Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-09-26
HISTORY OF THE BLACK CROOK

/ DuflNg lne NpIluS VI tSN'' 0lnef
happening to meet Jarret on Chestnut
Street, Philadelphia, asked him what he
had on hand. The reply was That he had
nothing; but he was looking about for
something.
That's exactly my fix" quoth Palm
er. "I've got $4,000 which Id like to
invest in some sort Of show tlat would
draw.
You're my man, then, Palmer, I've
got just about $4,000 too. Wthad bet
ter strike up partnership, andiee what
we can do"
"Agreed," retorted Palmer and now
for business. Wen get up something in
the spectacular line nth bdleA Nib
los Garden can be leased now, for Wheat
ley's term expires in June. Lets(mkc
it We must be in hurry. | hoNt it !!
Won go to New York 10y to-ugts
train. You see old Stewart and se&ue
the lease; while l take to-morrR's
steamer for Europe run over there, Rd
see what can pick up for our enterpie
in English and Continental thcatcr&
The next morning they rose early f.
New York and each went on his partitu
lar mission. Jarrett secured the lca.o
and in six or seven weeks Palmer tos
back; having brought brilliant trans
formation scene and anumber of 'ellst,,
with view to the representation ! de-
tached scenes, relieved by burlesqut and
such dancers as could be engaged 4 thi.
side. About the time OF his rctuja the
late Charles Nj. Barras was in th4 city,
desirous to make some arrangement for
the production of a spectacle he had writ
ten and called the " Black Crookl He
refused to sell it outright; for u had
abiding faith, like most dramatic al hors
that it would have great run. TN MS
was carefully read, and although There
was little in it, it suggested SO nany
things that the twain agreed to give lrra-
II royaltyj and he accepted itwith aIdity.
After two or three months OF hard work
"The Black Crook" was largely slyer-
tised, and the opening night anno bced.
The managers who had meanwhihl fused
their credit Iiborally, supposed the lpec-
tacle might run for seven or eight " tek-;
anticipating the putting on Of some other
novelty at the close OF that time. The
receipts ut the box Office Oh. The first blight
We're $3.50; second, So, POO; on the thijd,
50, 400; on the fourth, fifth and sixth from
So 900 to 500. "The Cnol, - drew SO
well that jarrett u Palmer thought it
would retain its attactyeaes. for three
months, and when thc thrc5 snulh, had
nearly ended, they dared to i'd one or
two months more. As the s, ne proved,
the spectacle filled the house Tor nearly
two years. The whole natiolwent to see
it and the reputation it gamyIlor immo-
Wiity augmented its alluremnt. Many
! persons witnessed it twelve, l.ren, twenty
times, and heard Of certain I'D stagcrs
who occupied front seats in tA porquette,
week in and week out, duiu the greater
I l'''' W. WV ii'N y Nt'l 1 ilt o. NNN ~ lobN
became a popular phrase, everybody
talked about it; the newspaIrs discussed
it, the pulpit preached agar it, and the
entire republic llocked to hoold it, The
first thing n countryman d on arriving
in New York was to buy ticket for
" The Black Clook;" and when he re
turned to his rural home, was eloquent
upon its splendors and glo nus impropri-
cites. A host Of orthodoN lergymen are
reported to have gone the in disguise,
in order that they might e., with their
own pure eyes, what hao charmed the
sinful world. jarrett II lmer are said
to have cleared from "Th Crook" Sl50,-
900 apiece, and Baras, VI to the time Of
the unfortunate accident lich ended his
life, had netted from The production Of
the spectacle all over Il country, not
less than 100000. Jan 1t ~ Palmer
are worth, it is reported, 900 to 550O,
900 each, and might hul been worth
more if they had not bn unlucky in
certain enterprises Chtc 10 Times.