Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-05
WHITMAN.
The Abscondipg Manager "A Few
More Facts.

Some weeks ago, as our readers who
take an interest in things theatrical and
musical will remember, famous-or
rather infamous-theatrical, operatical
manager, calling himself Benjamin F.
Whitman, peculiarly noted for suit of
grey, and very sore eyes. made himself
very notorious in this city. The sight of
him would be "good for sore eyes to
many persons here and elsewhere but
it would not be good for his eyes to be
seen here. He escaped, between sun
and SUI, assisted off by the aid of vet
eran Snowman, who had loaned him the
sum of forty dollars to pay the printing
bill to two newspaper establishments,
taking as security pebble stone" for
a "real diamond, s'help me, worth
thirty dollars" The gentle partner of
his bosom, the fair sharer of his bed and
(unpaid) board, having eloped, with the
aforesaid gentle bosom beating against
wadding of 7-30s and sos and her
champions belt, coucealing from the
garish rays Of day, glittering clusters of
brilliant diamonds, to await in the clas-
sic grounds of " old Bosting" the arrival
of her liege-lord. Consequently, Ben.ji-
min was obliged to use the money OBJ
tanned by this "pin loan" to buy a
ticket for New York. But, all praise to
his liberality, be it said, as he parted
from his friend and pitcher, and his
calcium light operator-faithful, con.
fdiug dupel-he stood treat" giving
his little all, fifty cent postal currency
stamp, to his friend for a couple Of
WHISTLES straight" and waving them
fond adieu, was borne by the iron horse
toward the realms of the fairest of the
very fair, the financial and devoted
Phoebe. To be sure the stamp proved to
be counterfeit; but, then, who could
doubt the intention of Benz amin So,
young women, and their parents and
guardians, comeques, liriqucs, bassos,
tenors, soubrettes, coryphes and ma
chinsts were all lefs behind to sigh over
the mutability of human affairs, the
confederation of sublunary events gen.
eraly and defunct "beats in particu.
lar. The worthless, worn out stuff which
he left behind him was knocked off at q
very low bid to the highest bidder, the
lessee of the theater, for trihe more
than fifth of his claim ; AN elephant on
his hands-a useless, valueless pile Of
lumber, sold junk and iron." But
Benjamin smiles; he wiuks and blinks
his little redtape-bound ferret eyes, and
rubs his shruHken little palms, and says,
dish ish peter ash goot; it ish nish."
Now, let it not &c thought that Ben amin
has sunk into obscurity; that the sweet
scented pair have hid their light
under a bushel Oh, no, they are
"bound to blaze" We are told from
parties who have received news from the
Hub" that Benjamin and his better Tor
worser) half have appeared in full feather
in the managerial arena, in the seat of
the great Peace Jubilee, and have abso-
lutely engaged company of theatrical,
dramatic and musical artists, male and
female, to go to H-Halifax. Benjamin
says that he was prosecuted by the news
paper press of Memphis psst all endu-
rance that they nearly ruined him; that
it was in vain that he asked for few
days time to obtain ample funds, which
be had dispatched to Boston; that his
company were all "pizened against
him; that the whole entire police were
upon his track like sleuth-hounds or
after runaway niger in
times of yore; that the bench was bribed
against him, and the bar suborned,
for even his own lawyers turned
against him and stpng the hand that (did
not) fe ed them. But" quoth Benjamin,
81 am Christian, s'help mel returns
good for evil I does unto ethprs as
would (notl others should do unto me ! |
sends on the greepbacks and pays of
every dollar owes In heaphis I pays
der LEDGER, und der appeal, und der
Avalanche. and my friend Chris. Stein
kuhl for his beautiful thester. / re-
deems my pin from the doctor, pud :els. |
grape ali over thu country TO my people |
what stuck by me and pays them all
their back salaries, aud Probe gsts al!
their receipts in her little boxi SO now
takes out rev company" Thus by
coined tale the whole ear Of dramatic |
Bosting" pizenea by Benz amin, the
honest, who sails for Halifax with drums
beating and colors flying, and AL his
On his head" Be it un'
derstood far aud near, throughout |
the length and breadth of the |
land, and wherever this LEDGER is
opened, that this unmitigatsd swiudler
has never sent on one single nickel to
pay any Indebtedness to solitary cred
itor here. There are several of bis COM
pauy still here who are in commuuica-
ton with all the other members of his |
troupe, all of whom we're reduced to very |
strsights to relieve themselves
from the dilemma and pecunisry difficult