Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-05
ACTORS BENEFIT FUND.
An Exceedingly Large Audience-Com.
plete SRccrss-Gov. Cleveland
Attends-ATrlvsi in Wander.
Butts Private Car.

New YORK, Dec. 1.
The Actors fund benefit which took place
at the Academy this afternoon, was one OF
the most successful affairs that ever occurred
in New York. The vast auditorium was lit
orally packed The program included scenes
and acts by Harrigan and Hart, Joe jefferson,
Henry Irving and Ellen Terry and the Lon
don Lyceum Company, Fannie Davenport
and Henry E. Dixey, Miss Amelia Somer-
vile and Rice's Burlesque Company. Las:
evening, the committee who had secured from
Governor Cleveland his acceptance of an
invitation to be present, went to Albar7 to
escort Cleveland and party to the city. A
special train, made up of Mr.. Vanderbilt
private car and one day coach, left Albany at
l1.l2 A. NJ. The Governors party consisted
of Miss Cleveland, private secretary and
Miss Lamont. Mayor and Mrs. Bleecker
Banks, Miss Van Vechten, Miss Schifien,
Hon. and Mrs. Erastus Cooning, Col. VIM.
r. Cassidy, and Messrs Davis and Coyle.
At all the stations along the route there were
crowds of people who cheered, and flags,
brooms and roosters were hberally displayed.
At Pennington it seemed as though the whole
population were on the roofs, or in windows
on the streets near the station. A salute was
fired here and at other places.
The train arrived at 42nd street at 2.30 p.
NJ. Here the guests were met by Harry
Miner, president of the fund association,
Mayor Edison, and Msyor-elect Grace. The
steps about the depot were thronged
with people, who chcered the Gov
ernor heartily. The party was driven to the
Academy. Fully 5000 persons had assembled
about l4th street and Irving Place and when
the Governors carriage wheeled around from
4th avenue the crowd cheered like mad men.
The party entered the Academy by the stock.
holders entrance, a passage way having been
cleared by the police. Il was during tho sup
per scene in "Lend Me Five Shillings," by
Joe Jefferson and company. that audience
rose as it perceived the Governor and the
play stopped. The men shouted welcome
and the women and children clapped their
hands and waved their handkerchiefs for sew
eral minutes. Cleveland stood in front of
the box until the noise subsidized and then the
play proceeded. Three policemen guarded
the door to the Governors box and according
to the promise made to him by the committee
Cleveland was not molested by a single poll
tician or interviewed. He said he had come
to the performance for recreation. He
seemed 10 enjoy the entertainment very much.
He expressed his admiration for Irving and
Miss Terry and at 80 p. M. he said he
would like to meet them also Mr.. Jefferson
and other artists who had contributed most
to the pleasuse of the day. Mr.. jefferson
had already left for Philadelphia, however,
and Irving and Miss Terry had gone to the
hotel. Coyle of the committee drove to the
Brevort House, where Irving was at dinner.
the latter quickly left the table and returned
with Coyle to the Academy. When intro
duced the Governor grasped him by both
hands and expressed delight at the actors
performance and said it was que of the prin-
cipal pleasures of his trip to meet the trage.
dian. The Governor and his party left the
Academy at o'clock and took the return
train Immediately. There was taken in at
the box Office $4l46. Outside subscriptions
will swell the fund by over $4,000.