St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-26
The Pretty Little Theater Is
Still in the Market for
Sale.
Rumor Has It That P. H.
Harris, the Eastern Man.
ager, Wants It.
Statements of the Negotia-
tions From Both Sides Of
the Deal.

nepin Avenue theater by the syndicate
which owns the Grand opera house is
off. This is rather surprising state
ment since the announcement a few
days ago from undisputed authority
that the sale was as good as
made and needed only the ar
rangement of some minor de-
tails. and the signing of the papers
to complete the purchase. From gen
tlemen who has been concerned in the
projected sale, the following particulars
were learned last evening: Jan. II
proposition was made to E. A. Merrill
and E. j. Phelps, of the Minnesota Loan
and Trust company, by j. F. Conklin,
manager of the Grand, for them to buy
the Hennepin Avenue theater for $685.
600, Conklin to assume mortgage on the
the property for 100000 originally given
to the Loan and Trust company, but
since assigned to the Peoples Savings
Bank of Providence, r. l., with interest
from Jan. 10; $50, 900 to be paid upon
the execution of a contract of convey
ance within fifteen days from Jan. l,
besides certain outstanding obligations
amounting to $500. The contract and
its performance were guaranteed
by R. B. Langdon. Clinton Morrison, G..
II. Prior, E. B. Ames, Thomas Lowry,
Dorilus Morrison and:R. E. GrimshaW,
and was accepted by Messrs. Merrill
and Phelps upon the condition that the
creditors of the Hennepin Avenute
theater who had mechanics liens
should accept 5Oper cent of the princl,,
pal Of their claims. The proposition and
parties named, the lienors each ac-
cepting the terms. and signing, eXecut-
ing and delivering to their trustee, w.
C. Truesdale, satisfactions of their
judgments. A contract in accordance
with the proposition and acceptance
was to be executed and delivered Jan.
10, but owing to the fact that a great
many of the lien creditors resided in
Chicago and other distant cities, it was
impossible to secure the releases of the
liens by that date, but that provision OF
the contract
WAS EXPRESSLY WAIVED
by Mr.. Merrill, and no point was made
in regard to it before the burning of the
st. Paul opera house, and no point was
expressly made in regard to it at that
time, but some preteXt has been sought
for upon which to declare the PROPOSE
ton and acceptance null and void, and
to-day Messrs. Merrill and Phelps,
through their trust officer, w. j. Hahn,
without the slightest pretext, as far as
the syndicate is concerned. and without
any default on their part. have assumed
to declare the proposition OF the syndl-
cate and the acceptance OF 1t by Messrs.
Merrill and Phelps void.
The gentleman went further, and in
timated his belief that the reason for
the backing out of Phelps q Merrill
was in the interest of P. II. Harris, the
Well-known Eastern theatrical manager
who has been negotiating for the pur-
chase OF the Hennepin for some time.
THERE Is ANOTHER SIDE
! to the affair. of course, and another
gentleman who has been concerned in
the negotiations from the other side OF
the fence said: "The time fixed for
signing the papers was the 18th, then it
was postponed from day to day and here
it was Friday, and the releases OF the
lien creditors had not been furnished.
There's another little matter that does
not show on the surface, but is
| perhaps at the bottom of the
| failure to complete he transac-
ton. When the syndicate thought
the Hennepin safe one of them gave it
out that it would be run as cheap
theater, and actually offered saloon
| keeper a chance to open up saloon
| there. The property owners OF the
! neighbOrhood would not stand this, and
| the original lease of the ground to
| Sackett & Virgins was bought up
quietly and this the representative OF
| the lessons could not furnish. per-
| sonally know that Merrill u Phelps
were anxious to SELL You can rest as
sured that the Grand syndicate will not
get their grip on the Hennepin, and
| that it is not destined to become a cheap
| theater either"
P. II. Harris, in whose interest it is
| insinuated the refusal to make the sale
| theatrical managers in the country. He
owns tneaters at Baltimore, Washing
! ton, Cincinnati and other cities. His
ventures are largely in the line
of low priced theaters, but his ability
| TO run a first class theater is shown by
| the fact that he took the Academy of
| Music at Baltimore when il was a sort
| of theatrical mOrgue, reSurrected 1T as a
cheap theater, and has by gradually inn
proving its tone made it one of the most
popular and fashionable amusement re-
sorts of Baltimore.
Zuhrah's Ladies' Reception.
''Zuhrah's LADIES' gave reception
to the ''Nobles Of the Mystic Shrine"
the highest order of Masonry, last night
at the Nicollet house. The reception
was gwen in return for the re-
ception given by the Mobiles to
the ladies about a month ago. and
was a most magnificent affair. There
were about $50 couples present to enjoy
the pleasures of the evening. The sec
ond floor of the hotel was thrown open
for the use Of the merry maSkers, and
everything went to make up )ne of the
most enjoyable social events of the sea-
son. The great dining hall was turned
into dancing hall. and with the
splendid music furnished by Danz's
orchestra the dancing was made the all
absorbing pleasure of the evening. 1t
was full dress affair, and the ladies'
beauty was made to appear like that of
H. 80, Il .x,sk