Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-16
COMEDIANS In JAIL.
Very Brief and WOeful History OF the
Lawson-Doris Company.
STRANDED In THE BEAVERVALLEY
Manager and Leading Lady Imprisoned or
Serious Charges.
AN INJURED WIFE IN The HOSPITAL

Donald J, Lawson and Mrs. Lawson, alias
Mrs. Katie Grashaber. alias Mrs. Dardine,
of No. SO Franklin street. who were brought
from Beaver Falls on Friday by Constable
Groetzinger, are still in the county Jail.
They have been unable to procure bail, and
will be held for hearing before Alderman
Gripp at IL o'clock Tuesday morning.
The prisoners were members of the Law
son-Doris Comedy Company, which was
organized in this city about four weeks ago
and was stranded during the past week in
appear, as she was not with the company
and is not known to most of the members.
Lawson, for whom the company was
named, organized the outfit and acted as
manager. He was married in Wisconsin, q
few years ago, to Miss Emma Nightingale, the
daughter OF Mrs. Barbara Nightengale. The
marriage certificate has been seen within
the week by persons with whom The Dis
PATCH reporter conversed. Mrs. Emma
Lawson,a frail young woman, is now lying in
the West Penn Hospital, suffering with
painful I'M uries to her thigh and side. Her
mother and brothers live in Evans alley, in
the Fifth ward OF Allegheny. They allege
by her husband, and on that they base the
charge against him of aggravated assault
and battery.
HACKERS OF THE SNAP.
Lawson explained to members of the COM
pany, who Joined the aggregation here, that
his financial hackers were F. J. Smith and
Ebb E. Arter. These gentlemen are not
known In Pittsburg. Mr.. Arter accom-
panied the outfit as treasurer and took
minor part on the stage. The company of IL
members having been made up, a tour of
the oil region was made, and about ten DAYS
ago the company returned to this
city. Some changes in the mem-
bers were made and a second essay
down the Ohio was prepared. An advance
agent was sent to Beaver, but he was lilly
provided with funds. Smith telegraphed
from this city last Monday that he would
pay all expenses for printing and billing,
but his telegram alone did not satisfy the
business men OF Beaver and Beaver Falls.
The plays to be sprung upon the public
were Keep 1t Quiet" and "Only Farm
er's Boy"
After his return from the oil country,
Lawson put up at the First Avenue Hotel.
When the company left here, Wednesday
last, Lawson slipped away from the hotel
without settling his account for consider
able sum. This is tine basis of the second
charge made against him by Harry Mohler.
When the company reached Beaver, they
found that the town had not been billed and
that no preparations had been made. They
then proceeded to Beaver Falls, where
similar state of affairs was discovered.
Smith left them at Beaver and returned to
Pittsburg with the ''roll."
LEFT IN HOLE.
The company found themselves in hole
at Beaver Falls. They had no money and
knew not what to do. Most of the members
had been sensible enough to leave their
trunks at the depot, and consequently had
little difficulty in escaping from Mrs. Ken
nedy's boarding house when the crisis came.
The leading lady OF the company was Mrs.
Katie Grashaber, who passed as Mrs. Law
SOD. The relations existing between her
and Lawson form the most serious charge
against them, made by Mrs. Nightengale on
behalf of her daughter, the real Mrs. Law
son. The day after Lawson's departure
from the First Avenue Hotel, Alderman
Gripp's constable appeared in search for
him, with the warrants sworn out by Mrs.
Nightengale. The constable went to Bea-
yer, but was unable to locate the pair there.
On Friday one OF the lady members of the
company, who had discovered the relations
between Lawson and the leading woman
and had become thoroughly disgusted with
the situation, teleeraphed to Alderman
Gripp. Constable Groetzinger was at once
dispatched to Beaver Falls and arrested
Lawson and the woman.
WHERE SHE GOT THE NAME.
When the constable asked her, "are you
Mrs. Dardine?" she replied, 81 am" The
name Dardine she had borne before joining
the company, claiming to be the wife of a
man connected with one Of the theatrical
houses in this city. She is young woman,
small and pretty. Lawson is large man.
After the arrest the other members of the
company got awdy from Beaver Falls and
came to the city on a late train. They are
now here, ready to testify against the
prisoners at the hearing next Tuesday after
noon.
MINIATURE RAC.sIMILE