Thaddius Earp - Trick-Shot Artist

Date of Application: May 17th, 1938
Name: Thaddius Jacob Earp
Title of Act: Trick Shot Artist

Description of Act:
I am a third cousin of renowned Marshall and dead-eye Wyatt Earp, though his brother Virgil was a better shot with a pistol. Morgan was a shotgun man and not worth his salt with a rifle. I toured with the Barnum/Bailey outfit in '31 and '32, but was let go when I shot the ear-flap off a young boy whilst performing my blindfolded William Tell trick, which works over 80 percent of the time without a hitch. The lad lived but has a permanent ringing in the damaged ear, the likes of which I have never seen before. Aside from the William Tell trick, I also shoot plates thrown into the air, with or without the blindfold, and can shoot balloons attached to a rotating wheel. I only use a .22 caliber rifle so that in the event of an "accident", the damage is minimal.

Other Talents: I am also a quick-draw artist with a pistol and can spin two pistols in a colorful manner bordering on a juggle.

Notes:
I was not able to verify Mr. Earp's claim of wild-west Earp lineage and Barnum-Bailey has not responded to my request for reference. Mr. Earp demonstrated his shooting in the back lot and hit six out of ten plates thrown into the air. When it was suggested that this was less than impressive, Earp reddened in the face and dared me to do better. The rifle was casually pointed at my chest, so I declined. His pistol-twirling was also underwhelming and he blamed his clumsiness on the grippe, which he claims causes his hands to swell and his eyes to water, explaining his misses at the plates. While he seems quick to heat, an Earp in the show would surely draw the curious. I have offered him a position in the cook tent, where his surly disposition will not be an exception. We are short a man, since Cookie Phelps was stabbed by Cookie Taylor, so Earp can assist there until his grippe subsides and we can re-assess his shooting ability. On a side note, one of rousts was winged in a plate miss, but should fully recover without more than a day or two missed.

- Miller Hatsfield
Senior Roustabout
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review
 May the 17th, 1932

Doreen Larabie - Fortune Teller/Hoochie Coochie Girl

Date of Application: September 11, 1947
Name: Doreen Marie Larabie
Title of Act: Fortune Teller (Hoochie-Coochie Girl)

Description of Act:
I can read fortunes using the Tarot or Tea Leaves. I can use a crystal ball as well, but have found that the ball is not as reliable as the leaves, which are about half as reliable as the Tarot. I prefer the Tarot. I sew my own costumes, of which I have about six, one of these in tatters and yet to be repaired. I will supply my own Tarot and tea leaves, but if employed will need to have a new crystal ball furnished, if it is required for the position. My costumes range from fancy, high class fortune mistress to gypsy-in-distress. I prefer to call my act "The Mysterious Marie", but this can be negotiated.

Other Talents: I can dance the Hoochy-Cooch.

Notes:
We have an opening for a Hoochie-Coochie dancer and Miss Larabie has proven to be quite flexible. She can practice her fortune telling under the tutelage of The Amazing Gomorrah during the daytime when she is not helping mend other costumes, another auxiliary position for which Miss Larabie has volunteered. She does not have a trailer and since I have a spare space in my coach, she can travel there until other arrangements can be afforded. This is strictly on a temporary basis.

- Miller Hatsfield
Manager in Charge of Hiring and Senior Roustabout
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review
September the 11th, 1947

Phillius Dempsey - Lion Tamer

Date of Application: August 15, 1942
Name: Phillius Harmond Dempsey
Title of Act: Lion Tamer

Summary of Act:
I tamed lions with the Ringling company until 1938. I was let go after an unfortunate "accident" with one of the sad-clowns who was known as a heavy drinker. The cage was locked when I left and I am still uncertain how Jocco ended up in there with the cats. I was acquitted in a court of law, but have found employment scarce. I have never been mauled myself, though from what I have witnessed, it is very painful and sometimes fatal. Big cats can be fierce when riled. I recommend all wild beasts be kept fed.

Other Talents: I can also tame tigers and some monkeys, though I have found that most monkeys cannot be trusted.

Notes: Mr. Dempsey had a difficult time understanding that we are a carnival, not a circus and that we do not house any wild beasts, other than the conjurer's menagerie, which is a handful in itself. When I tried to explain this, he became somewhat riled and indignant, and stomped around the trailer exclaiming that we must be some kind of third-rate outfit if we didn't handle wild animals. He went on to explain that monkeys, while mostly untrustworthy, gave an outfit personality and that children found them a delight. I for one am fond of the simian and wouldn't mind having a couple of the little shavers around, providing the insurance rates are not too dear. Mr. Dempsey is a fiery sort and would be well-suited in the company of animals or cooks. I have offered him a position in the cook-tent, pending an inquiry into the acquisition of a couple of chimpanzees or squirrel monkeys, which Mr. Dempsey will do on his own time, for no extra pay.

- Miller Hatsfield, Senior Roustabout and Hiring Manager
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review

Grady Bainsbridge - Conjurer

Date of Application: October 15, 1937
Name: Grady Hammett Bainsbridge
Title of Act: Conjurer

Summary of Act:
My act is entitled "The Amazing Bainsbridge" and I am a master of illusion and the hypnotic arts. My eyes and well-spoken cadence will mesmerize the audience and females in attendance have been known to swoon. I have built my act around the well-respected and mysterious magical realm of the orient, where the secrets of illusions are passed down through generations of masters and die with the bloodline. My sleight of hand is unparalleled. I feature a great menagerie of small beasts, including rabbits, squirrels, doves and a brace of hedgehogs which are conjured from thin air in a dramatic fashion. I have performed for the crowned heads of Europe with my assistant, Golda, who can also act as a hoochy girl in the late-nite shows or after-hours.

Other Talents: I can juggle.

Notes:
Mr. Bainsbridge is a noted grifter and flim-flam man, known throughout the Midwest and south by his given name, Charles Reeger. Further research revealed that Reeger has been incarcerated in various jails and holding cells since 1927, when he first began fleecing carnival customers through magic "deceptions" and clumsy pickpocketing. His assistant Golda (Marjorie Haynes) has been arrested over a dozen times for prostitution and solicitation.

I suggest that we offer Bainsbridge a position as conjurer, since The Amazing Walter will be behind bars until at least June, 1938 in Rittman, Ohio. His particular talents may be useful, but I think offering a minimum wage would be our best course, so that when he is eventually arrested again, the loss will not be too dear.

Miller Hatsfield - Senior Roustabout
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review
October the 15th, 1937

Fay Randolph - Human Blockhead

Date of Application - July 14, 1938
Name: Fay Tanner Randolph
Title of Act: Human Blockhead

Summary of Act:
Driving railroad spikes into my ears and nose and other soft parts of my skull. Driving gutter spikes into the harder parts of my head. I hardly bleed at all. Don't like to drive the gutter spikes too deep because sometimes I get dizzy or have a little seizure. The ears are best for the railroad spikes, since I don't care about hearing much. Would hate to hammer anything into my eyeballs, but that is negotiable. Would probably need an assistant after that, so fee would have to cover assistant wages.

Other talents: I can shout really loud. Can help build stuff because I can hammer those little nails into almost anything.

Notes:
We already have a human blockhead, so unless Chalky and Mr. Randolph can figure out a way to nail their heads together with a long gutter spike, I can't see much point in hiring on Mr. Randolph at this time. Although his offer to drive nails into his eyeballs is intriguing, I cannot see offering him a higher wage to do so. This would most likely constitute a standard "one-time" fee and he would need to understand that he would only be paid for that single performance. There is no way we could pay for an assistant if he was blinded by the act; he would need to rely on his wife or children for assistance. Mr. Randolph seems an affable fellow, but I suspect he is a bit of a layabout, as are most blockheads. I was most impressed with his ability to smoke three cigarettes at a time, one in his mouth and one in each nostril and the fact that he claims he doesn't eat much.

I recommend that we pass on Mr. Randolph, as two blockheads is at least one and a half too many.

- Miller Hatsfield, Senior Roustabout
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review

Boscoe Merriweather - The Human Retard

Date of Application: May 7, 1942
Name: Boscoe Tremblay Merriweather
Title of Act: The Human Retard

Summary of Act:
I will put on a retard show that will not take up much space and amuse the children and their parents alike. I will eat chocolate with my fingers and make a mess and scoot around on my rear-end making pig noises. I can use a little wagon for this if there is space. As a human retard, I will clap and sing childrens songs and have the children sing along. In the late night hoochy-cooch, I will change the lyrics into bawdy ones and make wind.

Other Talents: I can also make mosaics using ceramic tiles and paint backdrops. I can make wind on cue. I can sprinkle sugar on the funnel cakes and fold simple balloon animals if needed

Notes:
I am not certain that hiring a Human Retard will be a sound fiscal move for the carnival. We have two geeks that sing bawdy songs and the pinhead family already eats chocolate in a messy fashion. While we have no-one that scoots on their rear-end making pig noises, I am not certain that this small addition is worth the addition of a full-on retard act. Neither does the Hoochy-Cooch need a retard - the squealing might distract from Meredith and her feather act.

Mr. Merriweather is an affable fellow and during his interview, he mussed his hair, demonstrated his pig-noises which he had dead-to-rights. He also broke the wind on cue. His balloon folding is abysmal, however, especially when compared to Deets, the Happy Clown. He did not bring any samples of his mosaic tiling work.

I recommend that we pass on Mr. Merriweather, but should keep his application on file in case we need a retard act the next time we past through Biloxi.

- Miller Hatsfield, Manager in Charge of Hiring and Senior Roustabout
The Salty Peters Traveling Carnival, Roadshow and Burlesque Review

 May the 7th, 1942