TRIPLE SOMERSAULTS. A FEAT WHOSE ATTEMPT HAS COST MANY LIVES IN THE CIRCUS ARENA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 221, 24 September 1887, Page 3

TRIPLE SOMERSAULTS. A FEAT WHOSE ATTEMPT HAS COST MANY LIVES IN THE CIRCUS ARENA.

It was said a few years ago that, v/ifch theexception of Sam lleinhart of Columbus, the famous Bob Stickney, and an English leaper whose name has escaped my memory, no gymnast in America had power to leap higher than was necessary to accomplish a double. Not that theso three men could at that or any other time accomplish triple somersaults at will, but they could do more than a double. The sceptic may say triple somersaults may be accomplished by the aid of higher and more powerful springboards than those in use, but lirst-class performers say that these would merely change the angle and the result would be the same. Of course the boaid could be placed high enough, but the specific gravity of the performer's body would be increased in descending. The height is not the only trouble. If it were only height, such men as Stickney, by improved appliances and practice, would overcome that difficulty. But after the body has turned twice the performer "loses his catch," or control of his body, and the law of gravitation overcomes bodily dexterity. His head being heavier than his feet, he is apt to light on it first and break his neck. The first remembered attempt to throw a triple somersault in America was by a performer in Van Amburgh's ciicus in Mobile, Ala., in 1842. He fell on his head and broke his neck. Another attempt was made in London in 1846. It was made in Astlcy's Amphitheatre, then leased to Howe and Gushing, the American managers by William I. Hobbes, a champion leaper. It was previously announced that Hobbes would attempt a' triple, and the house was jammed. He tried it and was instantly killed.

Other Fatalities. The next to attempt the dangerous feat was John Amor, who was born in the home of Ban Rico's father, near Girard, Pa. Amor travelled for years in this country with Dan Rico's circus, and in that day was considered the greatest gymnast in America, if not in the world. He was said to be the fir&t periormer in America to turn a double somersault over four horses. In 1859 he went to England and travelled with a circus all through the United Kingdom. In the same year he attempted to turn a triple somersault at the Isle of Wight, but landed on his forehead after he had turned twice and broke his neck. Billy Dutton performed the great feat while a member of Lake's Circus, at Elkhorn, 111., in 1860, at a rehearsal, in the presence of John Lowlow, the famous clown. Dutton was ambitious to have it to say that he did it, but did not make the attempt with the intention of repeating it. He made the leap from a high spring-board, and actually turned three times. Dutton was very proud, but sensibly .said that lie would not try it again, and that his alighting on his feet was an accident, as he could not control his body after turning the second time. Frank Starke, who was reared by John Robinson, the circus manager, undertook the feat at the fair grounds in Indianapolis: in 1870, for a wager of lOOdols. In the first attempt he turned three times, but alighted on his nands. Everybody was satisfied with the result, and the money was tendered. He proudly refused it, saying that the feat had not been perfectly accomplished ; that he would repeat it, and alight upon his feet before he felt sufficiently justified in taking the lOOdols. He did repeat it, but struck on his head, dislocating hi 1 - neck, and his death resulted in a few hours, afterward. Bob Stickney, the Apollo Bclvidero of tho modern arena, accomplished the great feat at the age of 14 years, while practising at the Hippo Theatre, on Fourteenth-street, New York, in 1846. William Stein, at the time an attachd of the circus, and who, now, with his wife, gives a " second-sight" performance, was one of tho persons who held the common woollen blanket upon which Stickney alighted. Sam Bernhardt, of Columbus, 0., a retired leaper, while travelling with the Cooper and Bailey circus, in 1840, became dissatisfied with the double-somersault feat, in which he was an adept, and burned to perform the triple. At Toledo he announced that he would make the attempt, and he did so, notwithstanding the advice of his friends not to try it. Sam made a splendid high leap, actually turned three times, but landed on his seat instead of his feet.

A Bold Offer. Bob Stickney, who is now travelling with Forepaugh's circus, was interviewed in Detroit last Decoration Day. He said : " 1 did it once, as related in your article, and although I have coniined myself to riding, and have done no leaping for seven years, I can do it again. I get the highest wages in the profession, $250 a week, but if any circus manager will give me $300 a week 1 will engage to attempt a triple at every stand during the tenting season. I do not mean to make the attempt more than once a day, and only in the daytime. " Would you need ony improved or original aparatus ?" was asked. "No. I would simply need the usual springboard at five or six feet from the ground. But I would need a strong net, with fine meshes. Farina introduced the net when he camo to this country in 1878, and in Barnum's circus h'red a woman out* of a cannon into the air. It was really a very strong spring which elevated the performer. The net into which she fell made the feat possible. If ever the triple somersault can be made a daily performance it will be by means of the net. If I undertook it I would have a straw mattress, ten feet square and ono foot thick, placed on the ground about twenty feet from the spring-boai-d. On this I would have a feather mattress of the same length and width, but about two feet thick. On the top of the latter, and touching it, I would have a strong net, with meshes not more than one inch apart, and strained perfectly tight. For $300 a week I would make a daily attempt at the afternoon performance to accomplish this feat. But it would seem that leaping was going out of fashion nowadays. Since we had a fatal accident at the opening of this season, Forepaugh lias discontinued the leaping act altogether. That a triple somersault was ever accomplished before a circus audience after due announcement, and under the same conditions as double somersaults are performed, may be seriously doubted.

Strikes have penetrated even to the Vati can. Tho choir boys and acolytes in St. Peter's have struck for an increase of salary. The Chinese Government has finally settled the quostion of the currency by concluding a contract with a Birmingham tirm for supplying the necessary amount of silver and bronze coinage. C. E. Cornish has been fined £55 and oosts at Christchurch for dealing in cigars and tobacco on which no duty had been paid.