On June 2, 1911 the Pantagraph reported the apprehension of Earl Dunlap, a runaway, in St. Louis. Earl had been fostered out to a farmer who Earl said abused him. He liked the country life and the animals, but he took the farmer's abuse as long as he could, then he ran. In St. Louis he saw a circus parade and took a liking to the monkeys. He had thirty dollars burning a hole in his pocket and went to a pet store when he found his new friend "Joe." He purchased the monkey for $15 and then met up with an African American boy who could turn handsprings. The two formed a partnership and tried to find a place for themselves in the circus world. The photo here is courtesy of the St. Louis paper and the report there of Earl's adventures.
Unfortunately, the three aspiring circus performers had to sleep rough that night. A policeman found them sleeping in a shed around midnight and arrested them. Earl was sent back to Bloomington, sans monkey, and the fate of the young African American was not reported.
This was not Earl's only entanglement with the Bloomington police however. Weeks earlier, Earl was involved in a joy ride in a farmer's buggy. Earl and a little six year old boy took the buggy sometime before midnight and drove to Shirley. On their return to Bloomington they were stopped by the police. The owner of the horse and buggy, Mr Killian of Merna, was astounded that the boys returned safely, as his horse was known to be difficult to handle and had previously run away with the buggy. Earl reported that he had also stolen a bicycle and some candy that day. His background was not reported except that his parents pleaded his case, and he was sent to live at his Uncle William Phelan's farm near Downs. Perhaps they should have sent Earl to the Greens to learn the circus trade after his joy ride! This time, Earl was sent to the St. Charles reformatory for boys.