Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-19
KATE CLAYTON.

IN \ ~ SA4h ~ AONe
The FIre-PrOOf Actress Has (5rea1
Difficulty ia Keep Fire Engines,
IUsurRnce Companies ana Es-
eapes" from Befng Named After
Mer-Nho Tells the STORY OF Her
Prosecutions.
From New York World Interview with
Miss Kate Olaxton.l
Miss Claxton left st. Louis, tax.
ing with her the Olympic Theater
Company, with Mr.. Spaulding a:
manager, and went on a seven
weeks trip through Nebraska, Min.
nesota, Iowa, Ohio and Michigan,
closing last week at Chicago. Every,
where she met with great success,
but everywhere, to her great cha
grin, she was met with sensational
paragraphs, items intended to be
funny and thrilling stories, all turn.
ing upon the fires at which she
had the misfortune to be present
About a week before she was due at
st. Paul, a second.class hotel there
was burned, and it was at once
given out, without the least ground
for the statement, that she had en-
gagged rooms at that very house.
Writing to friend in New York
about this time, Miss Claxton, in a
private letter, complained of the
tone III which the newspapers coup.
led her name with every fire that
took place, and the letter, as she
positively declares, without the
slightest intention on her part, was
given to the press and published
far and wide. This, so to speak,
added fuel to the flames, and the
newspapers had more to say about
her than ever. At Milwaukee a
few days later she stopped at hoteI
where she had lodged before and
took a room Immediately under.
meath the one she had previously
had. In the evening a gentleman
was shown to her former apart.
ment, and, in the course of his in.
quiries learned that she had occu.
pied it. " What" he shrieked,
"Kate Claxton been in this room?'
eyes," was the reply, Sand she i;
down stars rsnow." No sooner were
the words spoken than the excited
traveller gathered up his effects and
started for the door. No words
could prevail upon him to stay, and
he left at dead of night to fud
other lodgings. This true story got
out Of course, and was repeated in
all sorts of exaggerated forms will
the same result as before.
While playing at La Crosse in the
Two Orphans, and in the garret
scene in the last act, just as ellen
riette" pulls the shawl off "PerC
Frochard," a cry OF "Firew wa
started, and a panic immediately
ensued. Miss Claxton, suddenl,
restored to sight, rushed from the
garret, and with the aid of til,
other members Of the company
quieted the audience. Returning t
the garret, the play was just goins
on again, when the fire bells werr
heard and another panic followed
during which half the audience lef
the theater. After quiet had beef
again restored, it was learned thai
the cause of all the trouble was thu
silly fears Of a gentleman in TIN
neighborhood, in whose kitchen
little fire had broken out, and who
fearing the worst, as Miss Claxtol
was in town, had caused a genera
alarm to be sounded. Most of tn
fremen were in the theater, ant
their hurry to get out caused th
disturbance. This affair so grieveC
Miss Claxton that she was will
difficulty dissuaded from discon
tinuing her tour. With her pre-
vious experience OF the exaggerated
reports Of similar occurrences pain
fully fresh in her recollection, sh
used the utmost efforts to proven
this affair from being telegraphet
to either towns, and succeeded, s.
that no report of this was sent b
telegraph anywhere, and it onl
. leaked out through private CORE
spondence. After that Miss Claxtor
on her arrival in any town, made
practice of going personally 0
I sending her agent to every news