The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-13 00:00:00

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SECRET lIISTORY OF THE STAGE.

(From Wilkes' Spirit of the Times.)
Barney Williams is probably the most prod:gal spend-
thrift in "the profession." He has made a dozen fortunes,
and recklessly squandered thorn on the fine arts. His
magnificent house on street is literally jammed full of
the rarest works of foreign and native art. Benvenuto,
Cellini, Michael Angelo, Raphael, Rubons, Bastiaua, Pon-
tius Pilate, Sol Eytinge, Ruggles (who does the " Gems,"
which can always b 3 authenticated by a red or blue flannel
border in the frame), Bierstadt, and Marston and Hays
have each laid their choicest productions at the feet of Mr.
and Mrs. Barney—for a consideration. Barney's collection
of Bibles is enormous, and the eminent Fenian is now stu-
dying the languages, that he may enjoy them all in
the original. He has one child—a daughter, four years of
ago, and of great beauty. She possesses already, in her
own right, one hundred thousand dollars, the interest of
which her father regularly invests in porter-house steaks,
horse-feed, taxes, cocktails, cigars, and other luxuries, for
the little heiress. Barney runs the Broadway Theatre,
except when the Press runs it, which happens occasionally.
Mr. Williams is of French origin, having first seen the
light of a dark lantern in De Vision street. He is worth
about $400,000 dollars, including Kat'aleen Villa and live
stock, and is a ornament to his sex.

Don John Lester Wallack is a peculiar man. They say
he dyes. He has a Berghian weakness for dumb brutes.
Perfect menagerie surrounds his house —bears, tigers,
lions, lambs, horned toads, buffalos, owls, bald eagles, till
you can't rest. Only the other day a little bear purchased
for Mr. Wallack fell dead of apoplexy in the streets. Mr.
Wallack is about thirty, well preserved, and there has
never been any scandal about him. In that respect he has
been fortunate--for a play-actor. He would have been an
eminent artist:, but that he lacks confidence in himself, and
gives away all the good parts in the new pieces to his
brother players. Worth anywhere from a hundred
thousand to a hundred and fifty, including live stock. Has
been known to eat onions (privately).
Miss Kate Newton, the prettiest of three sisters, is the
leading lady at the "Broadway." She wears her own hair
and diamonds, and has lots of both. Has a sister married
to George Boniface. Miss Newton was married to a gen-
tleman with whom she is not living at present. Husband
to blame, as usual. Miss Kate's fortune is not large, but
daily improving. She will always hold a leading position
on the stage. Owns an orchestrion, two canary birds, and
some heavy old family silver.

The following paragraph is going the rounds of the
French papers :—" An interesting discovery has just been
made in the archives of the Grand Opera, namely, the
original score of the ballet, "Le Triomphe de l'Amour,"
performed in 1681. The piece in question was the first
in which women appeared on the stage, and that innova-
tion gave rise to great opposition on the grounds of im-
morality. An attempt had, indeed, been made about 25
years before at the Th6atres du Marais to have a female.
part filled by a woman, but the essay was badly received
by the public, and Mdlle. Beaupr6, as the actress was
named, was forced to abandon the profession which she
had been the first of her sex to adopt in France. The
women's parts continued to be filled by men until the pro-
duction of the ballet mentioned above, on which occasion
the opera succeeded in securing the admission of female
dancers on the stage." It is interesting, no doubt, but it
happens not to be true. Without reverting to the fact
that women did appear on the stage in the middle age
"mysteries," it will be sufficient to state that Moliere's
" Amphitryo" was first performed in 1668, and that the
part of Alcmells was auatained by Wile. Axmalade
13ehut

" THE ASSAILANTS OP THE IRTSII Cnuncn.—To the
Editor.—Sir, having, as you know, been connected with.
the Ultramontane body for several years, and being
acquainted with many of its secrets, I feel it my duty, now
that Mr. Gladstone is about to make an attack upon the
Protestant Church of England, to let his followers know
that when he went to Rome he made arrangements
with his Holiness the Pope to destroy the Irish Church,
and ultimately to make the Catholic Church the
State Church for Ireland. Other arrangements were
also made for a Catholic university, and further favours
for the Catholics in England. The question is, why
has Mr. Gladstone done this ? It is easily answered,
for he is himself a Catholic .at heart ; all his near and
dearest friends are of the same
_persuasion, and even
some of his own family, as can easily be proved by reading
the advertisements of lotteries. in the Catholic journals,
where the name will appear among the patronesses. The
Weekly Register, I believe, was the first paper that said
the Catholic Church was about to receive a distinguished
convert. That paper, having much influence with the
clergy, ought to know, I have no doubt, if the editor
were allowed to speak, he would say the same as I do who
it is. I ask Mr. Gladstone, can he deny but what I have
stated is the truth ? .Let the question be put to him on
Monday night, so that all Protestants may know the
truth.—l am, sir, " ONE WHO OUGHT TO KNOW."
Mr. Gladstone replied as follows :

" Hawarden, April 7, 1868.--Sir, I beg to thank you
for your communication inclosing a scandalous letter which
purports to be extracted from the London Standard. I
am truly sorry if any journal has been found ready to dis-
honour itself by becoming responsible for the publication
of such a letter. So far as it concerns me, there is not one
word of truth in it from the beginning to the end. If you
think it has caused uneasiness in Lancashire, perhaps you
will be good enough to send to any of the local journals
this contradiction.—l remain, sir, your faithful servant,
" W. E. GLADSTONE.

"To Mr. H. Sharrock."

LAW AND POLICE.

ROBBERIES WITH VIOLENCE. —Several of these robberies
which have been committed of late came before the Cen-
tral Criminal Court for trial. James Barratt and Samuel
Jacobs, both 19, were charged with robbery, accom-
?aztied with violence. The prosecutor, - Mr. James
Beckett, an old gentleman 73 years of age, was passing
through Five-bell-court, Limehouse, about 8.40 p.m. on
the 15th March, when he saw a man whom he did not know
standing against the wall, and soon after a second man
seized him by the throat and nearly choked him. He
did not know the prisoners, and could not
remember having seen them till brought up at the police-
court on this charge. A boy named Leader said that he
heard cries of "murder," and went into the court and saw
the prisoner Jacobs with his hand over the prosecutor's
face, whilst Barratt was committing the robbery. At
first the last-named prisoner could not get the watch-
chain over the prosecutor's head, but at length,
by using great violence, he broke it in two parts.
The defence for both prisoners was an alibi, but
the jury found the accused guilty. Barratt, who has been
once previously convicted, was sentenced to five years'
penal servitude ; and Jacobs, who has been five times pre-
viously convicted, was sentenced to seven years' penal
servitude, and with orders to be flogged with the " cat."
William Cochrane and William Smith, both 19, were
indicted for committing a similar robbery._ The prose-
cutor, Mr. J. G. Ulrich, is a watchmaker residing at
Stepney. About one o'clock on the morning of Thurs-
day week the prosecutor was returning from his
daughter's house. When near St. Saviour's Church the
prisoners attacked Cochrane, seized him from behind, and
threw him down with considerable violence, and Smith
rifled his pockets. A woman named Powell saw the
robbery committed and gave the alarm, whilst a cabman,
named Thornton, followed the prisoners and gave them
into custody. The prisoners, having been found guilty,
were each ordered to receive twenty-five strokes with the
" cat," and to be kept in penal servitude for ten years.
Thornton was ordered to receis e 22 for his praiseworthy
conduct.

STABBING A WOMAN.-At the same court Jane Chap-
man, 21, was indicted for wounding Eliza Nugent, with
intent to do her grievous bodily harm. The prosecutrix,
who is a married woman, was returning home with her
husband on the night of the 23rd of March, when, on reach-
ing Bath-street, Islington, they got into a crowd, and the
husband was knocked down, and the prisoner rushed at
the prosecutrix and charged her with stealing a shawl,
and immediately after, with some sharp instrument, in-
flicted no fewer than nine wounds on the face, neck, fore-
head, and other parts of the body. The accused was sent
to penal servitude for five years.

CURIOUS CASE OF BlGAMY.—Before Mr. Commissioner
Kerr, Elizabeth, otherwise Rebecca, Fox was indicted for
bigamy. The prisoner was first married to Mark Fox, a
butcher, at Colchester, on the 21st June, 1855, her maiden
name being Mallett. In February 1862 she was again
married to Joseph Andrew Moore, a sergeant in the
Royal Artillery, at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Chapel,
Woolwich. In September 1863, about eighteen months
after the second marriage, she went to Colchester to see if
her first husband, who was alleged to have ill-treated her
very much, was living, and, finding he was, she returned
and told her second husband that he was. After that
Moore and she lived together "as brother and sister," accord-
ing to his account, for about three years, and he left her
altogether in May 1866. The second husband was sub-
ject to a severe cross-examination, with a view to chew
that the-proceedings were only instituted for him to get
married again. He said that he might get married if the
defendant were convicted, and had told her so—in fact,
made her confidante in a little love affair. For the
defence it was contended that the prisoner believed that
her first husband was dead. The commissioner left it to
the jury to say whether they believed this version of the
case. The accused was acquitted.

STABBING A WITNESS.-At Marlborough-street Police-
court, Joseph Simmonds was charged with stabbing an
errand lad, named Thomas Welch. The prosecutor was
walking along Berwick-street when the prisoner rushed
up to him with a clasp-knife and stabbed him in the back,
though fortunately not seriously. It seems that the pro-
secutor was the principal witness against a friend of the
prisoner's, named " Fatty," who was sentenced to seven
years' penal servitude. On being apprehended the pri-
soner said that he did not stab the prosecutor purposely.
He was committed for trial.

STRANGE CASE OF ATTEBITTED SUICIDE. -At the
Clerkenwell Police-court, George Croft, a goldsmith, was
charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his
throat. It seems that the defendant had been in great
trouble since his wife destroyed herself and children, at
Acton-street, Gray's-inn-road, some seven years ago. The
accused was remanded for a week.

THE ASSAULT ON A DIRECTOR.-At the Guildhall, Mr.
John Hill and Mr. Thomas .A.llport were charged on
remand, with committing a violent assault on Mr. Yelland.
Mr. Alderman Hale said that he had made up his mind to
commit the prisoßers for trial ; but the prosecutor did not
appear, and as he (the alderman) understood that the
prosecutor was bringing an action against Hill in the Lord
Mayor's Court, he should dibcharge the accused.

BOAT ACCIDENT ON GOOD FRIDAY. —Two brothers
'
were drowned at Brightioenisuorne.Gbootiotd
aFtraidbaoyutb3,l,otoheyh
'n Pier. The brothers were Mr. Williamaacrcds
dental upsetting of a p i.
from the G
Seaton, school,with a friend,mran d Richard
.\V.H
Seaton,
commercial
having dined together, went to row without a waterman,
in a licensed boat. When a little way beyond the end of
terevllei r, a
who,
the Chain Pier, the brothers attempted to change places,
eonhr e
t traveller,
but both as they stood up stepped heedlessly on the same
side of the boat, and the craft was overturned in. a moment.
It was dead low water, and, although many persons who
were on the pier witnessed the calamity, it was not pos-
sible to help the drowning men very promptly. When
oanlyMr. boatman,
silk was named
Marwick,seen struggling
N%a sable to reach
on
the surface the
the brothers had sunk exhausted, and not ado becg
ICRACIt 1041 64'M.

77-171
MR. 61-LADSTON2.Z\TD OIS RErrarous
o ic
Mr. H. Sharrock, of Ornislirk, an elgtor of South
Lancashire, has published the following correspondence
-with Mr. W. E. Gladstone, M.P. :

" Orruskirk, April 6,1868.—5ir, I trust you will pardon
the liberty I take in asking a moment's attention to this
contents of the enclosed slip cut from a local paper. I
have no difficulty myself in seeing through so malignant a
transparency, but unfortunately there are too many ready
to take up the weapons suggested by the Premier's recent
letter, and under the instigation of Orange bigotry an,:t
political animosity to use them in the most reckless
manner. The ideas insinuated by this anonymous corre-
spondent of the London Standard are being seized and dis-
seminated amonget your constituents, with a view to
creating a prejudice that may operate with disadvantage
to your future claims on their suffrages. If these chargcs
be not too gross to merit your notice, I should be glad, in
the interest of your future supporters, and as an ardent
&clinker of your great talents and eminent services, to sec
them at once dissipated by one stroke of your pen.—l have
the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, HENP,x
SI:L=OM To the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone."
The following is from the Standard :

THEATRE ROYAL, HA YMARKET.
Sole Lessee, Mr. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING. A CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT.
Messrs Compton and Kendal; Mesdames Chippendale, Dalton,
Lewin.
To be followed by A HERO OF ROMANCE. Characters
by Messrs. Sothern, Buckstone, Compton, Chippendale, Rogers,
Clark, &c.; Mesdames Robertson, Fitzwilliam, Chippendale,
Dalton, Laws, and Daubigny.
Concluding with INTRIGUE. Mr. Howe, Mr. Kendal, Mr
Clark, and Miss Burke.