The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-18

Master Russsll-and that without security
Of any sort. A complete dramatic company
was also engaged for the season of 'S9-9J,
its members signing contracts with perfect
/ cheerfulness on the strength of Mr.. Woods
| assurance that there was "S5OO, 900 back
of him" They are now waiting for the
! $500, 600 TO catch up with the procession,
and will be in the front rank when it ar
Tives.
The simple tale Of the $500, 900 was echoed
along Broadway, and did much TO increase
the credit and standing Of the young Napo-
/ leOnlc manager.
Meantime, the contractors hurried along
/ the new Harlem tnsater: the Twenty
1 third street Office was a scene Of busting
activity, and the Vest End Critic ex-
| tOlled the achievements Of the brilliant and
| Incompatible A. H. Wood. Hillary
| Bell tne editor of tina critic, is singing
| different tune now. and no wonder, for he
4 1t was who furnished not only the literary
! talent for the paper, but the capital as well,
the manager "having got onto him. as the
/ phrase Is, to the extent of about $1,000 bor
| rowed money.
For brief period Mr. Wood enjoyed
degree of fame and adultation such as sell
| dom falls to the lot of a human being.
| Throngs Of managers, agents, actors, bill
posters and printers waited OBJ seguiously in
his outer office, in the hope of securing a
contract or an engagement from the enter
prising Young man of affairs Wherever
he went people nudged one another
and whispered, There goes Wood, the
man that's building the West End theater
| IN Harlem. HISS got half million back of
| him.
The crash came few DAYS ago. Mr.,
Wood fled to parts unknown, and the act
ors, agents and bill-posters who but yes
terday had lifted their hats humby at his
approach, were transformed in an instant
into raveuing wolves who descended, like
the Assyrian of old, upon the Twenty-tbi d
street Office, seeking whom they might de-
your.
There for the first time it dawned uron
the minds of those interested that the young
Napoleon had conducted all his vast enter
prIses entirely on wind. He mad made a
great bluff, but when his hand was called
he could not even show a pair of deuces.
On the strength Of little wind sweetened
with taify he had borrowed few thousand
dollars from his father-in-law with which to
begin the erection of the West End theater.
He bought several expensive lots, laid the
corner stone with ceremonies imposing
enough TO almost unhinge the minds of the
simple Harlemites, and got the building
well under way, ali on cash investment Of
$1,000. Everything else was wind and ap-
Dropriately enough his creditors will have
to whistle for their money.
HIS exploits remind one strongly of
Isaac Norcross, who hourished in the the
atrical field about eight years ago. Mr. Nor
cross was the protector and manager of tine
Norcross Comic Opera Company, a per pa
tetlc organization which popped up from
time to time in various theaterB, backed by
large supply of wind and unlimited
wealth. which was behind the scheme" and
always stayed there, even on salary day. If
MIR. Norcross ever paid salary in fun the
fact has faded from my memory, though it
must have left its indelible mark on tine
mind of the fortunate historian who re-
celved it. However, so persuasive was his
tongue and b brilliant his expedieuts that
he found no difficulty in engaging people
for his multfarious ventures 1t is
even related of thus gifted impre sario that
he once succeeded in doing his orchestra
out of a weeks pay, whereat there was
great rejoicing in the ranks Of the theatre
cal profession.
When Mr.. Norcross disappeared he made
a dramatic exit His opera comLanY was
playing an engagement at the Cosmopoli-
tan theater, which occupied the site of
what is now the Broadway theater The
audience consisted chiefly of dead-heads,
who had been admitted in order that their
presence might have an encouraging effect
on the company, who were thea on the
pecunlary anxious seat. The deputy
sheritfs began TO arrive before the doors
opened, and were furnished with seats by
the courteous manager. who promised to
square up everything as soon as the curtain
fell.
Why l can't fix these little matters
before that" he explained "uecause I've
got to go on and play the principal part
myself"
Satisfied that he could not get away, the
officers of the bar seated themselves in or
chestra chairs and the performance begau
with the manager in the chief role, which
he played with degree of unctious humor
which delighted all beholders But when
the last act began the deputies began to rub
their eyes, and in a moment the whisper
ran through the house; THAT it isut
Norcross; somebody else is playing the
part"
A stampede for the stage door followed
and half dozen voices joined in the ex-
cited chorus: NV here's Norcross?n
"Norcross," replied the doorkeeper, plac-
idly, why, he started for Boston half an
hour ago" j. L. FORD