Time Machine: A death at the Wild West show

CEDAR RAPIDS - The interurban circus grounds on Sixth Street West in Cedar Rapids were used on a weekly basis in spring through fall seasons of the early 20th century, but the show scheduled to set up on May 18, 1915, was especially popular.

The Miller Bros. & Arlington's 101 Ranch Wild West Show advertised cowboys, cowgirls, Indians, clowns 'and other lively entertainers.” The circus train arrived at the Rock Island rail yards early in the morning to a crowd eager to watch the unloading and to catch glimpses of the show's stars. Performers rode their horses from the rail yards to the circus grounds, followed by their fans. As the show's camp was erected, curiosity seekers were poking their heads into the mess tents, dodging longhorn steers, and talking to performers.

Cowboy and world heavyweight boxing champ Jess Willard was the primary attraction of the 101 Ranch show, scheduled for two performances the next day.

Willard, 6 1/2 feet tall and weighing between 250 to 275 pounds, was referred to in news accounts of his world heavyweight bout with Jack Johnson, as the 'Great White Hope.” The term was coined by author Jack London in an article he wrote for the New York Herald when Jackson won the title from Tommy Burns in 1908. Willard was recruited to fight Johnson, a black man, by a syndicate who wanted to return the title to the white race. The syndicate even offered a reluctant Johnson $30,000 to fight Willard, win, lose or draw. Willard won the scheduled 45-round battle in Havana, Cuba, in 26 rounds by a knockout. He vowed he would never enter the ring with a black man again.

The cowboy champion contracted to join the show on May 15, 1915, for a period of six weeks. He rode in a private car with his entourage of sparring partners. Willard eventually would own the show from 1916 to 1918.

On show day, a parade left the grounds at 10:30 in the morning, winding its way through the downtown streets, intending to draw as many people to the fairground as possible. The parade included floats telling the story of pioneer days, a stage coach and a prairie schooner drawn by oxen.

Willard was guaranteed to perform at both of the day's performances. 'He will be seen as a cowboy, as he was a ranchman before he was a pugilist, and later, in ring costume, he will illustrate with a sparring partner the critical rounds of his battle with Jack Johnson,” wrote an enthusiastic Gazette reporter. 'The champion is accompanied by Tom Jones, his manager ... and Walter ‘Bull' Monahan, the big fellow who boxes with Willard during the sparring exhibition. In this exhibition the 26th round of the famous Havana battle will be illustrated.”

As with every traveling show, the 101 Ranch had a contingent of roustabouts to help set up, tear down and pack up the show's equipment. Among them was a 15-year-old black boy who had hopped aboard in Little Rock, Ark.

Jesse Pearcell was recently orphaned when the Wild West show rolled into town. He saw an opportunity to travel, work and support himself and attached himself to the company. There was some dispute about whether he was actually welcome to join the troupe, but he had been traveling with the train for about six weeks when it arrived in Cedar Rapids. He was there for the setup and again when the show tore down.

At about 1:30 in the morning of May 20, Jesse was atop a flat car when the train moved. The jarring motion knocked him off the car and he slipped and fell under the car's wheels. His leg was nearly severed at the hip, his arm was shattered and he suffered other injuries.

The chief dispatcher for the Rock Island called the local police. The Wild West show's trainmaster told police that the show's employees didn't want Jesse around. He had asked a patrolman to arrest Jesse about half an hour before the accident happened.

Police Capt. Leonard Morrison told the dispatcher to make arrangements at one of the hospitals immediately, but the dispatcher claimed the boy was a tramp and it was up to the city to make those arrangements. Morrison responded that the boy was with the circus, but since he was injured on Rock Island property, the company physician should take care of him. The company doctor, saying it was a matter for the city and county, refused to do anything for the boy.

In the meantime, Jesse lay bleeding by the tracks, in pouring rain. The city physician was ill, so police began a search for county physician Dr. Edward Victorine. When he was finally located, he immediately came.

'Some time was spent in locating the county physician, who gets three hundred dollars a year for doing several thousand dollars worth of city and county medical work. But the county physician didn't murmur or argue. He did not attempt to prove that the duty was that of the city physician or the railroad or the police. He promised to go to the injured boy immediately,” said a Gazette editorial.

Two hours after being found, a police ambulance finally delivered Jesse to Mercy Hospital.

As he lay in a hospital bed, Jesse asked one of the nurses to arrange for a minister to come and baptize him. She immediately complied with his request.

Jesse died at about 5 p.m. that afternoon, 'due to loss of blood incident to the amputation of his leg and to shock,” according to a Gazette report.

Coroner David King took charge of the body since Jesse had no close relatives. Arrangements were made to bury him at the county's expense.