Show World (October 1909)

6 THE SHOW WORLD October 30,1909. HIGH JUMPER COWAN NEAR JAWS OF DEATH Well-Known Carnival Diver Has a Close Call at Princeton, Ill., During Red Men’s Festival. Tom Cowan, the high jumper and •diver, closed his season at the Red Men’s Carnival at Princeton, Ill., last week and in his dive on Friday night had a narrow escape from being ■drowned in the small tank into which he dives when giving his exhibition. Cowan, with his body swathed in cot¬ ton from his feet to his waist, sets it ■on fire as he jumps and at the same time, his tank is also set on fire around the sides. He uses four twenty-foot ladders and generally makes the jump from a heighth of seventy-two feet into ’ him. Cowan Has Close Call. He hit the tank near the side and had the breath knocked out of him. The fact that he did not come to the surface gave the carnival men, his manager and •others close to the tank great concern •and they were on the point of entering it to locate him, when he finally came •up to one side in a dazed condition. He was quickly assisted to a hotel, where die was wrapped in blankets and given stimulants. After some minutes, •Cowan was himself again, feeling none the worse for his dangerous experi- •the center of the tank before again at- -tempting the feat. Cowan, who is thirty-six years old, is Waukegan Showman Has a Novel Salt Brought Against Him—Price of Two Nickel Tickets The Cause. WAUKEGAN, Ill., Oct. 27.—William Madsen, manager of a nickel theater here was sued for the sum of ten cents "by A. E. Parker, of Highland Park. In •explaining the suit Mr. Madsen saidi “Sunday night, Oct. 3, Mr. Parker and -3 to my place and bought two 5 cents a piece. Being told . - . full house, so they “■-1 few minutes. ■tickets __ _ that there would have „ __ _ both went out again and went — _ •other place, but only to find this packed too. They then decided to go •back to my place, but in the meantime my lobby had filled up with people, and in order not to overcrowd this, I ■did not allow any more to get in, but ■told them to wait a few minutes. This I did in accordance with the city or¬ dinance, which forbids us to crowd •aisles and lobbies. "Mr. Parker did not like to stand out¬ side, although it was a fine evening and demanded to get in, having paid for his tickets. I asked him to kindly waif a few minutes, but he demanded to get into the lobby or get his money- back. This would have been the easi¬ est way out of the whole thing, but the way he asked, I simply told him ■that he was not any better than the •other fifty people standing outside. “Mr. Parker now went to the police And wanted them to interfere, but they refused. "A few days later, I was surprised by a constable with a summons from Highland Park with order to meet before Justice of Peace E. S. Gail on Satur¬ day, Oct. 15. Haled Into Court. “I did not at the tfme know the or where he belonged and THEATRICAL MAN SUES WHITLA FOR DAMAGES Echo of Famous Kidnaping Case in Suit Filed in Ohio Town for $100,000 for Alleged False Imprisonment |f' Wires Are Guides. Cowan, after mounting to the top, depends much on the top guy wires on •each side of him to “center” the tank at the bottom, so he can strike the water without injury to him. These wires, when possible, are stretched at An exact angle by Cowan and long cus¬ tom has enabled him to tell by them when ,he is "centered.” Owing to a high wind on the night of his first jump, he could not stretch the wires and was forced to cut down the heighth •Of his jump on Friday when he moved up to the limit. Having been unable to place his wires at their usual angle, he found himself without his usual famil¬ iar guides, and consequently, he was greatly bothered. Trying to guage the •center of the tank, he finally nerved himself to make the leap, knowing in¬ wardly that it was simply a matter of ■conjecture, without the wires to “een- land Park with my lawyer, Mr. Orvis. Outside of Mr. Gail’s office we met Mr. Parker, and Mr. Orvis told both of us that there was a good chance to settle this affair without spending money on both sides. "As I did not start all this, I told them I did not care, but Mr. Parker held up his head high and would not settle, but go ahead with what he called a friendly ‘test case.’ “Arriving at the office of the justice, my lawyer demanded a jury trial, and I paid the money for this. “Mr. Parker now seemed to change his mind a little and started to talk about a settlement with my lawyer, and after an hour’s talk too and fro, he was willing to settle if I would pay Dart of the cost and redeem the two in cents. This I refused told him, that he had started this case and he could go ahead. I did not care if I had to spend a $100. “By and by, he cut down his de¬ mands and only wanted the ten cents for the tickets. I told him, however, that I would not pay him one cent and he could do just as he pleased. In order to settle, my lawyer offered to buy the two tickets from Mr. Parker and keep them as souvenirs, and after some more talk, Mr. Parker gave in and received the ten cents and paid all the costs.” YOUNGSTON, O., Oct. 27.—Joseph Wess, formerly manager of Avon Park, and well known in theatrical circles of various cities, has begun suit against James B. Whitla, of Sharon, Pa., the father of “Billy” Whitla, and the Per¬ kins Detective agency for alleged false and malicious imprisonment in con¬ nection with the famous kidnaping case. Wess asks $100,000 damages.—ARMOR. _t of Cole Brothers’ circus decided : would be more convenient for the a if all the stock was together, there- tickets v Martin Downs. Harry Potter is charge of the circus here. Nothing has as yet been given out for publication, Stock Company In Trouble. SANDUSKY, O., Oct. 26.—The season of stock at the Lyceum Theater ended abruptly last Tuesday owing to finan¬ cial troubles, but will probably reopen next Monday. This sudden close was effected by a third party, whom Messrs. Lawrence and Griffith had taken in with them, absconding with the box office receipts. _it will be some time before it known if tnere will be any changes be¬ fore the opening of another „ stage, and carrying only 22 _ ... it Is a known fact that Ringling Bro¬ thers would like to see the show out of the way.—BERLINER. NORRIS & ROWE WINTER QUARTERS TO BE SOLD years old at Pensacola, Fla. The Princeton papers contained long accounts of Cowan’s accident at its •carnival. SANTA CRUZ, Cal., Oct. 27. —The Norris & Rowe circus winter quarters will be sold, and after all debts have been paid those who subscribed to pur¬ chase the property will receive their $74.( commenced in the Superior Court by F. D. Baldwin and W. T. Jeter against Duncan McPherson and a long list of defendants, who were F. A. Hihn, Wil¬ liamson & Garrett, Henry Willey, Walti " Schilling Co., J. J. C. Leonard, Wes- sendorf & Staffler, Kate Handley, F. H. Parker, Robinson & Co., Montroyd Sharpe, D. W. Johnston, James Nor- mand, S. Leask, Francis Budgett, J. W. Forgeus, J. M. Walsh, O. J. Lincoln, L. N. Trumbly, John Notley, F. R. Cum¬ mings, Mabel Dieter, administrator, Ma- kinney & Dake, C. D. Hinkle, C. E. Fa- gen, E. Jeffrey & Son, D. Jonas, J. W. Dickinson, S. H. Bailey & Son, H. E. Irish, J. B. Maher, F. R. Walti and Joseph F. Geisler as trustees of Clar¬ ence I. Norris and Hutton S. Rowe. In the complaint it states that on May 12, 1905, all the defendants, with the exception of F. R. Walti and Jos. Geisler, subscribed $3,495 toward win¬ ter quarters for the circus in amounts ranging from $5 to $400. To raise the balance, a promissory note for $1,200 was executed, due April 12, 1907, on which is due $693.61. The real property cost $1,711.50. Nor¬ ris & Rowe have only paid thereon two $300 payments and $541.54 for taxes. Announcement has been made that Jake A. Sternad, formerly connected with the Western Vaudeville Managers’ connection with that organization, has formed what will hereafter be known the National Producing company, and - *’ 1 producing big attrac- •the constable did not know what trouble was, and in order to find out something about it, I went to my law- found out what the suit was about, fact Mr. Tucker was suing me for 10 •cents and costs. “Saturday came and I went to High- REPRESENTATIVE ARTISTS are cordially invited to make THE SHOW WORLD their permanent address. Our mail forwarding facilities are unexcelled. Keep us sup¬ plied with your route as far in advance as possible. SEND US YOUR NEWS ITEMS. Make our offices in the Grand Opera House Building your headquarters while in Chicago. REMEMBER—CO-OPERATION IS THE POLICY OF THE SHOW WORLD—the live, up-to-the-minute NEWS-paper—living every second up to its watchword. THIS WEEK’S NEWS THIS WEEK. If the newsdealer does not handle THE SHOW WORLD ask him, WHY? tions on the road. Sternad ■will any booking except his owi through Chicago sources. SfaB ‘ W. V. M. A., Sternad has a letting the grass grow under his few and he has been planning to spring fore all the animals were removed __ day from the radiator building and in¬ stalled in Floral and Agricultural halls at the fair grounds. The show is wintering four elephants, seven camels, two cages of monkeys and one of birds, besides 20 cages of carnivorous animals. So interested are Corry people, that a day is to be set aside each week for visitors to see the "Zoo." There are 104 baggage horses and 38 head of ring stock being win¬ tered here. James Downs arrived from Toronto Sunday evening, accompanied by Mrs. - surprises —_ being consummated this week when Z signed with Jack Johnson for the latter to tour under his guidance, announce¬ ment of which is made elsewhere in this week’s Show World. a Sternad. who Is a prominent Elk and is associated with other organizations has a number of big acts in vaudeville at present and is arranging to put oth¬ ers out before the season is over He has been in the vaudeville managerial Fred Kressman, who has oier- nad’s secretary and personal representa¬ tive for the past year, will continue to in the same capacity for Mr. Ster- Sternad,_ ... _ made arrangements for permanent head- -rters in Room 503 in the building at Wednesday afternoon, 167 Dearborn street. Big Brunette Heavyweight Will Head a Vaudeville Troupe Which Will Soon Go on the Road. The Cole Brothers’ snow has always been a hard competitor of the larger circuses, billing as heavily as any of them, yet playing only two rings and Following the announcement that J. A. Sternad, formerly of the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association, has organized a producing company and would act as its general director, Ster¬ nad announced that he had secured Jack Johnson, the negro champion prize¬ fighter. to head an all-star vaudeville troupe, which Sternad will send on the road in a fortnight. While the arrangements were prac¬ tically made on last Tuesday, it became generally known that Sternad had signed Johnson as his newest vaudeville attraction, when the big black visited Sternad at the Saratoga hotel Wednes¬ day afternoon, just prior to his depart- Suit begun in California Court to Recover Money Subscribed by Citizens for the Well-Known Show. The plaintiffs have in hand $2.50, and there is due for taxes, 1908-09, first in¬ stalment, $74.11; second installment, The plaintiffs ask the court to de¬ cide that neither Geisler nor Norris have any lien on the property. They ask that the court order the sale of the property; that after the costs and attorney fees are paid; also the plaintiff for money advanced, that the balance should be divided pro rata according to amounts of money ad- Well-Known Vaudeville Man Will Book His Own Acts Through Chicago Sources—Opens Offices at 167 Dearborn Street. -for New York city. The crowd th_. . followed the "champion” jammed the hotel corridor, and 'it was necessary to have a squad of police to make way for the fighter. Johnson and Sternad completed their plans for the former's triumphal entry into vaudeville, appear¬ ing solely under Sternad’s guidance. Johnson is bound to prove a great drawing card anywhere by reason of his prize ring prominence and recentvictory over that popular white “scrapper,” Stanley Ketchell. Sternad says his new offering will be known as the Jack Johnson All-Star Vaudeville Troupe, and that he will he the only negro in the company, fifteen white artists being engaged for the In addition to the champion heavy¬ weight pugilist appearing with his sparring partner in a scientific exhibi¬ tion of the manly art, the pictures of his fight with Ketchell on October 16 will be shown. Sternad has known Johnson for six or seven years, and by reason of his long acquaintance with the fighter, was able to get first call on his services as a vaudeville novelty. Johnson’s contract holds good until the day he begins training for his fight with Jeffries. The tour of the Johnson troupe will begin In two weeks. Acrobat is Injured. Max Sandor, the agile "topper” flf.the Sandor trio of acrobats, which opened last Monday afternoon at the Ameri¬ can Music Hall, was injured during the first performance and the act was forced to close for the week, the man¬ agement of the Morris house getting George W. Day, the blackface come¬ dian, to' fill in the gap at the night show. Sandor was working through one of the trio’s difficult stunts, where a strap is used and it broke, prOTBMt- ing him to the stage floor in such a manner that his left arm was painfully injured. , . The trio had gotten along toward tne finish r- — - * - iaa gotten atone Iinisn wnen the accident occurred and the artist complained of severe pain in his left shoulder. The injury will not prove a serious one and the acrODats Win be able to resume their work in a few days. ... Sandor, while the oldest of the tr • - the shortest, and in the act, nas •. hazardous feats to perform from is the shortest, and in the a some hazardous feats to perfor... - the shoulders of his acrobatic brothers The Sandors were the closing on the bill, but the mishap to Max ana the subsequent engagement of » through a hurry-up call, caused a sn in the program at night.