An agreement made the [blank] day of [blank] 190 [blank], between the J.T. McCaddon Co. (hereinafter called the Employers) of the first part, and [blank] (hereinafter called the Employee) of the other part.
Whereby it is agreed as follows: -
1. The employee, for the salary and other considerations hereinafter specified, hereby bind himself to travel with the show of the employers in America, Europe or Great Britain during the season of 190[blank], summer and winter, if required, or until the show ceases to travel or disbands, and faithfully discharge all the duties of the position of blank] or in any other capacity required of him, and to devote his entire time and attention and all his skill and energy by night or day to the service of the employers, and to make himself generally useful in any and every capacity assigned to him by the employers and their representatives and to conduct himself in an orderly, industrious and satisfactory manner.
2. The employee further agrees that in case the services herein agreed to be rendered shall not in the estimation of the employers be satisfactorily rendered at all times, it shall then be lawful for the employers to release themselves from the terms of this instrument.
3. The term “season” as used herein, shall mean the time fixed by the employers for the commencement and ending of the services to be rendered by the employee; and it is agreed by the employee that the employers shall have the lawful right to determine when his services shall begin and terminate.
4. The employee further agrees to obey, abide by, and faithfully observe all the rules and regulations that govern the establishment of the employers, the same being part of this agreement and read and fully understood by the employee before signing of this agreement, and the employers are hereby authorized and empowered to make and promulgate from time to time such other and further rules and regulations as they may in their judgement deem proper and necessary for the good government and conduct of their said company and members thereof, for any violation of which the employers may dismiss or impose a forfeit upon the employee who hereby grants to them the right to withhold from his salary the amount of such forfeits to be imposed or made in consequence of any transgression thereof. Such rules and regulations will be posted in the sleeping cars or in the usual place, and the employee is recommended to read same from time to time.
5. The above to be for and in consideration of the sum of [blank] per month, payable pro rata, if desired, each week at the rate of [blank] per week and also the customary traveling expenses of transportation and board.
6. If at any time during the season aforesaid the employee leaves the service of the employers without their written consent or is discharged for breach of this agreement or of any of the aforesaid rules and regulations to which the penalty of dismissal is attached, he shall forfeit all wages due to him at the time of leaving or of such dismissal and in addition shall compensate the employers for any loss actually sustained by them by reason of such breach.
7. The employee fully knowing the danger appertaining to the profession, and the business of traveling shows to be very hazardous, and being satisfactorily compensated therefore by the salary herein specified, expressly agrees that the employers shall not be liable to his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns for his death or any loss or injury that may occur during the currency of this engagement, to him or any property to him belonging, whether death or such loss or injury shall be occasioned by or result from the neglect, carelessness, or misconduct of the employers in any respect, or of any persons employed by them in any capacity whatsoever, or shall be due to any other cause whatsoever.
8. If the employee remains in the service of the employers until the end of the traveling season of 190[blank] or until the show disbands, and faithfully complies with all the conditions hereof and of the rules and regulations attached hereto as before mentioned, the employers will present said employee with a bonus of [blank] per month as a gift for his faithful conduct such bonus to be given when the company disbands for winter quarters and the final settlement is made. This bonus is to be regarded strictly as a mere voluntary gift, and not in any manner as wages due or earned.
9. The employers may, without
any notice or forfeiture whatever, instantly discharge the employee from their employment whenever he may be guilty of drunkenness, neglect of duty, disobedience of orders, profane or vulgar language, fighting, stealing, gambling, raffling, card playing, holding a lottery, misuse or destroying any wardrobe or other property, cruelty to animals, or any other unlawful conduct, or violate any of the rules and regulations to the breach of which the penalty of dismissal is applicable, or if the employee be fined three times in respect to any of the said rules and regulations to the breach of which the penalty of dismissal is not attached, whether such fines are all in respect of one run or regulation or otherwise.