St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-21
"JIM THE PENMAN. I"
The Story of a Forger, Founded on Cold
Facts.
FORGERY WINS HIM A WIFE.
The Sensational Play as Produced at
the Grand Opera House Last
Night.

name, and produced by the Madison
Square Theater company, under the
management of 4. NJ. Palmer, at the
Grand last night is that of a man who,
in the most diScordant and agonizing
sense. leads double life. Born with
facility in chirography, he is the most
accomplished forger i'll the world. For
gerry wins him a wife. He writes lying
letters from each to the other that Sun
der a true heart beuothal, and then, as
consider, wedS the woman whose
faith in manhood he has crimi-
nallV undermined. The true lover
of this woman he robS of his patrimOny
by forgery. He builds up an elegant
home and surrounds his family with
Injury. His wife is the envy of her
SEX He has a son and daughter of
whom any father might we'll be proud;
he has a town house and country seat;
he is known TO the world as a rich
tinancier. and yet his business assO-
ciateS are outlaws. and all the detect
ives of Scotland Yard are maddened
at the ease with which he eludes their
grasp and the consummate skill with
which he cOncealS his identity. Well
born. and with the instincts of gentle
man,
THIS GREAT FoRGER
finds himself in the prime of life the
prey of remorSe. The longing 10 be
honest, and to enjoy worthily the fruit
of his crime, takes full possession of
HIM. young nObleman has asked for
his daughters hand, and he himself
has been urged TO stand for seat in
parliament. At this juncture two
events foreShadow doom for him. The
early lover of his wife comes from
America TO England in pursuit of the
fOrger so adroitly hidden. and his chief
ally in crime intrudeS upon his home
and proposes TO let him retire"
from business" in accordance with his
wishes, after one more operation"
What is the stake? The family dia-
mOndS valued at Sl40.000) of the lord
who is 10 marry his daughter. He has
only TO forge an order for their delivery
from the bank to firm of solicitors.
In vain does his whole nature revolt
from this unnatural crime. In vain
does he plead not to be compelled to rob
his OWL child. \ hand of iron holds
him to hellish compact. Through
this abyss alone lies his way to release.
And even us he cOntemplateS it a de-
tectiNe watches him-a detective made
welcome in his home as the friend of
his daughters lover. a detective on the
scent of the wretch who deSpOiled his
wife'S early lover. 1t is the beginning
of the end. The early lover and the
wife discover by sheer accident the I'M
fashionable infamy by which they were
befOoled and eStranged, each loving
still, but held in leash by pride. The
wife discovers by an accident the
writer OF the forged letters. The man
whose heart she still holds learns from
the detective who plotted for his ruin,
and, for her sake and that of her chill
dren. refuses
To HAVE HIM PROSECUTED.
Brought to bay by his own wife, this
hypocrite of hypocrites defies her and
everybody. The man from whom he
justice. As Il mother. she dareS not tell
the truth to her children. 1t is the
daughters wedding day. The Mephis-
tophelian PAL demands $4,000 for the
stolen diamonds as the price of his
silence and departure. The money is
ready. but the detective brings the dia-
mondS. He is given $4,000, double the
reward offered for their recovery, and
told to restore them at the wedding
breakfast. Like tiger the thwarted
accomplice makes spring for the other
sG5,OOO: There is a brief but terrible
struggle. and Jim the Penman" falls
the doors of the breakfast room are
thOOwn open in anticipation of his COM
ing.
The play possesses strong situations
and the climaXeS are skillfully wrought.
1t appeals to the auditor through the
steady march of thrilling incidents, and
possesses an intellectual interest in the
scenes in which the forger, by sheer
force of power. which. if well directed,
would be called genius, makes his way
against wife, friend. detective and ac-
complete. There is also a sentimental
interest in the meeting of the betrayed
lover after twenty years of wrongful
separation and iii the tender SOlicitude of
the mother for her children, while
above all it points the moral that crime
inevitably recOilS upon the eyil-dOer'S
head. With all his skill and genius the
forger is still holden by the cords of
iniQuity.
As SEEN LAST NIGHT.
The production of the play at the
Grand last night was. in keeping with
Mr. Palmer's reputation as manager.
The Madison. Square company never
gives performance that does not pos
Sess artistic fullness and is of substantial
merit. The production of Jim the
Penman" is no departure from the high
standard which Mr.. Palmer has set for
bis managerial work. The cast con-
siSts of finished actors. and the
company is evenly balanced. In com
pany where there is so much evenness
it might seem invidiouS to mention
names, but it is no disparagement to the
work of the others to say that Miss
Dyas, in her representation of Mrs. Raj
ston, and Mr.. Ferguson's characterize
ton of Capt. Redwood, the detective,
elected the most applause. In the third
act, where the wife discovers
that her husband was the forger
OF the letters which broke off the en-
gagement between herself and her first
lover. Miss Dyas does as artistic a piece
of dramatic work as is ever seen on the
stage. 1t is the relation of long story
without the use of words. While the
audience sit in breathless silence they
read the whole story in the varying eX-
preSSionS of her face.
The audience was large and con-
tanned many Of the leading society peo-
pie of the city.
The same bill tonight and every
night this week. with Wednesday and
Saturday matinees.
WATER FOR FIRES.