Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-10
A GENUINE STAGE FIGHT.
How a Sham Battle Between Two
women Became a Real Encounter
Maud Granger and a Rival In
Their Great French Act.

AssommOir, now on the stage at th
Olympic Theater, there occurs a fgh
between two French women in a Pari
layatory. The scene is supposed to be
and no doubt is, a realistic me. Tn,
two women are known respectively a
"Geryaise" and big Yirginie, TIL,
former is, at this point in the play
mistress Of a drunken halter, who de
serts her and runs off with Biz
Y~irginie's" sister Adele" Blu
"Geryaise" knows nothing Of this fac.
until her two little children com,
wading through the soapsuds 10 tel.
her that papa is gone. Big Virginief
who knows OF his departure, has come
TO the laundry TO gloat over Ger
VASE who has lately been putting on
airs, and all that sort of thing. She
taunts the poor mother, and hard,
slangy words follow. These express
sions il the original French are not
only slangy, but decidedly nasty, In
the English version they are toned
down somewhat, but they are still quite
vulgar, and hardly flo 10 be spoken
by any actress who processes TO be a
LADY, From words they come to blows,
They pull each Others hair, and their
dresses are torn until the white skin
is seen. Blows are freely exchanged,
and presently "Geryaise" tears one of
Yirginie's earrings with u sudden
pull, and tubs of alleged hot water are
thrown by each upon the other,
Finally "Gervaise picks up the
heavy paddle with which she has been
beating her clothes in the wash, rushes
upon the other huzzy, seizes her by
the waist and bends her over her knee.
Then she lifts her skirts and warns
her bare body till she shrieks with
pain and falls upon the floor,
Such is the scene in the layatory, a
description OF which is necessary in
order to understand what follows
The part OF "Geryaise is played
BY Maud Granger; that of Biz
Yirginie . by Emily Rigl, The former
is an actress of some professions, who
has starred throughout the country,
Emily Rigl was formerly a ballet
dancer, a premier d%anseuse of no mean
merit. She and her sister Bette are,
indeed, stars, and what was much
better, always preserved their reputa-
ton for chastity aud gentle breeding.
For sometime there has been a pro.
leSsional rivalry between Emily and
Maud the cause Of which is not yet
known nor is it known that Augustin
DAILY was aware OF this fact when he
engaged the two ladies' to play these
parts. This rivalry grew apace until
the ladies' got TO hating each other.
Then, so report SAYS, they got to
speaking i'll of each other, aud shortly
were fighting mad, Tonight the scene
in the layalory is said to have been
realistic beyond a doubt, The know
ing ones in the theatrical circles have
been expecting the quarrel to culmi-
nate for some time, and as it was
known that a rare opportunity pre-
ientod itself for an actual fight in this
play Of AssOmmoir, all the actors and
actresses in the city who are out Of
cork and can get past the door
Keepers have been crOwding the
Olympic in order 10 be in at the death.
Tonight THESE expectant gossips and
other spectators Of the play noticed
40 extra spitefulness in Miss Rigl's
tone Of voice also in Changers.
Then came the throwing Of water on
Miss Rigl bosom and hips, as before.
Miss Granger hurled a bucketful
Bitb all her might direct in the face
IT Yirginie." Thepo0rgirl was nearly
,lriHgled. and cries Of alarm we're ut
tered by the other women On the stage.
The audience shouted and applauded
II was ~glOriOusly funny. and,
a. they supposed al 10 the play In.
:lantly-that is, as soon as she had
rec0VeFedI Big Yirgnie grabbed
4eF pail Of sOapsBds aud stnided across
he stage after Granger The lat
.er grabbed up her skirts and started
10 run. Rigl increased her speed. /
iyerS9k GerVaise and drenched
ben fr9m head 10 foot With the nasty
gateF Then the two ladies disFe- I
he rules u the prize ring and
.iaehed They pulled each others /
lair, they scratched each Others face.
tgre each others clothes they
allied each other H4mes. and they
void perhaps have seriously Injured
zach otheF II they bad been permitted
10 have their own way Bar the cur
.aiH vas TuHg down som enough
l0ReyeT Carpenters aud scene
rushed upon the stage and the
5elligeEeBt females were separated I
representations ~ the part u the
MalageF followed. The artists II the
company begeed the ladies 10 remem
Der where tbey we're and let the play
proceed Emily and Maud promised
% hight 10 more, sBl the curtain was
ma again