New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-26
said no had done it with his fist only and In the
midst of q quarrel.
CHECKING THEATRICAL TRAMPS.
MANAGERS FORCED TO TAKE ACTION.


the visible strength of the audiences; for the
deadheadp is not only represented by
dearth of coin IN the treasurers ONCE,
buf he actually holds seat that might
have been sold for money. Against this evii tue
legitimate aud permanent managers ol tno ms"
class theatres in New-York have been strhgenng
for years. and almost without success In 1870
Augustin DAILY Sgnalizcd his opening season at tue
Fifth Avenue Theatre by declaring war against inc
chronic and spasmodc deadhcad. In ms various
forms of billboard, window-show. perpatetic press
aspiring Thespan, nice young man. theatricaI SHOP
keeper and the thousand and one other shapes III
which he appears. At his new theatre tins season
he has drawn the line still moro definitely ana III
,roduced some new features of check and protec-
ton.
TRIBCNE reporter waited on MIR. DAILY Tor the
nurnosa of arriving at knowledge of the system
and of getting statement from him on tie geherai
question.
Dealheading." said Mr. Daily had its rise in
London about fifty years ago, when Tom ana jerry
was put on the boards nj the Adelphi Theatre. INC
management flooded all the suburban districts ana
near towns with orders. and for three weeks inc
piece was played to apparently Overwhelming puSi-
ness bat with really less than f20 night IN tho
house The Londorers coming 10 the theatre could
not even get standing-room amongst the delighted
rural throng. and were worked up TO a tremendous
Juror about the play The consequence was that 1t
ran over two years and proved perfect bonanza"
WAS the practice known here rs long ago as
that's"
ION. no. Ncw-York owes the introduction Of
the practice to Eatcmau, who learned 1t In London
and who went into il extensively curing his mall-
agemcnt at the Winter Garden and Nlb.o's Garden
about twenty years ago Tic sent tickets 10 Jersey
CITY. Brooklyn and outlying localities, aud, maybe
came out ahead on tie net results. That set the
other managers to cutting each others threats, ana
the effect was TO educate the people MOI to pay to
see a play. but to wait patiently all the Tree admis-
sions came around
Bat when did this local nuisance Degin 20 ta,e
form z"
1t was pretty bad when the tickets were sent
away from the city, but soon the gifts were made
more local the start Of that being the desire OF the
management 10 be able TO shout crowded Louise
over a first representation. One hundred tickets or
more would be sent 10 a prominent business mouse
employing large number of people. ard tie result
was that one hundred men or women who Wouid
have paid for gallery seat, if not one IN the par
ouct. during what might have been run,
exhausted the interest the first night ana para
nothing Then Clifton Tayleure came from BAN
more to be agent for John L. owens,
who was playing Soloa Shirgle, and he started
tl,ot time the shopkeepcrs were glad TO have
handsome picture or show bill In their windows TO
attract attention; but IayleuIe, anxious Tor Inc
centre of every window where bills were displayed,
offered ticket rs premium for preference. The
agent for another theatre offered two; lmNicure
made it three another four. ana so IL went.
THE BILLBOARD SYSTEM.
"And the bill-boards |"
"There is some reason in giving out billboard
tickets for the recipients are bound by their con-
l.. a. hon md In
vent the mutilstion of the bills or the carrying of
Of the boards. But the boards i found were too
numerous. SO two years ago l cut down the account
from go bill-boards to 100: and when l was
managing Jefferson at Booths and 'LAssommoir at
the Olympic did not have billboard ticket out.
"Whom do you regard as fair and legitimate recip-
tents of theatrical favors I"
We'll there are always a certain number oil per
sonal friends we desire to have III the house that
is a question of preference. Then the press, IN re-
strcted sense. though not in the way OF barter ana
exchange The best newspapers, like The TRIBUNE,
have expressed the opinion that there should be no
more relation between the press ard the Theatre
than exists between any TWO dilIerehI ous-
ncsseS | believe In n frank. honest unDougnt
expression of opinion regarding the merits OF de-
merits Of any play, theatre or management but
also believe that the place the press fills IN civil
ization demands some recognition, and am always
"@?fF FOR whom is your box-oflce notice intended
box Office, and in the daytime
Toeverybodv in general. You see il has got to
be the habit for men to walk up 20 tn9 % at
night and say, Il belong TO the POdunk Opera Con-
pany,' and expect 10 pass right IN tut tnat went
work any more here. The application III the day
time and in writing gives us an opportunity 10 IN
yrstlgate the merits of the claim, and then we can
always tell where we are OF course, professionals
in GOOD standing are always welcome Dut VIC must
be Satsti ID as TO the matter" 49,
And the men about town .
They are legion. By long immunity they have
come TO consider the courtesy extended as u night
tn be demanded, ana they cause an enormous ,n,us
amount of trouble. 1t is strange that tney cannot
that they have no more ngnt TO tneatie sea- T
than TO n tradesman's goods without paying. we
get all sorts of applications from an sorts OF pcope
The other day firm on Broadway, dealers Ill
music-papeT-not even music dealers-sent mp
demand Tor two seats. They didn't get them,
though il was as cool a thing as ever saw"
MANAGERs NOT ACTING IN CONCERT.
"Wby don't the managers make concerted at
tack on the system I"
lit has been tired. Legitimate managers recog-
nize the evils and imposition Of the system. and
have endeavored to shut down upon it, but mush-
room managers arc always sprnging up to keep it
alive. Some few yearsago, when the managers had
meetings. in a friendly sort of way, a resolution
WAS adopted to stop b,ll-boarding and indiscrmi-
uate .dealheadlug' altogether, BUTT fell through
However. have made up my mind u stop 1t az
rnle and rather than DC forced To IL 10 Keep up the
appearance of "A run, prefer to change my Dill as
often a. necessary . ,
Mr. Daily then explained the system OF compi-
m.ntsJV tickets winch he has brought into opera
tIon. All Applications are scruiiDized and consd-
cred and # granted the ticket is made ont In blank
form with n coupon which Is kept. Tins coupon
contains all information as to date name and seat
and can be used for instant reference i'll
ease of future application from Tic same person.
No notice is taken of personal verbal application
The Cerberus who guards the gate having an en-
phatic and convincing growl ready for all such ven
,urrs The unyiedIng enforcement OF his method,
Mr. DAILY thinks, has made pcrcep,iblc difference
i'm box receipts and the success which Is attending
in will probably induce other managers to adopt II.
THE LXPERT SEX on hTREET-SWEEPING.