - The First Elephant in America - The Murder of William Lake - How Adam Forepaugh Became a Showman - James A. Bailey Enters Circus Life - Reminiscences of Kit Clarke - How Samuel F. Nixon Got Into the Show Business - The Master Showman, W. W. Cole - His Great Success In the Antipodes - Prosperity of Barnum and Bailey - The Ringling Brothers Monarchs of the Tent Show Realm - The New York Hippodrome - I Discover Louise Montague, the $10,000 Beauty. - W. C. Coup, the "Chesterfield" of Circusdom.


My early ambition to be connected with a circus was accomplished, if not gratified, when scarcely twenty-one. Having no show of my own on the road in the summer of 1863, I "joined out" as clown with the Richard Sands' show and "blacked up" for the side show in the minstrel scene after the regular performance. This occupation I followed for several years as a summer diversion, although it was very hard work and the compensation was small. The circuses at that time travelled by wagon, and in order to save the live stock as much as possible from exerting itself in the heat of the day, the start was always made very early in the morning. This cut down the time allotted for sleep to two or three hours a day. Moreover, whenever we came to the foot of what looked like a steep hill all hands were compelled to turn out and walk to the summit. These matters kept us usually pretty well fagged out, and in the course of time I, for one, reached the conclusion that there were easier ways to earn a livelihood than clowning with, a circus.

One of the big shows that travelled in those early days was the John Robinson’s, the first. John was born in little Falls, N. Y., in 1801. [Date and place of birth form a controversy. Sons claimed he was born in Schenectady, NY; other members of the family said the place was Little Falls, NY, while Robinson himself stated that he was born in Albany, NY, July 22, 1807. Copeland MacAllister gives South Carolina as his place of birth. Some believe his date of birth was earlier because, according to his own statements, he was a 4-horse rider with a circus in Boston, 1816. - Wm. Slout, Olympians.] Home life being too monotonous for him, he ran away from his native heath in 1817 to embark on a whaling vessel at Newport, R. I. At this place the glitter and glare of the Buckley and Wicke [Margin Note: Weeks.] circus attracted him so he joined the show instead. After travelling through the East as property man with it for the first season at Five Dollars a month, and later as a rider at the more remunerative salary of Five Dollars a week, he decided to launch a circus of his own. [Story has it that he ran away from home at age 9 and did not see his parents again until he was 22, when his mother recognized him as he was riding at the head of a circus procession through the streets of Utica, NY, where his parents were living. After leaving home, ended up as hostler with Blanchard’s, later, Page & McCracken. When only 15, was employed as a watchman near Boston at the winter quarters of Rockwell’s. While there, practiced riding horses at night and, by the time he was 18, was a 4-horse rider with Turner’s, Buckley & Weeks and others. - Wm. Slout, Olympians.] In 1824 [Margin Note: 1840.] the John Robinson show became a reality and ever since that date there has been a John Robinson show on the road and under the management of a John Robinson. [Before going into proprietorship, was connected with James W. Bancker’s, 1832; Edward Eldred’s, 1834; Buckley, Weeks & Co., 1835; Raymond & Weeks, 1836; winter circus, Richmond Hill, NYC, 1837; Lion Theatre Circus, 1837; Charles H. Bacon’s, 1837-38; Bacon & Derious, 1838; manager, circus troupe, Ludlow & Smith, American Theatre, New Orleans, 1840, equestrian manager, Ludlow & Smith, 1841. - Wm. Slout, Olympians.] It was the first tented aggregation to cross the Allegheny mountains. [Not true. It was Victor Pepin - Stuart Thayer.] The organization then was well managed, the master hand of John Robinson being evident at all times. The show consisted of three wagons and five horses; the canvas was a seventy-foot top, which is a contrast to the huge counterpart carried by the circuses of to-day. Dan Rice joined the show as an acrobat in 1837 [Not true. Rice's first circus affiliation was in 1841 on S. H. Nichols Circus. - Stuart Thayer.]

When the transformation of circus business took place there was also a noticeable change in advertising methods. John Robinson's early means of boosting his attraction were simple but effective. The first John Robinson show agent was placed in charge of an old mule with a pair of saddle bags containing six weeks' posters and six paper boxes of tacks, for paste was not used those days, the publicity trip proving a novel one. On trees, barns and every place available where tack hammers could be used the bills and posters were placed. The circus band was a one-man affair, Mr. Robinson sitting with his back against the centre pole playing a fiddle. From its inception the John Robinson circus was a great success, and is a power wherever a "white top" has been pitched. From 1864 until 1909 the John Robinson circus was in charge of the second John Robinson. The treasurer from 1863 until 1884 was Gil. Robinson, who in the latter year became assistant manager. This show was the first under canvas to use the bank ring and to carry two separate tops, one for the circus and the other for the menagerie, and also the first to travel by train. In the 1910 season the show was under the third John Robinson. [This show (John Robinson) was not the first to carry two separate tents. Forepaugh did this in 1868). This show was not the first to travel by train. - Stuart Thayer.]

Such fearless equestrians as James Robinson, Charles Fish, William Dutton, James Hernandez and a host of minor riders learned to ride with, the John Robinson show. The first John Robinson controlled the Charleston Theatre in 1847 and 1849. Among the famous stars who played there was William Charles Macready. Mr. Robinson built the Robinson Opera House in Cincinnati, Ohio, which stands to-day as a testimonial of his connection, with theatrical interests. At the time of his demise his fame was widespread, he being considered the richest showman then in the United States. Although success perched upon his banners, it only came by perseverance and hard work. When James A. Bailey was eighteen years old he was learning the circus game under John Robinson's tutelage and for his services was paid Eight Dollars a month. His first duties were doing odds and ends for Fred Bailey, the general agent of the show.

Some years ago the Forepaugh and Robinson shows trod closely on each others' heels, so that rivalry threatened to bankrupt some of the negro settlements in the South. The Forepaugh advertising staff was billing a small town for the first of September, when two old darkies were watching the work with keen interest, and the posters read that the Forepaugh circus was the greatest in the world, which caused one of the darkies to declare that "P'raps 'twas a mighty grand show, but it was not the greatest, for old John Robinson's was the greatest." Just then up went the date, "Sept. 1," and the old darkey jubilantly exclaimed, "Dar, didn't ah tole you dat Fo'poh is the greatest 'sept one, and dat is old John Robinson's!" Robinson in his early days did not care what kind of a poster his men used, as long as the name and date were right. He had a twenty-four sheet poster showing the interior of a circus with a very large audience watching the show. As Robinson was on his way downtown after the show (there had been a small attendance) he passed one of his posters, and three or four persons were at the billboard commenting on the things they had seen at the circus. One would say, "Jim, I didn't see that"; another exclaimed, "Why, I didn't see this!" and the others were of the same opinion that they hadn't seen anything that was pictured on the poster. The "Old Man" listened intently, and then walking over to the sheet, pointed to the pictured audience, reproduced in colors, and said in his emphatic way of expressing himself: "No, I'll be blanked if I saw that crowd there."

"Gil." Eldred and John Robinson travelled for twenty-three [Margin Note: eleven.] years as partners and during their alliance never stopped showing. They would go to some large city in the South, appearing there for four weeks, during which time they would repaint the wagons and fronts, starting out again to play nothing but one-day stands. Those days the circus was transported by wagon from town to town and some of the stands were made under trying conditions. The John Robinson circus played on a lot in a small village in North Carolina in 1850, adjoining a small church, and the parson announced there would be services on "show night." When the evening concert was played by the circus band and the church bell next door had done its usual duty, it was seen that the show tent was packed while the church attendance was very poor. With the show John Robinson's six horse act was the big feature. His costume represented His Satanic Majesty. Stealing from his dressing room, he made his way quietly to the door of the church, and flapping his wings at the minister, shouted in stentorian tones, "Preach away! You can't hurt my business, for I have the biggest house to-night." The congregation thought the devil had come on earth, and there are members down there to-day who still maintain that Satan visited the church personally, as they saw him, red suit, wings and all.

Although few know it, there is a small town in New York State that will offer proof that the first elephant exhibited in America was shown in the barn of Hackaliah Bailey (no relation to James A. Bailey) at Somers in Westchester County. Bailey's brother was a sea captain and brought the elephant from India, being driven up to Somers at night and then placed on exhibition.

Gil Robinson is a chip off the old block, as he was raised in the show business and knows the game from A to Z. His circus environment made him an invaluable business man of the John Robinson circus show; for years he was treasurer, later becoming assistant of this organization. He is one of the best known in the kingdom of "white tops" and numbers his friends by the score. When he was a boy receiving his circus education with the John. Robinson shows, old Joe Sweeney was with the organization, doing a minstrel turn that later introduced minstrelsy as a permanent feature with the circus concerts and side shows. [Not true: Old Joe Sweeney . . . later introduced minstrelsy as a feature with the circus. - Stuart Thayer.] Mrs. Gil Robinson was considered one of the greatest high school riders of the country. Her maiden name was Emma lake. After her marriage she lived a retired life for many years, owing to poor health, and passed away in the spring of this year, 1911.

James Robinson will always be remembered when bareback riders were considered as the most artistic of all equestrians. His fame was even greater in Europe than it was in America. A good story is recalled of his days with the Cooper & Bailey show in Australia. His contract stipulated that he was to receive $500 a week for two years. For five months the show lay idle and Mr. Bailey wanted Robinson to reduce his salary, but the latter declined. A plague in India was then at its height and the circus people were afraid to go to that country, where Bailey informed Robinson he was planning to send the show for the summer, thinking that the rider would cancel his contract. Robinson, however, remained unmoved and coolly told Bailey that he would be on hand to ride.

William Lake was another of the noted early circus proprietors. He was killed by a ruffian at Granby, Mo., in 1869. For many years after his death his widow managed the show and was the only woman who ever ran a circus successfully. [Continued management under the title of Lake’s Hippo-Olympiad and Mammoth Circus until 1872. That season, was out with the Great Eastern. - Wm. Slout.] She afterwards married James B. Hickok (Wild Bill), who also met a tragic death at Deadwood, N. D., in 1876. "Wild Bill" at one time acted and travelled with "Buffalo Bill."

Lewis B. lent was a circus manager for fifty years, achieving great success, In 1833 he had his first experience in the show business with his father's menagerie. He became agent for the June, Titus & D'Angevine menagerie in 1834, and in August of that year he purchased an interest in Howe's menagerie. He was a partner in Brown & Lent's circus in 1835, which travelled on steamers and exhibited in the Mississippi and Ohio Valley towns. [Lewis B. Lent was a partner in Brown & Lent. (Title was Brown & Co.) - Stuart Thayer.] He managed Rufus Welch's National Circus in 1843, and in 1844 he went to England with Sands & Lent's American circus. [Lent went to England with Sands & Lent. (Correct title was Sands & Co). - Stuart Thayer.] He was partner and manager of three different circuses for three consecutive years, namely, Van Amburgh's, Sands & Lent's and Titus & D'Angevine's, During the season of 1849 he was on the Pacific Coast, after which he again managed Rufus Welch's circus. He was connected with P. T. Barnum at the latter's American Museum in 1852-53, during the exhibition of Tom Thumb. Not true: Lent was with P. T. Barnum in 1852-53. - Stuart Thayer.] In 1853-4-5-6 he formed a partnership with Rufus Welch, the Welch circus and theatre being combined, and the show appeared on the site where the Continental Hotel now stands in Philadelphia. For the next three years he managed the Equescurriculum, the New York circus and other shows. He directed the show at the Hippotheatron in New York from 1865 to 1872, and the New York circus in 1873-4. He was Howe & Cushing's agent in 1875, and later filled the same position in 1879 with Adam Forepaugh's shows. Afterwards he was associated with Batcheller & Doris', O'Brien and Robbins and Colvin's circuses. In 1882 he quit the show life, dying in New York City, May, 1887.

Hackaliah Bailey was one of the original Bailey family of circus fame, who spent active years in touring with the "white tops" and gained considerable renown. He was eighty-eight years old when he died, and although he was away from the tents for many seasons before his demise, he was always happy when telling of his memorable days on the road. He started in the show business when a boy and was a star in the days when circuses were circuses.

Alexander Robinson began to work for himself at the blacksmith's trade in Utica, N. Y. He handled circus property so successfully for thirty years that he retired in affluence. He died at Utica of apoplexy, February, 1887. Mr. Robinson was a brother of the famous circus owner and manager, "Uncle John" Robinson.

Burnell Runnells made his debut in the sawdust arena in a feat of horsemanship in the South which won for him the recognition of Old John Robinson, who then put him in the circus business. Runnells was living in Columbus, Ga., at the time when the Creek Indians controlled the Alabama side of the river, and were engaged in hostilities against the whites, The Government offered a reward for the delivering of mail to points along the Alabama side, and young Runnells, who was a fearless rider, accepted the job. He carried the mail to Eufaula, Ala., riding at breakneck speed over strange roads, but on his return, after a four days' trip, he was seized by the Indians. His captors wondered at and admired the boy's daring, advising him to cross to the "white man's" side of the river and stay there. It was this dare-devil feat that attracted John Robinson to Runnells and he persuaded the boy's mother to allow him to join the circus. Burnell eventually became the greatest rider of his time, performing the most difficult feats of equestrianship with two, four or six horses. He exhibited in every civilized country in the world, except China and India, receiving enormous fees for his work.

On his first visit to England with a circus he took part in an entertainment, especially arranged at the Alhambra Palace for Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort Albert, the Prince of Wales (who later became king of England) and the entire royal family. It was one of the most marvellous demonstrations with which a circus has ever been identified. Mr. Runnells was born in Eatonton, Ga., [I have born in Indian Springs, GA. Came into the business, 1837. - Wm. Slout.] but his last days were spent on Long Island, N. Y., reaching a ripe old age. His sons, Fred and Bonnie, were also identified with the circus business and were splendid ground tumblers and general performers. The former is now doing comedy roles on the stage and the latter also became an excellent comedian of German characters. Bonnie was connected with a number of my attractions in the early Eighties and became exceedingly popular. He died many years since.

There were stirring times during the second year of the Civil War and James M. Nixon, a shrewd New York circus man, won the gratitude of the volunteers and drafted recruits by giving them a big tent show at Alexandria, Va. Politicians, lobbyists and state officials were among its patrons, despite the strife and excitement which prevailed. Nixon assembled such sawdust stars as Madam Macarte (in private life, Mary McCarthy), principal equestrienne, supported by Mary Carroll and Mary Maginley, riders; Eaton Stone, then champion bareback rider of the world; James Cook, "The Queen's Jester"; Sam Lothrop, story teller; Jimmy Reynolds, comic singer; W. Carroll and Ben Maginley, riders; Horace Nicholls, ringmaster, and Thaddeus Barton, of Baltimore, acting-manager and treasurer. Albert L. Parks shared the receipts by featuring his Syrio-Arabic Troupe of Acrobats. Two performances were given daily and the recruits were in evidence at every show. Sam Lothrop, the monologue clown, who was an old man with a comical face, told stories at each performance. One night he performed a mock ceremony on board a Mississippi circus-steamboat. Sam always dressed in black when not in the arena, and as the "parson" he created a lot of innocent fun when he wedded a country couple who boarded the boat as the performers were playing boat-games, one of which was "the mock marriage," and there were great hilarity and some confusion when the supposed "Newly-weds" realized the deception.

Adam Forepaugh (right name Forbach) was a Philadelphian, his father conducting a butcher's market and young Adam delivering the meat to the customers. [Adam Forepaugh (right name Forbach) is not true. Adam's father's name was originally Vorbach). - Stuart Thayer.] In those days the passenger conveyances of Philadelphia consisted of stages, and on one occasion young Adam purchased four horses and disposed of them to the omnibus company, profiting eighty dollars on the sale. Subsequently he quit his father's shop, turning to horse dealing, ultimately becoming one of the best judges of equine-flesh in the country, which proved of great value to him when he engaged in the show business. The fine stock with his show, which became the talk of the country, showed his keen "horse sense."

He arranged to supply the omnibus company with all the animals it needed. During the Civil War Mr. Forepaugh furnished the Government with cavalry horses in large numbers, establishing a veterinary hospital where the broken down ones were rejuvenated, In 1863 Forepaugh sold fifty horses to his neighbor, John O'Brien, owner of Mrs. Charles Warner's Circus, and as no cash was forthcoming when due, Forepaugh accepted an interest in the concern as part payment. There was no harmony between the partners, so as a result of constant wrangling a furious one-round pugilistic bout ensued at Princeton, Ind., in which O'Brien was the loser. Then there came the "parting of the ways," O'Brien keeping the Warner and Forepaugh taking the Dan Rice show, ahead of which Kit Clarke travelled, but as Forepaugh declined to have his own name connected with the circus, he paid Rice $1,000 a week for the use of his name and services as a clown. Rice was inclined to be indifferent in his work, preferring to interest himself in his desire to become president of the United States. Rice died at Long Branch, N. J., some years ago, but prior to that was often seen on the downtown streets of New York City, where I often met him and talked over "old times."

That the organization was stupendous in 1866 can be best understood by telling my readers that it embraced thirty-five cages of animals, eighteen camels, four huge elephants, a very rare museum and numerous other important features. [The numbers in this sentence are not true.- Stuart Thayer.] Under the personal management of Adam Forepaugh, the circus proved to be a tremendous money-maker, its average annual profit exceeding $300,000. In all the history of the "white tops" business, no such large profits (except on rare occasions) were ever realized by any other show, and they seemed to be so positively assured that, much in advance of the termination of a season, he carefully considered how he would invest that which would accrue to him, yet usually it was placed in Philadelphia real estate.

It was early in 1869, when the Forepaugh show was appearing at Cynthiana, Ky., that Kit Clarke and Adam Forepaugh were talking at the tent entrance when the latter's thirteen-year-old son came up, ragged and with all the appearance of a typical little "tough," which prompted Clarke to say, after the youngster had left: "Why don't you send that boy away and give him an education?" "Eddication!" exclaimed Forepaugh, "eddication! Wot de hell will he do wid it? I never had one." The Forepaugh show was due to play Fort Wayne, Ind., and Clarke was giving the town a good billing. While thus engaged a curly-haired boy asked him for a job so that he might see the show. Clarke inquired what he could do and he said, "stick bills." He was told to get his pasting outfit after stating that he had his own brush at home. He returned with a pail and shaving brush to hang twenty-sheet posters. The youth saw the performance and later broke into the show game right. That boy was none other than Sammy Nirdlinger, who is now better known as Samuel F. Nixon, of the well-known firm Nixon & Zimmerman. His father and uncle were Fort Wayne clothiers at the time.

James A. Bailey, who was living in Louisville, Ky., in the early Sixties, waiting for spring to go with the William lake show, was decidedly "broke," so one evening solicited the loan of ten cents, which he quickly obtained. He said that if he could get back to Nashville he would procure work for the winter as an usher in the theatre and return to Louisville in the spring to start out with the show. He said that he could beat his way to Nashville, but his gripsack was up in his room and he could not get it out, as he owed the hotel for board. He went to his room, tied twine to his grip (which he bought with the ten cents given him) and lowered it into the alley back of the hotel. He got away safely and landed in Nashville. He went to work at the theatre and in a couple of weeks got a job as clerk in the Sutler's Department. In the spring he joined the Lake show, remaining with it until William Lake was killed that summer in Missouri. Mr. Bailey, when he returned to Louisville, paid his former hotel bill.

The John Robinson Circus, before the war, was showing at Port Royal, a small town in Virginia. During the night performance a row was started, some of the toughs of the town being quite roughly handled by the show people. The next day, when the circus was exhibiting at Fredericksburg, the whole company was arrested. The authorities went to the manager, telling him they would release the balance of the company if he would give up one man who had done all the damage. They stated that those witnesses with whom they had talked said Mr. "Hey Rube" was the man that had done most of the fighting, because every now and then one of the showmen would holler for "Hey Rube" and down would go another man, so "Rube" was the man they wanted. Their description of Mr. "Hey Rube" was very funny. They said he was a very tall man, over six feet in height, dark complexion, and that he carried a club nearly seven feet long. Well, they were convinced eventually that there was no one in the show of that name and the company went on its way to the next town. Of course, everyone knows that "Hey, Rube" is the rallying cry of the circus attaches in a fight.

In the language of Kit Clarke, as related to me, he "tumbled into the little steamboat 'Banjo,' at Cincinnati, Ohio, in the springtime of the year 1859, at the same moment falling into the show business." The "Banjo" was the advance skirmisher for the big steamboat "Floating Palace," which paraded the rivers of the West and was the home of the Spalding & Rogers circus on the water. His first "boss" was Dr. Richard F. Jones, Kit being the programme boy. He was fifteen years old when he landed on the "Banjo" and during the two years that he was on the boat he saved $400. Then he attended a grammar school in St. Louis for eighteen months and was graduated with high honors. Satterlee & Bell's circus came along and Clarke became assistant to Charles H. Castle, the advance agent, and with him did his first show writing. With the show were Oliver Bell, one of the owners, who somersaulted through a hoop of daggers, and Katie Ormond, a splendid woman rider. In 1863 he became assistant agent with the Jerry Mabie menagerie of sixteen cages and two big elephants, "Romeo" and "Juliet," which were later sold to Forepaugh & O'Brien of Philadelphia, who then owned the Mrs. Charles Warner's Circus. When the menagerie reached Philadelphia the show was divided, one retaining the Warner title, which was handled by Mr. O'Brien, while the other travelled under the title of Dan Rice's Circus and Menagerie, with Mr. Forepaugh as manager and Clarke its agent

When the Adam Forepaugh circus was formed Clarke was its press agent and George Bronson its contracting agent. Kit Clarke and Fred Lawrence one time were driving into Coldwater, Mich., on circus business when they stopped in front of a farmhouse; a woman came out and inquired what they had to sell. Clarke politely informed her that he was an agent for the "Greatest Menagerie and Most Moral Circus on Earth." The woman was anxious to know all about wild animals, asking if there were elephants with the show. Clarke replied that a large assortment was carried, and that there were also specimens of every beast, bird and reptile in existence. He then described one of his features as follows: "Yes, madam, we have them all; but the greatest curiosity is our educated and highly skilled chimpanzee. He was brought up by a Mohammedan priest in the desert of Sahara, and speaks every dead and living language fluently. He can repeat the ten commandments, the play of 'Hamlet,' and any chapter from the Bible; thoroughly understands the most intricate problems in Euclid, and actually corresponds regularly with his old friend, Dr. Livingstone, the great African explorer. Truly, madam, he is the largest and most wonderful specimen of the Simian genus that has ever been known." Just as he finished, a pretty, fluffy head bobbed up at an upper window of the house, some forty yards away, and a strong voice called out: "Mother, mother, ask him why they let it travel so far ahead of the other animals." The newspaper men got hold of the story, and Bob Burdette, of the Burlington (Ia.) Hawkeye, printed it and saw that it went the rounds of the press. Al. Thayer, of the Cincinnati (Ohio) Enquirer, when he saw Clarke again, said: "Say, that kid was exactly right." Tom Garrett, of the St. Louis (Mo.) Republican, asked Clarke what was in the cage, while he (Kit) was out, and John Mills, of the Chicago Times, added: "And thereby hangs a tale."

In 1870 Clarke went with Forepaugh, with whom he remained four years. In 1874 he handled the tour of Zera, a magician, making it a profitable one by giving away presents to the audience. Later he took Augustus Hartz in hand, and they made much money with the gift feature. In the autumn of 1877, Clarke came under my observation, and for some years served me faithfully and well, being general manager for many years of my New York offices. His familiarity with my enterprises resulted in my sending him to my various companies at the beginning of each season. Kit was a capable and competent manager, being considered a press agent of unusual ability. One of his appointments was with my Gigantean Minstrels, which he managed successfully in 1881. He subsequently engaged in the jewelry business with his brothers, in New York City, during which time he was persuaded by J. H. Haverly to manage the tour of his Mastodon Minstrels, which he did, remaining with them until the spring of 1885, which terminated his farewell tour in the profession.

The first South American tour of the Carlo Brothers Circus was an eventful one. It was the strongest array of circus talent ever united for such a tour. It embraced many of the principal performers of Barnum's, Costello's, Coup's, and various other shows. Every member was capable of presenting three or more personal acts, as it was necessary to change the programme nightly in the Spanish speaking countries, and the performers had to be generally versatile. A member of the troupe was James E. Cooke, the English champion leaper and six-horse rider. He was a fine equestrian, and impersonated several of Charles Dickens' characters, as a scenic act. His wife (Carlotta De Burg) was a famous rider in her day. Other principal members were Fred Runnells and James Murray, America's and England's champion tumblers. Runnells was the first to do a double somersault from the ground, and was undoubtedly one of the best of general circus performers. He later adopted the stage as a pantomimist and character actor. In a recent conversation with him, he referred to the good old circus days, before the advent of the three rings, and the pleasure it afforded to witness the performances in the one-ring show, where quality was presented instead of quantity, and the joy it was to listen to a good clown, funny and grotesque, instead of the so-called clowns of to-day. A clown then was the best-paid performer, being an artist.

The Carlo Brothers organized their show at the old Madison Square Garden in 1876, and sailed from New York in January, 1877, for La Guayra, Port of Caracas, Venezuela. They arrived there during the revolution, when Don Gusman Blanco was president. They played a two weeks' engagement at La Guayra, and then went to Caracas (a two-days' travel on horseback up the Cordilleras), where they performed a week, journeying thence to the mountain towns in the interior, at length reaching Porto Cabello, from whence they went to Colon and Aspinwall. They crossed the Isthmus to Panama, doing a three days' immense business. Thence by steamer to Guayaquil, Ecuador, to Bolivia, and all up the coast of Peru and Chili, visiting the principal interior and mountain towns, and the hazardous trip across the Andes Mountains, reaching the summit of it (23,200 feet above the sea) on muleback, in ten days, making 240 miles. Journeying thence from Los Andes, Chili, to Mendoza, in the Argentine Republic, then across the Pampas, until the troupe reached Montevideo, and after an extensive tour throughout Brazil (with great success), they finished at Rio Janeiro, and soon after sailed for New York.

Frank A. Robbins, well known in circusdom, came from a small Indiana town, where his father (Dr. Frank Robbins) conducted a drug store. He was hardly fifteen years old when a circus came along and lured young Frank from his happy home. He ran away with the Hemming, Cooper & Whitby show, and become a "lemonade boy," and for nine years was selling "soft" drinks with every travelling circus. Saving his money, and profiting by his experience with the "white tops," he purchased the candy and lemonade privilege with the Pullman Brothers & Hamilton circus, in the summer of 1880. The season was a had one for Robbins, and he closed it with a loss. In the winter of 1880-81, the building of a railroad left a number of wagons belonging to a stage line for sale cheap. Robbins purchased five of them, and added an old Concord coach, called "The Tally-ho." This he turned into a band, ticket and passenger wagon. He then exchanged the lemonade privilege for a troupe of performing dogs and monkeys. The show gave its first exhibition in May, 1881. That Robbins had to greatly economize at that time is known, because he himself had to cut the tent poles. Frank Robbins has been in the circus business for thirty years, and his success has been remarkable.

Undoubtedly the most interesting event in connection with the circus business was the great Australian tour of the W. W. Cole Show, which started in the spring of 1880, and closed late in the fall of 1881. It covered a continuous journey, from St. Louis, Mo., through to California, thence to New Zealand, Australia, and other South Sea Islands, returning to San Francisco, and as far east as Halifax, N. S., recrossing the American continent, terminating the extraordinary tour at Providence, R. I., and going into winter quarters at Attica, N. Y., which travel, up to the present time, has never been duplicated by a circus organization - a trip of about 30,000 miles.

William Washington Cole was born in New York City, in 1847. His parents, William H. and Mary A. Cole (nee Cooke), came here with his maternal grandfather, who brought over Thomas Cooke's Royal Circus, chartering the sailing vessel, "Roger Stuart" (this being before the general use of steam on the sea), which departed from Greenock, Scotland, on September 8, 1836, and landed the circus in New York six weeks later. The show consisted of forty adults, twenty-five children, forty-eight horses and ponies, and was probably the first to cross the Atlantic. An amphitheatre had been built at Vauxhall Gardens, on the Bowery. After a successful season here, the Cooke aggregation exhibited in Boston and Philadelphia, and at the Front Street Theatre, in Baltimore, which burned down on February 8, 1838, destroying all the livestock and paraphernalia. Mr. Cooke and nearly all the company returned to England and became famous in circus history there.

W. W. Cole's show career began in 1865, in the West, where he became a ticket-seller for Orton's concert, side-show spieler, layer-out, ringmaster, bill-poster and agent in advance, filling each position creditably. In 1867 he became a full-fledged side-show proprietor, conveying his outfit between stands on a hired two-horse wagon, the owner and an employee, a boy, who helped "put up," and like "Johnny Morgan," grind the organ, being passengers on the vehicle. The side show prospered, and in 1871, at Quincy, Ill., W. W. Cole's Colossal Circus was launched, comprising a "wagon show" of fifty horses, one cage of performing lions and an elephant, the animals being rented from J. M. French. In 1872 a menagerie of ten cages, bought from John O'Brien, was added. The Cole show was again enlarged in 1873, and transported by railroad for the first time, in March, of the same year, from New Orleans, proceeding to California, exhibiting en route. This was the first circus and menagerie to go to the Pacific Coast entirely by rail. John Wilson, G. Chiarini and James M. Nixon, who owned circuses without menageries, had previously taken the trip, but made gaps between railroads on wagons.

W. W. Cole's Circus was also the first to travel over the Northern Pacific to the Coast, and the first railroad circus and menagerie to show at Denver, Leadville, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Butte, Spokane, Sacramento, Stockton, San Jose and other California cities. Four trips were made to the Coast, one to New Zealand and Australia in 1880 and 1881. The winter quarters for ten years were the State Fair Grounds at St. Louis, Mo., where the show opened each season. Mr. Cole was married here, December 21, 1885, to Miss Margaret Koble.

During the fifteen years of its existence, the W. W. Cole Show successfully exhibited several times in each State and Territory, and throughout Canada, until the close of 1886 at New Orleans, after which it became a part of the Barnum, Forepaugh, Sells Brothers and other shows of that period. Mr. Cole was part owner of the Barnum Company in 1886-87, and then retired until 1898, when he bought one-half of Mr. Bailey's interests in the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows. At one period the general agents of the (then) three leading tent shows were "Cole graduates," viz.: Louis E. Cooke, with Barnum & Bailey; R. C. Campbell, with Adam Forepaugh, and C. T. Sivalls, with Sells Brothers. Cole was not interested in the shows at that time. Other agents who began with Cole, and became well known, were: J. B. Gaylord, W. R. Hayden, Al Riel, I. V. Streibig, A. E. Richards, W. C. Boyd, C. T. Kimball and Frank Lemen. Mr. Cole sold out in 1904, and has since had no financial interest in the show business. He resides in New York, and has a summer home on long Island.

In 1863, John B. Doris had but $3.14 when he went from Albany to Syracuse, N. Y., and after having paid the railway fare of $3.04, he arrived at the latter city with but ten cents in cash, a hearty appetite and a strong desire to join the Dan Rice Circus, which was fourteen miles away; so he paid out ten cents for food and footed to the show and "caught on." Doris discovered "Jumbo" Davis, who rose from a twenty-five-dollar-a-week job to a place with James A. Bailey, which paid him (Davis) $5,000 a year. It was Davis who did much to exploit Jumbo (the world's largest elephant) for the Barnum & Bailey show. Many bright showmen of the present day received their early education in the Doris "school." Doris saved money with the Dan Rice Circus, and purchased the candy stand privileges with Forepaugh's for the season of 1869. The following year he formed a partnership with George D. Batcheller, and for ten years they controlled all the privileges with the John O'Brien Shows. In 1875, they bought a half-interest with the O'Brien organization, and until 1882 the circus was known as the Batcheller & Doris Show.

The war of the circuses, in which the Doris, Barnum & Bailey, Forepaugh and Sells Brothers shows were pitted against each other, will never be forgotten by the men, who resorted to all sorts of schemes to gain supremacy, and who spent money lavishly to realize their desires. It was a battle of circus giants in the spring of 1885, when the Doris and Forepaugh aggregations toured the New England States; and the former admits it cost him $30,000, but he claims it taxed his opponents $100,000. In 1886 the Doris Show crossed the path of the W. W. Cole Circus, and the result was a disastrous one for Doris. He started out with his Inter-Ocean Show, having $135,000 in cash in an Indianapolis bank, and with property valued at more than $200,000. When he was forced to surrender the ground to the Cole Show, "he had to sell his property at auction, and he walked from the St. Louis Fair Grounds with only a dollar in his pocket. John B. Doris, early in his circus career, married Ella Stokes, one of the famous Stokes sisters, who in their day were recognized as the world's greatest equestriennes.

The name of P. T. Bamum is enshrined in the hearts of circus-loving people of America, and it means as much to the younger generation in giving a thrill of pleasant anticipation as the coming of "Santa Claus" at Christmas time. His memory will survive as long as the public care to be entertained. Phineas T. Barnum came into the world in the small town of Bethel, Conn., on July 5, 1810. His father (Philo) was a tailor, farmer and tavern keeper, whose various occupations served in a worldly sense no better than those of most men of his time and neighborhood; he supported his family, paid most of his debts, and accumulated nothing. J. E. Johnston, a New York merchant (now in his seventies), was intimately acquainted with P. T. Barnum, when the latter had his museum at Broadway and Ann Street, New York, and in regard to the general belief that Barnum originated the saying that "The American people like to be humbugged," said: "I do not know that Barnum ever made that statement. It has long been credited to him, but I doubt that he ever said it. He used to say that the repeated charge that he was the greatest humbug on earth was of value to him; people are eager to see the greatest of anything on earth, and no doubt, as he would say, 'many went to the museum just to see Barnum.' Naturally, that just suited him."

When Barnum was only twelve years old, he walked to New York from Bethel behind a drove of cattle some stock trader was taking to the metropolis to sell. Gotham opened a new vista to him, and he resolved to go there some time and make a name in the world. He accumulated a little money in a curious variety of business, viz.: barkeeper, lottery ticket agent, storekeeper, candy vendor and editor of his own newspaper, the Herald of Freedom. Barnum's first step in the show business was made when he peddled "home-made" molasses candy and cookies to the people who came to Bethel to spend a holiday seeing a circus. When twenty-four, he moved to New York from Connecticut and started the show game right, by hiring what he advertised as "one of the greatest natural curiosities ever witnessed," viz.: "Joyce Heth, a negro 161 years old, who formerly belonged to the father of George Washington." This venture made him a recognized factor among the showmen and brought him into prominence. For years he had the Museum at Broadway and Ann Street, and made it pay. His freaks gained him fame, and money rolled his way from every angle.

His fortune and reputation grew with amazing rapidity. He made a tour of this country with Jenny Lind in 1850-51, and previous to that exhibited Tom Thumb, both In America and abroad. These two attractions filled his coffers to overflowing; yet a few years later he lost his fortune through bad investments. However, he tried the game again, regained all he had lost, and before many seasons had passed he was at the head of the "Greatest Show on Earth." On one of my early visits to London, I first met Mr. Barnum there in a trunk shop on Cranbourn Street, kept by a friend of his where he was a guest. We indulged in a pleasant chat, and later visited many places of amusement. Our acquaintanceship was renewed in this country. Barnum lived eighty-one years, and died with the keen satisfaction that his career as a showman had been crowned with glory and success. It seems curious now that he should have become so famous by exploiting freaks that could not get an engagement in a side show with the cheapest circuses of the present day.

John Lowlow was the last of the old school talking clowns who enjoyed their golden era in the decade following the Civil War. He was a contemporary of such famous jesters and men of "motley wear" as Jim Myers, Joe Pentland, Dan Rice, Den Stone, Tony Pastor, Nat Austin, George M. Clarke, Sam Lothrop, William Kennedy, John Foster, Ben Maginley, "old" Bill Worrell and George H. Knapp - the latter left the circus business about the beginning of 1860 and became one of my early advance agents. It may be that many of these names can be recalled by the active circus men of the present, but in their day every one of them was a most potent factor in the amusement world.

There can be little question that for about a quarter of a century - say between 1850 and 1875 - a famous and popular clown was (from the ticket wagon standpoint) of even more importance to a circus than its star bareback rider, or its most daring trapeze artist. The names of the best clowns were invariably featured in all of the billing matter, and they were paid big salaries, as such salaries went in those days. These clowns invariably had a large personal following, who welcomed them just as warmly with each recurring season, as the patrons of vaudeville greet their favorite comedians, singers and dancers to-day. But the old school of talking and singing clowns were practically eliminated from the circus ring in the United States, so far as the big shows were concerned, between 1875 and 1885. The coming of the two and three-ring circuses did it. With the great tent seating capacity, it became almost impossible for a talking clown to be understood in the big top, and he had to give way to a new class of clowns, who depended upon broad pantomime and burlesque acrobatics, rather than jest and song, to get the laughs. Speech was superseded by the slap-stick, and horse-play took the place of repartee.

In the Sixties and Seventies, every prominent circus had a galaxy of famous clowns. The old Stone and Murray Circus - which ranked among the best in its day - presented a trio of famous jesters in Nat Austin, Den Stone and John H. Murray, and when the Stone and Murray firm was dissolved, in the early Seventies, two new shows were sent out, one styled John H. Murray's Railroad Circus, and the other headed by Den Stone, while Nat Austin went with the recently organized Barnum show.

What was probably the strongest triumvirate of talking clowns ever assembled with one circus was that with the Barnum show during the tenting season of 1876. It was made up of Nat Austin, Johnnie Lowlow and George M. Clarke. This was practically the first appearance of Lowlow in many of the cities visited by the Barnum Show that season; but, notwithstanding the fact that both Austin and Clarke were old-established favorites in those localities, Lowlow more than made good and held his own in fast company.

In the summer of 1865 Clarke came to replace me with the Whittemore & Thompson's New England Circus, as clown, as I was resigning to start with my own enterprise. He requested me to remain over a few days and continue playing, so that he might get an idea of what course to pursue. I did so, and also remained over a day to witness his debut. He accordingly appeared in the ring, and I was both amused and flattered to find he had acquired the better part of my songs and patter. It was all the more interesting to note, that from this beginning, he blossomed out into the greatest clown of his day.

The number of circuses, large and small, travelling through the States in the last five decades is surprisingly large, and among the earliest were: Franconi's Hippodrome, Spalding and Rogers, William Lake's, John J. Nathan's, Jim Myers', Joe Pentland's, Van Amberg's, Madigan's, L. B. Lent's, Chiarini's Italian Circus (whom I met while he was touring through the Republic of Mexico in 1887), "Yankee" Robinson's, Gardner and Hemming's, Flagg and Aymar's, Rufus Welch's, Howe and Cushing's, J. M. Nixon's, Jerry Mabie's, Montgomery and Queen's, Goodwin and Wilder's, S. O. Wheeler's, Murray and Hutchinson's, Seth. B. Howe's European, Haight and Chambers', Batcheller and Doris', Adam Forepaugh's, James Cameron's, J. M. French's, John Robinson's and many others. What remarkable changes have taken place in the circus world, just as in other branches of the amusement business, since these famous showmen began their careers, from the time the first circus was organized in America under a "white top," in 1826, by Howes and Turner, to the advent of Spalding and Rogers, John Robinson, W. W. Cole, W. C. Coup, Barnum & Bailey and the Ringling Brothers, who are now monarchs of the tent-show realm. What very interesting circus history could be revealed by recalling the experiences of these and others, who raised the cry (when it became necessary), "Hey, Rube."

The Ringling Brothers are now the commanders supreme of circusdom, and, as is very well known, control most of the great out-door shows in this country. They own their original circus of that name, the Barnum & Bailey Show, and the Forepaugh-Sells, the latter two having been purchased by them from the Bailey estate after the death of James A. Bailey. There are, however, several other important circuses in existence, such as the Hagenbeck-Wallace, Sells-Floto, John Robinson, Frank A. Robbins, Sun Bros., Campbell Bros,, Golmar Bros, (who, by the way, are cousins of the Ringling Bros.) and other small circuses, which in the old days were termed "Cross Road Shows."

The New York Hippodrome is remarkable, inasmuch as it is the largest playhouse in the world, and is to New York what the Coliseum was to the Romans. Under the management of Messrs. Lee and J. J. Shubert, it has acquired an equipment more complete and colossal than anything before attempted, and has become a chef d'oeuvre of arenic achievement. It holds 11,000 people twice every day. The stage covers the area of more than a dozen other theatre stages. Two regulation circus rings can be placed on its apron alone, while a scenic set on which 400 people appear can be shown on the upper part of the stage. Beneath the apron of the stage is a water tank fourteen feet in depth.

The Hippodrome was opened on April 12, 1905, under the management of Thompson and Dundy, and continued under their control from 1905 to 1906. Messrs. Shubert took over the management on Sept. 1, 1906. It gives employment on an average to 1,000 people a week. It is no wonder, therefore, the productions at the world's greatest playhouse excel anything ever before attempted in Hippodrome history.

It is not uncommon nowadays, when some of the big circuses simultaneously tour the same territory, that a veritable feud arises between the separate bill-posting factions, and in various instances hand-to-hand battles have raged and some of the billers severely beaten. This rivalry existed in the olden days, and many a biller and poster bears scars of fights that occurred when the "white tops" crossed each other's paths. In 1872 the Forepaugh Show was touring Indiana, when it encountered the "Great Eastern Circus, Menagerie, Hippodrome, etc.," and while there was no comparison as to the relative merits of the two amusement enterprises, the billers with the latter organization resorted to drastic measures in their advertising work. The "Great Eastern" Show consisted of five cages of animals, a few tents and other paraphernalia, but it was engineered by a crafty quartet of showmen, namely, R. E. J. Miles, George W. De Haven, Andrew Haight and W. W. Durrand.

Kit Clarke and his billposters had done efficient service in South Bend, Ind., and it was 2 A. M. before they were through with hanging the Forepaugh posters, but when they saw the bill-boards again, their date slips on every "stand" were covered with those of the opposition. An hour after the discovery of the trick, Clarke met some of the other show's billers, and after he had told them what he thought about their underhanded methods, they gave him a terrible beating. Three weeks later (after Clarke's eyes were well), he recognized two of his assailants at Bay City, Michigan. He worked into the good graces of a party of robust lumbermen, treated them to the drinks, and slipping them twenty dollars, stated that two men (whom Clarke pointed out to the newly found friends) were looking for a fight. The "two" in question got their just deserts, and Clarke went on his way rejoicing.

During the Seventies and Eighties, upward of forty circus organizations travelled each season, showing how much more reduced are the number that tour the country to-day. With the Ringling Brothers controlling three of the greatest shows of the "white tops," there are not more than a half dozen prominent ones at the present time. There are quite a number of cross road affairs that ply their vocation in the smaller towns. George K. Goodwin, Kit Clarke, Rufus Somerby and Harry Cutter launched a panorama of the war in the autumn of 18?8, which netted enough profits for them to live comfortably and save a little. Somerby was an able lecturer, and was well liked. Goodwin afterwards put out a circus with Wilder, styling it the Goodwin & Wilder Show; and then later assumed the management of the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia. Cutter went to New York and secured control of a large commercial company and in a few years sold out for $650,000 and now lives in New York City.

Upon my return from Europe in the summer of 1876, I brought over a bevy of English beauties for one of my burlesque companies. The vaudeville agent, R. B. Caverly, informed me that he had a young beauty who was anxious to appear on the stage, lovelier than any of the English girls I had engaged. I informed him that the organization was complete, but he was insistent, and urged me to go to Niblo's Garden that evening, as the girl would be there with her mother to see the performance. I went, and was told to pick out the prettiest one I saw coming out of the theatre. I did so, and it was the one the agent referred to. Her name was Polly Stewart, the daughter of a well-known sporting man in town. I engaged her, and gave her the stage name of Louise Montague. She remained with my company for three years, during which she married one of my comedians, Paul Allen, of Lester & Allen.

In 1889 Adam Forepaugh offered a prize of $10,000 for the most beautiful American girl, Louise Montague shunned notoriety, but her face and figure had been much praised, so she became one of the candidates for beauty recognition. She was selected from more than 11,000 candidates who submitted photographs and descriptions. She was only eighteen years old when I engaged her. In all the Forepaugh circus parades, the "Ten Thousand Dollar Beauty" was the centre of attraction, and crowds followed the golden chariot in which she rode. After the first rage had worn off she sought a quiet life, but many managers, believing that she had a value beyond her beauty, sought her services, and it was then discovered that she possessed exceptional dramatic ability. She was generous, and her charitable inclinations drew heavily on her purse. As her money faded away, she lived in a little flat that was attractively furnished. When she became ill, I visited her to render whatever aid she might require. She seemed as proud and independent as she had always been; such was her nature. On leaving her, I did not anticipate, nor did she, that the end was so near. She died poor. She wrote herself the only notice she wished published after her death: "Louise M. Montague, died at her residence, Manhattan Ave." The famous beauty was 63 years of age.

In the ante-theatrical trust days, there was perhaps more average good fellowship among managers than now, when so many are lined up as followers of one camp, and hostile to another. Every manager stood largely upon his own foundation then, and if he needed help, went to another to get it. There was then, as now, but little in common between circus and theatrical managers. An exception, however, to this rule was W. C. Coup, for many years one of the leading circus directors and proprietors of the country. He was a native of Indiana, and a well-educated, polished gentleman, with an ever-open hand. He became a general manager for Barnum, in the circus business, and whatever success the latter had in that line before he formed his partnership with James A. Bailey, was attributable to Coup's shrewdness and ability. Coup eventually launched a show under his own name, and it grew very rapidly in public favor. He became greatly feared by other show magnates, and in 1883 fell a victim to a conspiracy upon the part of certain circus proprietors and betrayal by his own employees, who were (without his knowing it) in the hire of his rivals at the same time. One evening, while in Baron Mulbach's cafe on Fourteenth Street (a place that had been popularized very largely by Tony Pastor, William Harris and myself, and which had become the most frequented resort for managers of that period), there was an occurrence which I remember well. Tony was with me, as were also George Hanlon, William Harris and Clay M. Greene, when Coup came in. We knew he had lost his show, and he who had always appeared so buoyant and self-reliant seemed depressed. We all expressed our sympathy for him, which he accepted in silence, but at length he said, in an intensely pathetic tone:

"Well, boys, it is the first time in my career that my family have not had the necessities of life."

This brought a renewal of sympathetic expressions. I was deeply touched by what he said, and, placing my hand in my pocket, where I knew I had several one-hundred-dollar bills, I drew one out, and slipped it unobserved into his palm, closing his fingers over it, covertly enjoining his silence. The next day he came to my office, and with deep emotion thanked me, expressing a hope of repaying me at an early date. I told him not to worry about it, that I had known him to do similar things many times, and that I was certain a man of his ability would not remain down, later on he was engaged in business in Chicago and prospered for a while. He died, respected by all who knew him, a kindly and honorable man, who had no superior in circus life.

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