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
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