The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-11

MRS. James A. Oates Deserts Her Huss
band, MIR. Titus, and Applies for a
pany Split i'm Tv0..Rtval Troupes
to be Organized--A Mother-in.Law,
A Sister.in.Lavv,a and an Iago i'm the
Box.Orfice Cause the Trouble.
From the San F, ancisco Chronicle, April % ]
Mrs. James A. Oates, otherwise Mrs.
Tracy Titus. has had a domestic differ
ence with her husband, who has been for
many years the manager of the Oates
opera troupe, has assisted in bringing it
up to its present standard of excellence,
and held an equal share in its earnings.
The trouble has ended in the splitting of
the troupe into two fragments, which
will be formed into separate organizs-
tions as soon as the engagement here
ends, and will very probably eliminate
in suit for divorce, with fat fees for two
or three lawyers, and scandalous episodes
for the newspapers. There will be seen
next season the curious spectacle of a
husband and wife perambulating the coun.
try at the head of separate opera troupes,
rival candidates for public fame.
Alice Oreencia Merritt, afterward Mrs.
Oates, now Mrs. Titus, was born in Nash
vile, Tenn, in l849, which makes an es.
innate of her age easy to her California
admirers. The beginning of her public
career has little rosy tinge of romance.
Her first marriage, in 1865, just after the
cruel war was over, was the finale of q
boarding.school Irritation. She was then
just sixteen. James A. Oates was
young. handsome and talented actor, lead
ing man at the old theatre at Nashville,
whose glory was waning when the rebel
lion began, but which had seen on it's
boards at various periods all the great
actors Of the last half century. She was
then at school at Edgefeld, suburb of
Nashville, just across the Cumberland
river. She had seen her beau ideal be.
mind the footlights in velvet, tinsel, and
bright tin armor, and sighed that heaven
had made her SUCH man.
The handsome actor wooed her secret
~, married her in Gretna Green fashion,
then returned to the buskin, while she
renewed her studies in the school room
more diligently than ever. A year later
he was engaged as leading man Of Woods
theatre, Cincinnati, and left for his new
post, taking his young wife with him.
MIR. Oates played one year success
fully in Cincinnati. After that i'll.
health compelled him to leave the
stage entirely, and he was thereafter
great sufferer until his death from con.
sumption in July, 1871. Those were sad
times for the young wife which followed.
Except for the necessity induced by such
untoward circumstances, it is quite prob.
able that the stage would lack one Of its
brightest ornaments. After Mr.. Oates
had been incapacitated by long sickness,
Mrs. Oates Joined the company Of Woods
theatre as soubrette, making successful
first appearance in the "Pet of the Petit.
Coats aud playing afterward in such
chance parts as the manager deemed
suited to her abilities. During the season
G. D. Hess visited Cincinnati with that
then famous extravaganza, the Field of
the CLOTH of Gold taking with him the
company from Crosby's opera.house. The
lady who impersonated Earl Donely fall
ing sick, Mrs. Oates was called upon to
assume the character, which she did to
such popular acceptation that she was en-
gagged by Mr.. Hess, and returned with
his company to Chicago, her husband also
going in the capacity of stage manager.
MIR. Titus was at that time treasurer of
Crosby's opera-house.
ORIGIN OF THE OATES OPERA TROUPE.
During the vacation of the following
season, Mr.. Oates took party of theatre
cal people into the rural districts of Iii.
nois, intending to go through course of
country tragedy; in other words, to
''storm the barns'' of the farming locaii-
ties which he penetrated. Their first
point Of attack was Rockford. Here Mrs.
Oates Joined them not long afterward,
and the company, which was made up of
unique theatrical odds and ends, lAbored
with such light dramatic material as .sPo-
chahontas,' ''Formosa," and few other
trif1es of similar character. This organi.
cation was the germ from which the splel,-
did Cakes opera troupe has since grown.
Still under Mr.. Gate : management it went
to St. Paul, then moved southwark once
more through the small towns of Illinois
and Indiana, through Cincinnati and
Kentucky to the extreme south, where
the following winter was passed doing
much the same class Of theatrical work
and earning an extremely moderate
amount of money. Returning northward
MIR. Oates was taken sick at Rome, Ca,
and sent for Mr.. Titus to join the troupe
as its manager. This was in the winter
of l869-70. From that time to this, Mr..
Titus, who had considerable previous ex-