My life has been frequently threatened and twice attempted because of
my persistent determination to drive this thieving fraternity from my
shows. One day in a small western town a man introduced himself to me
as the brother of a very respectable Chicagoan and explained that he
was on his way to Texas to join in certain speculations. I at once
suspected him of being a fakir and gave orders to the manager of the
side-show to get rid of him and all his kind. A little later the
landlord came to me and said: "Mr. Coup, there is a fellow out here who
says he will shoot you on sight; he is one of the men traveling with
you." On investigation I found that he was not the man who had
introduced himself to me, but was one of the gang attempting to work
the show: he bore a desperate reputation, and was popularly credited
with having killed several men; all of my employes stood in fear of
him, and I concluded to appeal to the mayor of the town for necessary
protection and assistance. Before doing so, however, I put on a heavy
ulster, in each side-pocket of which I placed a loaded six-shooter.
With a finger on the trigger of each revolver I started out to find the
mayor. While crossing the public square I met the man who had
threatened to shoot me. Stopping squarely in front of him I said: "I
believe you have threatened and intend to kill me, and I want to say to
you that you will never find a better opportunity to do so than right
now." He proposed to argue the question with me, but I simply insisted
that he should leave town at once. The outlaw began a tirade of abuse,
and remarked that he was a southern man. "Well," I answered, "if you
wish to bring that question into the argument, I am a northern man, and
you may tell this to all of your tribe." That ended the matter, and he
left town that afternoon; but if he had not known that I had two
six-shooters pointed directly at him, I would probably not have been
left to tell the tale.
In my battles against the fakirs I have universally relied upon the
strong arms of my husky "canvasmen," and more than once I have armed
them with clubs concealed under their coats, with the result that the
fakirs were driven from the field with broken arms and noses. It is a
lamentable fact that not a few of the wealthiest showmen in this
country have swelled their fortunes by the "rake-off" from the
despicable gains of these blacklegs and tricksters.