, 1885-03-08
a STRANGE PROCEEDING
A Large Audiences Turned Away
From the Opera House.
Minnie Palmer Breaks Her Contract
to Appear Here.
No Explanation offered for Unusual
and Mysterious Conduct.

The hundreds who had purchased
tickets for the entertainment billed at the
opera house last evening were disap-
pointed and astonished, while the many
who appeared at the box Office for the
purpose of buying tickets were surprised
when they found none were for sale, for
conspicuous plaeards attached to the
doors announced that no entertainment
would be given, as the company had
failed to arrive.
Several weeks ago D.. G. Rhodes, the
manager of the opera house at that time,
made a contract for the appearance
here Of Minnie Palmer and her company
in Ny S,ceeihedri. The date booked was
Saturday evening the 9TH inst. At a
proper time the advance agent of the
company came to this city, Minnie
Palmer's paper wa placed on the bill
boards, advertisements were inserted in
the daily papers, and the sale Of seats
was begun by Mr.. Rhodes. Upon the
recent change in the management Of the
opera house, Mr.. Rhodes turned over
the box Office sheet to Manager Board
man. who continued the sale of seats
during Friday and Saturday. No word
was received from the company or from
Mr.. Roberts, the proprietor of the COM
pany, aud until the Denver train arrived
last evening there was not the
f~aintest reason for doubling that
the company would come.
Last week Minnie Palmer appeared in
Denver. She then went over the Colorado
circuit, and Friday night played in Colo
RADIO Springs, 1t IS apparent that the in
ability Of the company to keep its con-
tract in this city was known to the actress
and her manager yesterday morning.
They knew that all arrangements for her
appearance here had been made and that
the sale of seats was progressing. The
absence therefore, Of any notice ofan in
ability to keep the contract il. certainly
mexplicable. if not positively mysterious
The contract was turned over TO Mana
ger Boafdman, and as the assured re
ceipts would have been about 5000. Mr..
Boardman is naturally indignant at the
treatment he has received and will prob
ably cause a thorough investigation Of the
matter. The breaking of the contract,
and the absence of any excuse will prob
ably, and in equity should, result
in She award Of damages to him. Az this
was also the first entertainment after he
became manager of the house. he
would be lacking in ordinary sensi-
t~iveness we're he not embarrassed by its
unfortunate termination.
Under the circumstance the failure of
the company to appear has placed the
former management in an nnenyiable
light. II was common talk on the streets
last evening THAT Mr.. Rhodes was priyy to
the breach of faith and criticism. which
was probably UNJUST vas freely and pub
licIy employed by those who were dis1,,
pointed. During the evening Messrs
Rhodes and Guertin called al The office
ofTHE LEADER and denied that they
we're any way responsible for the uupro.
fessional treatment Manager Boariman
had received. The manner in which the
denial was made would not cause is men.
ton al this time did not co~ntributory eyi.
dence also make il proper 10 state the
facts. so far as thew are known.
When the trustees leased the opera
house to Mr.. Boardman, Mr.. Rhodes re-
fused 10 surrender il before Nav ~ unless
he was paid an indemnityof 5000 Rather
than have any trouble. and of course
understanding that Mr.. Board
man could hold them to the
lea,e, the trustees granted Mr..
Rhodes demands. The day Of the sur
render Of the house to Mr.. Boardhap
was the date for the appearance of THE
Adamless Eden, and Nh. Rhodes insisted
on managing that company. An agree
ment was made whereby Mr.. Rhodes
managed the affair and paid Mr.. Board
man for the use of the house instead of
having the opera house companv He
had also begun the sale of seats for
Minnie Palmer and was anxious to man.
age her appearance Saturday evening. for
he had been to considerable trouble in
order to make a contract with her. Fl
nally il was agreed between Mr.. Board
man and Mr.. Rhodes that the former
would manage the the entertainment and
would pay Mr. Rhodes 5 per cent of the
managers share, for the contract the ibox