Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-22
Whitman's so-Called Opera Troupe
Hard Up-Thfn Houses and
Heavy Bills.
Numerous Attachments A State
Warrant and . Chase After
Two Trunks.
The ID. b. ON wheels, or "a Ride ON
Dray. XII

Whitman's Great English Opera Troupe,
which he undertook to say was one
of the greatest pantomimic, operate
and gigantic combinations known in
either hemisphere. Whitman's Opera
Troupe was something new to us, but we
have had some experience with adver-
Using agents, and made such illusions to
the coming combination as the facts be-
fore us seemed to justify. For this we
owe our credulous readers an eyplana-
ton and column or SO of apologies,
which we proceed to give without equivo-
cation or mental reservation.
1t is our melancholy duty as conscl'
entious journalist, as sentinel on the
watch-tower of a great engine house, to
sound note of warning, and to inform
all whom it may or may not concern that
B. f. Whitman, the reputed proprietor
of the above mentioned opera troupe,
is an inscriptions and an unmiti-
gated Dead Beat. Mr.. Whitman's public
and private performances and expert
ences about Memphis would make quite
q volume if written cut and we only un-
dertake an outline, which is strictly for
the benefit of unsuspecting newspapers
and others who are liable to in con-
tact with migratory shows of any charac.
ter or pretension. Last Monday night
the grand opera troupe opened at the
New Memphis Theater. The crowd was
thin, but some very respectable people
we're present. 1t is not necessary to say,
for their benefit, that they made them
selves scarce during the rest of the week.
A thread.bare, insipid burlesque was
perpetrated on an innocent piece
known as Cinderella, which was
cut up and laid out as cold
and fiat as corpus after the jury
had set on it long enough to take their
dinners. The next night the Queen
Sisters we're introduced, and gave great
satisfaction, being accomplished vocal
lists of pleasing manners. But the show
was not half advertised, and toward the
close of the week the Oldest grey-headed
rats in the building could have taken
lunch on crackers and cheese in the dress
circle with oil desirable privacy. Satur-
day night there was no performance at
all, except that the rats held Peace
Jubilee, and concluded to renew their
lease on the house indefinitely. By
this time 1t bad leaked out
that Mr.. Whitman vas not in
the habit of paying out anything
He had made numerous bills, but settled
nothing. he owed Mr.. Stee::nknhl. the
lessee of the theater, three or four hum
dred dollarsi owed the Appeal, the Sun,
the LEDGER, the Queen Sisters, and was
heavily involved for the board of his COM
pany at the Central House, and not only
that, but owed salaries to all the per-
formers, numbering about eighteen.
Matters became interesting as early as
last Saturday, when attachments on his
gorgeous stage property and baggage be-
gan to come in at the rate of about one
per hour. he took the matter coolly at
FIRST, as something expected. Mr.. Wal
dram, the father Of the Queen Sisters,
had the trunks of Mr.. Whitman at
tached Saturday through Justice Mil
lard. Constable Kennedy took osses-
sioa and stored them safely OF . place on
Main street. Other attachments came
in thick and fast, and the proprietor of
so many debts began to be seriously
alarmed. He made frantic efforts to eff
feet compromise, and was profuse in
big promises. Nobody dsEhtea his abil-
ity to pay, for he has plenty OF money,
but all questioned his sincerity and his
hopssty-sn article which he does not
any longer pretend to use, His leading
idea Is to get out of the city as cheap as
possible and to abandon his company in
a peuniless condition. He obtained the
trunks by replevin issued by Esquire
Foley in the face Of all these attach
mepts, and rather strange to say-though
nothing shoald bs strange in Memphis
the repIevin bond was signed By Whit
mans lawyer, and he would have got oil
with them but for the active efforts Of Of
.osr Wood, member Of the Metropoli-
tan Police, who is detailed as constable
in Squire Milliard's oiiice.
Yesterday State warrant was issued
for the arrest Of Whitman, for resisting
the officers of the Law, in his repeated
efforts to steal away the trunks, About
ten o'clock yesterday morning the pri-
yate show-not on the bills-opened in
earnest. While officer Wood was at
Justice Foley's Office, Whitman had the
trunks conveyed secretly out Of the office
and put 10 o hack and drove OF al vio'
lent speed. He proceeded down to South
street, put the trunks on dray No. 1913,
driven by So old negro named Jim
Hamilton, and dismissed the hack, max
ing q circuit of Fort Pickering, with
a piece of carpet over the trunks.
He returned up Shelby street to
the vicinity of old Rotten Row, where
he looked for some convenient hiding
place, or to cross the river to Arkansas.