The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30
PLANT OF A PLAY WRIGHT

4 ASRAAN4 W "A 1-<A " ~
Mr.. hartley CAMPBELL DEMANDS EIGHT THOU
SAND DOLLARS FROM Mr.. LESTER wALLAcK
FOR VIOLATION OF CONTRACT.
s.Mr. Lester wallack is a giant of the American
stage; but purpose to go up against HIM and sling
small stone. estimated at $4,000, full in his fore
head"
Thus defantly spoke Mr.. BARLEY Campbell last
evening to q HERALD reporter Mr. Campbell is a
writer of plays In the complete list of his dramatic
works will be found . composition, in manu-
script entitled Fairfax" 1t deals with the tragedy
of lady in Florida. who believes herself the mur-
deress of drunken husband. and is pursued by re-
morse and the drunken husband through Ave acts
Of emotional horrors.
This idyll OF the sunny South has been much dis
cussed and much sought after by members of the
dramatic profession. but Mr.. Campbell Mad designed
it for Mr. Lester wallack, and from that gentleman
in November last he extracted a contract
that it should be produced as the second
play Of Mr.. wallack's engagement at Wal
lacks Theatre. in the city of New York
When the contract was made says Mr.. Campbell
the stricest secrecy enjoined upon Mr.. Floyd
Mr. Julian Magnus and other witnesses of the mystic
rious document. Mr.. Campbell temporarily retired
from the world. He avoided the threshold of Wal
lack lneatrc as IL were Ile
met Mr. Floyd in the street and casually hoped that
the carpenters busy upon his play To his sur
prise he learned that the sound OF the carpenters
hammers had not yet reached Mr.. Floyd's
Alarmed, he wrste to Mr. Wallack and was by him
cordially invited to discuss the matter at the theatre
OBJECTIONS AND OBJECTIONS.
II found" continued Mr.. Campbell. that Mr..
Wallack had raised two objections to the play. One
that MIR. Cogllan's part was unworthy of Mr..
Coghlan's talents. The other was that Mr.. Wallack
had violent antipathy to the two children whom
had introduced into the first two acts did not
shrink from my duty. let no false artistic vanity
stand il my way. sacrificed of the children to
propitiste Mr. Walack But the managerial dragon
was not appeased. He demanded the slaughter of
both. He professed to have horror OF the stage
infant. But chung tenacously to the doomed child.
had twined around it of my pretticst speeches.
oh, little graves! the speech. graves that
need monuments to remind us of your husbed
inhabitants. for their names written upon
hearts with the finger of love- Mr.. Wallack was
much affected by this address. but he still maintained
that children were nuisance. Your stage child
said he always gets sleepy and poky before the end
of performance
"And was that the cause of your difference?" the
dep!oring drsmatist was asked.
entirely. Itook back the manuscript, made al
terations for Mr.. Coghlan, but retained the child
When submitted my version to the MANAGE
ment. learnt that Ours was underlined wrote
to remind Mr.. Wallack CT my contract; told him that
mine to be the second piece of the engagement
and offered to return the first contract in exchange
for second guaranteeing that l should take the
boards after Ours What do You think lie replied?
He said there were too many negroes i'll my play
His actors We're willing to wear powder but drew
the line at lamp black Accustomed to the courtiers
brocade, they shrunk from tho minstrels paper
collar"
THE LAW INVOKED.
$50 you obtained no promise of speedy represen-
tationY'
None whatever. Mr.. wallack stated that the ext.
gencies of the theatre required him to put on the
stage pieces that could be mounted quickly. found
that he was rehearsing new version of Mr.. Bouci-
cault's meo-drama Pauline and meant to produce
it on February II. wrote again and again to urge
my claims saying that was being seriously injured
in money and reputation and could not be showed
aside. Mr.. Walack replied that the play still in
complete. The child must be cut out and the negroes
whitewashed. So Invent to Mr.. James Colman, my
lawyer, and have commenced proceedings Tor $4,000
damages
why that particular sum-"
because Mr.. T. Ii. Haverly offered to pay me $500
produced the piece. II the first contract per-
formed could not make good the second But am
second clone. And mine is not the only lawsuit
pended over his head for understand that Mr. Steele
Mackaye has brought an action for his failure to
present Mackaye's new play Through the Dark"
ON THE OTHER HAND.
Moved by which recital, Representative of the
HERALD attended council of war held at wallsck's
Theatre last evening. Mr.. BARLEY Campbell was ar
raigned before drumhead court martial, composed
OF Judge Dittenhoeer President and Messrs. Moss
and Floyd as assistants. The music Of "Ours" waited
through the doors. giving military tone to the
Mr.. Lester Wallack trpped gaiiy through tho
room on his way to the dressing room. hartley
Campbel?" said ha GOOD gracious! Ask FLOYD
all about it," Whereupon Mr.. Floyd explained tint
their theatre was both legally and equitably in the
right. "What sensible manager, he demanded
"would produce an unsuitable play? This drama of
Campbelis seemed to us to contain the germs OF a
good work. But 1t needed thousand alterations
and many Of these alterations Mr.. Campbell either
declined or was unable to make" Judge
Dittenhoefer stated the law very clearly
There had been no breach of contract. for the
play not yet refused. The strict terms of the
written contract had been modified by Mr.. Camp
bells action when he took back the manuscript and
agreed to revise it. His agreement to do made
production conditional on its revision. Moreover,
there had been no damages sustained, for the piece
might have been shelved after the first night. Mr.
Moss clinched the matter with dramatc touch
hinging open the door ut the back of the audience
Look on this picture. he CRIED pointing to q
packed house, land that" pointing to the notes
OF Mr.. Campbells tribuiations. who would take
such piece this off the boards in favor of new
and untried play p
And Mr.. James steele Mackaye spoke from the
depths of great ulster in the gloom of Broadway,
II have had trouble at all with Mr.. Waliack said
no. II rescinded my contract because found that
my play would not suit his house." Through the
Dark shortly to be produced at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre.