Ben Lusbie, known as the “Lightning Ticket Seller,” served for thirteen years with Adam Forepaugh’s circus. Pfening Archives.
FROM THE BANDWAGON ARCHIVES
From colorful sideshow personalities to the challenges of managing Adam Forepaugh’s ticket wagon, discover the remarkable stories and unforgettable characters who brought nineteenth-century circuses to life.
Robbins Bros. Circus — Part Ten
The Difficult 1907 Season of Frank A. Robbins Circus
By Robert Sabia
Volume 45 • Number 6 • 2001 • Pages 33–50
January 2, 1915
In the review of side freaks curiosities of last week, there were two great features of side shows 30 years ago that were overlooked, these were Tom Hattie, known as the Wild Australian and Henry Cooper, the English giant. Tom Hattie perhaps made more money for their employers than any attraction in the business They were called the Wild Australian and were supped have been captured after a long, excited chase in the wilds of Australia. But as I did not participate in the I will not vouch for the truth of this statement.
Tom and Hattie were the one great features in the side show of the Adam Forepaugh show for many years. They were brother and sister and both had the same attendants whose business it was to look after them and see -that they were cared for in the best possible way. Hattie had a bright disposition and everything seemed to please her and she was everybody’s friend; but Tom, the brother, was quite different. He was naturally a grouch and hard to please and for some unknown reason he took a dislike to me from the first time I ever saw him. Any time when I happened to walk in the side show while Tom could not talk, he would give me a bad look, grit his teeth clench his fists, which meant that I had better keep my distance.
The complete article is available on Internet Archive courtesy of the Circus Historical Society.