How dare the Hanlon Brothers employ a deadbeat dad as a clown. I'm simply outraged!

Anytime a clown from the 1880s abandons his wife and children in Paris to move to New York, I’m on the case. That was the transatlantic, clown-centric tale being told on April 10, 1887 in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The Hanlon Brothers referred to in the piece were a fraternal troupe of acrobats, jugglers and comedians who invented the aerial safety net, which has protected many a high flyer ever since. The story in full:

“Vassel Pizzarello, a professional clown, was brought to Jefferson Market Court, New York, yesterday afternoon, for abandoning his wife, Marie Pizzarello. The woman says that her husband deserted her and their six children in Paris a year ago. She brought two of the children here some months ago, and since then has been hunting for her husband. She is now staying at 12 Warwick place, New York. The husband had recently became engaged by the Hanlon Brothers to play in “Phantasma” at $4o a week, and was to have left the city last week. William Hanlon came to court with the clown, who was paroled for examination this morning, Mr. Hanlon agreeing to see that he would be present.”