The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-02
IT'S A FLAT FAILURE
There Appears to be a Heap Of Trouble
on Ar. Hasuire'S Mind.
His Venture In San Francisco Re-
ported to be a Total Wreck-On-
paid Artists Who Want Him
to Come Back.

Ill MANAGER NliKulTe Chrt thc Dhot
thickens mt a rate that would confuse the
oldest hand at the business. The average
manager would have enough on his hands
with the ''sea Of troubles" that will be
likely 10 keep Mr.. Mcguire up To his chin
in Butte for n good while TO come. Ana
conda belongs IN the same theatrical cir.
cult with Butte and il has n long list Of
complaints To bring regarding the enter
tainment business i'm this city. These
have been withheld simply for the reason
that the public here was willing to sec Mr..
Mcguire get out of difficulty IL he could,
without the embarrassment that o
naturally follow complaints coming from
Anaconda. But il appears that the a
Francisco venture Of the Butte manager
il n sorry fiasco and that the presence Of
Mr.. Mcguire on the scene isn't of any ac-
count in assuring n season Mt
any of the theatres under his charge. The
news regarding the utter collapse of the
Grand Opera house i'm San Francisco I'M
der his management will hardly smooth
h road by which he hoped to get out OF
encumbrance In Butte.
The San Francisco ErGmiaef for last
Monday sets out the situation In thiss style:
'For several days theatrical people have
had food for gossip in the fact that the
Grand Opera house had no attraction un-
III wi ito WSSns {" "hS
that the lessee, John Mcguire of Butte
City, Mont. had been running behind for
some time, but Just how deep he was i'm
the mire was unknown until last night.
Then Mr.. Mcguire was not to be found.
In fact, he had been absent since Thurs
day evening, when he look the overland
train for his old home in Montana. Not
even his manager, Jay Rial. was ac-
quaintcd with his intention to breed sor-
row in the ranks of the theatres
employees until five minutes be-
fore Mcguire entered coupe 10 be
told Mr.. Rial then that he was going to
Butte City To raise money and would be
back In a fortnight, but Rial placed no
faith in his promise, and only kept the
house open the remaining four nights OF
the week in the hope of taking in a little
money to help out the suffering employ
ces. Last night when the curtain went
down on the sixth act of 1.-THE White
Slave il went down for the last time un-
der the Mcguire regime. For half an
hour early i'm the evening il was doubtful
IL IL would go up on the first act, for stage
hands, actors, ushers, musicians and
everybody connected with the institution
had heard Of Maguirc's departure, and
stormed the managers Office i'm "a body.
The lobby looked like "A dress rehearsal
for a time. At first the attaches percmpt-
torily refused to go on unless their back
Il ItN was IoItttbtttihks pht Ihfui a. al
| plain statement of the facts Of the case
and promised "a pro rata division of the
receipts, and finally induced the EN-
ployecs To proceed with the perform
ancc."
The Examiner adds tn its n tel.
egram received by Rial, dated at Butte.
April %, aud signed 10y Mcguire, which
reads: "Better closing for
three weeks for reorganization. Will fix
things all right here and be back next
Sunday" II appears that this telegram
was not needed and the house closed.
Mcguire had control of the Grand Opera
house in San Francisco six months. "His
working capital" says the Eramiacr,
'was about 500; AT least that is all he
ever put into the business. One of his
early moves was to take Rial M George
Osborne i'm as partners. He gave them
working interests and was to pay them
salaries as well. Osborne was the first Ia
~forcsce the trouble and draw out. Rial
followed him shortly, but retained his po-
sition rs manager, u II is due 10 his ef-
forts that the house has been
kept going as long as il has.
Mcguire, ID is claimed, paid no heed Ia
the business of the theater, hut simply
idlcd his time away, waiting for a lucky
hit to bring In money enough TO rccouI
his losses. In the six months that
Mcguire had the theatcr he drew Sl,9ut
from the treasurer for personal expenses.
Added Ia this are bills for liquor n cash
borrowed that will swell the amount spent
by him To nearly S2.JOO. His liabilities
about the theater are W $1,000 and
5000; assets, nothing.
The list Of the creditors as given 10y the
Examiner includes Rial, several actors
bill posters, ushers, doorkeepers, and IN
fact the whole outfit.