Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-02
EVENING STAR.
THE NEW YORK ELEPHANrs TWENTY
.s...-. YEARS AGO
From the New York Lsader1
The Manufactured Elephant at the old Park
Theeter - -

| Editor Leader: A Sunday contenporar,
tells the following story in its theatrical re
| view of last week: =
| But We have not always had such homes
elephants upon the New York stage Some O
our most eminent public men have 6gurec
| fourth OF century ago, that four we'll known
persons appeared at one Of the then minol
Theaters Of the city. Our present model Msyol
| Fernando Wood, Purser Levi ID Slamm, u
3 N, ex-Consul. General Tom Carr, and oul
old esteemed Fifth avenue friend, Charles So
cor, Esq. were jointly employed as the foul
legs Of theatrical elephant, and won high
distinction. But the best Of the joke was, that
the manager, as Is sometimes the case, wal
slow in paying up the salaries of the enterpris
| ing aspirants, whereupon the boys who had
walked the elephant ON the stage, refused to
bulge an inch until their salaries had beer
duly deposited in their joint trunks Go and
| see the elephants"
Tho particulars connected with this ele
phant leg acting story are well remembered
by your correspondent, and are as follows
Many years ago there existed in Cherry street,
of this city, near to Frankfort street, q Thes-
plan company, composed of young men and
women, who were anxious to adopt the stage
as a profession in after life, and were educa-
ting themselves by occasionally appearing in
some dramatic character at this very agreea-
BILE little Thester, in tragedy, comedy, or
farce, as best suited their taste. Levi d
Slamm, Fernando Wood. Thomas N. Carr and
Charles A. SecOr were among its members
These gentlemen, at the time we speak of,
were from eighteen to twenty years of age
Carr had selected tragedy as his line, while
Wood went into the walking gentlemen, aud
Slsmm into the Glenalvous and the lagos
Wood was studying for Charles Surface, but
had not yet made his aebut-he was also ac-
quainting himself with the secrets Of stage ef-
tect, snd stage tricks, which he has since,
though on another stage, proven himself a
perfect master Of, and is not likely fer years
to come to have a successful rivsi in Mr.
Drury, the then prOLopter Of the old Park
Theatre-and forever sacred be its memory
would occasionally drop in at our Thespian
rehearsals and performances, and encourage
with his appreciation the Damons, OtheIlos
and Hamlets that we've at some future time to
aStonish the world
Slamm's near-sightedness threatened 10 in
terfere with bis prospects of ever becoming a
successful actor, although on one occasion he
performed the part Of Dsrtram in Maturin's
play of that name, and with much success,
with his spectacles on his nose Secor was
altogether in the financial line, and had stu
died the parts of Shylock and the leading
character in the Broker of Bogota; the first
piece he was to "open in" on his night" a
favor granted to members by their paying a
stipulated sum into the treasury. On these
nights the Thespian selected for his display
some fsvorite play, choosing the Iesdiog char
ter for himself, and inviting all his friends to
be present and critically examine the perform
ance Charley Green, the now matchless edi-
tor of the Boston Pcs, would occasionally
drop in when in the city, but his age and nom
residence prevented his becoming an active
member.
Ttvas AZ this Tbasr;ao so~;o.u ~ -.
quaintance was formed between Slamm and
Green, which has made them ever since insep-
arabic friends Green, on one occasion was
to appear as "Nip Cheese" in the play of
Robinson Crusoe, but was frightened out of
bis intention just as the curtain was .'rung
up and another play was, with difficulty,
substituted in its stead 1t was during one of
these rehearsals that Mr.. Drury made his ap.
pearance, and inquired of Slamm whether be
would play a small part in an eastern piece
called Ell Hyder, or some such name, then per-
forming at the Park. He was also to bring
with him three Of his personal friends to ap.
pear an hour before the theatre opened, at
the back door in Theatre alley, and ask for
him, the said Drury.
trOd by the elder kean, Cooper, Conway. and
other lumiDsries, was too enchanting not to
be realized, and accordingly at the hour pro-
posed all hands were on the spot, your CORES
pOndent among the number The party was
made up of Slamm, Wood, Carr, and Charley
Secor. Slsmm wanted to know OF Drury VIII at
part he was to act. when the entire company
were carried to the back Of the stage, and
there introduced to an enormous Elephant,
the same being supported on either side by
immense props, or sticks of timber, but whose
legs were wanting in number and volume to
make them keep their legitimate place, and
perform their legitimate functions.
To Slamm and his friends was allotted the
honor of representing the elephant's legs; they
were to receive ffty-cent piece for their ser
vices, and to be allowed a seat in the gallery
of the theatre to see the afterpiece. Slamm
and Carr, being then of one size, were to play
the hind legs, while Secor and Wood were to
take the front legs, and guide the movements
of the elephant. At the time appointed the
parties took their respective places and were
soon sewed up in the legs of the eleph ant A
timely precaution had been taken to make an
incision in the hide Of the elephant sufficiently
large to allow of breathing. The back legs
had no eye holes for the incumbents to see
what they were doing or where going in case
of emergency. DruIy was to give the cue
one whistle, the elephant was to march for
ward; two whistles, it was to turn to the left;
and three whistles was the signal for turning
to the right.
All was readiness, when the elephant, com.
ing from the right wing, made its appearance
before an enthusiastic and an immense audi
ence. The flesh and blood of the animal were
hardly questioned, its movements were as a
thing Of life, while the four poor fellows who
were giving to the beast its reputation, were
we'll nigh being suffoosted by their con6ne
ment In the third act the elephant is seen
on a mountain feeding, when the Prince of
Persia suddenly appears with his slave, who
was poor Nexsep, and after some conversation
the latter was put On the back of the elephant
with orders to seek out his mistress, and to
save her from the death that awaits her cap
ture by the enemies of the Prince. This addi.
tiou was unexpected to the legs; the weight of
the elephant had before that been as N Ich as
they could stagger under, but this " "cussed"
slave poked on, and without previous knoxl.
edge or consent, provoked little rebellion,
when the following conversation took place:
"Charley," said Wood, "what the devil
have they got on us besides the elephant? III
have to give way; my God, my legs are going
Charley, and l am besides, suffocating''
$50 am I, said Charley.
" Hold on" sung out Slarnm, i" or you vii
hrsak all ouY n0oks If Won oSve vsv now ~