The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-11
NOT ON THE BILLS.
SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED IN a
CHICAGO THEATRE.
fromised Farce Comes Very Near Being
an Accomplished Tragedy-Big Row
About a Little Cash-The
Police Called.

CHICAGO, Nov. 11.-What for short time |
i'),al like it might be serious riot took |
- II Tie Chicago museum Sunday night |
l. - 'ms that there was a difficulty between |
- infinager of the museum, Mr.. Goodwin |
ana the manager of the Australian Novelty |
company, which has been exhibiting in the |
building for several days past as to the pay
ment of some money to the company In
consequence of this trouble Mr. Goodwin de-
sired to put Keane's Rip Van Winkle COM
pany on for the night, while Mr.
Austin, of the Novelty company, in
sisted that his company should
play. The trouble had been taken to the
courts and seems to have had its origin in
the fact that Austin brought his company
here two days ahead of time and gave two
performances at the Olympic before he com
menced at tho museum. This Mr. Goodwin
declared damaged the play at his house and
demanded damages in money, which Austin
would not pay, but demanded his money for
the engagement before he would give up the
stage
The first number of the play, entitled
Dissection, a Laughable Farce" turned out
to be almost tragedy excepting the grand
and lofty tumbling between Mrs. Austin,
the Kitty" of the farce, and Manager
GOODWIN, OF the museum management, by
his attempt to put her and several other
ladies of the company off the stage.
While the orchestra was playing THE open
ing overture Austin went to Goodwin and de-
manded his money, but was refused settle
ment unless he allowed the $50 damages
Austin then returned to the dressing rooms,
which were already occupied by the Keane
people, and ordered his company on the
stage When the curtain arose Austin ad-
vanced and told the audience he had his
company ready to play, but that the mana
ger of the museum refused to pay him his
money, and wanted to crowd him
out and put on rip Van Wrinkle"
At this the crowd began to shout
"No RIP Van Winkle,'" mo Rip Van
Winkle,'" "Australian," australian"
Goodwin, who had rushed up on the stage
and ordered the scenery changed for "Rip
Van Winkle," then took hold of Mrs Austin
and her sister and tried to put them off the
stage The latter, who does the fy-walking
| act on the ceiling was so agile that she
| broke loose and Mrs Austin, who claims
that he was holding her arm so tight that it
is now black and blue from his grasp think
ing he was a detective, as he told her he
would have her in the station in ten min
| utes, requested him to release his grasp and
| she would retire from the stage. Instead
of this she says he put his foot be
hind her and tripped her up, falling upon
her. Then still clinging to her, and tearing
her dress, he rolled about on the stage with
| her in disgusting manner. At this juncture
Austin, who had been taking the names of
| gentlemen in the audience as witnesses to his
being ready to give the performance, saw the
| predicament his wife was in, and jumping
upon the stage, kicked Goodwin in the
mouth before he could arise Just in
time, however, to prevent the Bedouins from
| surrounding him and tickling his ribs
with their knives and bayonets The
audience by this time was upon its
feet, and ''men and women were shouting
Kill him." "Pht him out" ETC., the sym
pathy being entirely with the woman, OF
course. Lieute nant Schaack's arrival, with
dozen policemen and detectives at this
moment, was the only thing that prevented
bloody riot, as friends Of Goodwin's in the
audience had already drawn revolvers te
make an attack on the Arabs, who were
armed with their practicing knives and
bayonets As soon as the audience had been
quieted by the police, they were requested
to disperse as there would be no performance
and one by one they filed out, having theil
money refunded as they passed the box office
MIR Austin will now cancel his Bloom
mgton engagement, and remain here tt
prosecute Mr.. Goodwin. The ladies anC
gentlemen of the company were loud il
their praises of the gentlemanly manner il
which they were treated by the police, ant
also by George W. Halbert, Mr.. Goodwin
stage manager