Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-04
VICTIMIZED MEXICANS.
An Alleged Agent of Abbey Gets Away
with 100000.

WIN E-V,OOV.
by Telegraph to the REcoRD-UN
CITY OF MEXICO, December 3d-A tre-
mendous sensation occurred here to day,
and is the subject of gossip in all the clubs,
cafes and places of amusement For the
last two days there has been great excite
ment over the sale of tickets at the National
Theater for the Patti season of five nights
in January. The crowd around the Ma
tional Theater has fairly blocked the
streets, and the police were required to
preserve order. 1t seemed as if the city
had already witnessed the advent of the
songstress. The prices Of boxes were $50,
and seats $6. These were three times the
ordinary prices. The ostensible agent of
Mr.. Abbey, who was conducting the sale
of tickets, was a man giving his name as
Mayer and claiming to be brother of NJ.
R. Mayer, Mr.. Abbey's friend and business
associate. He had with him letters. one
of which purported to be from Abbey,
which he showed to Minister Manning and
other people. The theater had already been
engaged for the Patti season by Edward W.
Orrin. of the firm of 0rrin Bros. proprie-
tors of an American circus, who knew Mr..
Mayer, of New York. but as Mr.. 0rrin was
overwhelmed with business regarding the
opening of his own entertainment, which
is a standard attraction here, he had no
time to give to other matter, or else the
plot might possibly have been detected.
The alleged advance agent had letters to
some of the best-known people here, and
no one suspected the fraud The sale of
tickets began on Thursday morning, people
watt. at the theater door from an early
hour to get the first choice. Seats were
bought in whole blocks, some persons pay
ing 81 900 for boxes. In the course OF the
day
THE BOX OFFICE HAD TAKEN IN SIS 600,
And on the previous day the private sales
amounted to So 800, making total cash
sales of $4,000. The Governor of the
Federal District was somewhat suspicious,
and sent to Mayer to inquire if anyone
was responsible for the large amount of
money being taken from the public,
but Mayer managed to avoid any act that
would further excite suspicion. 1t is I'M
derstood that every seat was taken for
the whole five nights, but some we'll
known persons. as is the custom here,
did not pay for them in advance, but
merely gave orders, so that the amount in
cash actually taken does not come up to
half the seating capacity of the theater for
the five nights. Last night Mayer went to
the hotel where he lodged accompanied by
a policeman nominally appointed to guard
him. but in reality to see that he deposited
all the money in the hotel safe. In some
ingenious way, it is said, Mayer had trans
ferred over $4,000 in bills on the National
Bank and Bank of London to the pockets
of his overcoat, and thus deluded the po-
liceman into believing that all had been
deposited in the safe. At all events, this
morning Mayer did not appear at the box
Office of the theater nor was he at the
hotel The safe was opened, and there was
only found 81, 800 in silver dollars, which
of course could not be taken away.
NOW THE AUTHORITIES ARE LOOKING FOR
MEYER,
And spectators are weeping and receiving,
as best they can. the condolences of their
friends. At this Capital people are saying
that the man was an American, but he
spoke English with a marked foreign ac-
cent, and had a German cast of counte-
nance This afternoon Mayors interpreter
was arrested at Orizaba, whittier it is said
he had gone to make some arrangement
for excursions to this city. One theory is
that Mayer has gone north By rail and
diligence, and another is that he is secreted
here until the matter blows over