Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-14
DRAMA In REAL LIFE.
the New Play. Tried for Conspiracy,
Given Its First Rehearsal.
COLONEL DAWSON HELD FOR COURT
Tony Kearney Causes Sensation by Turn.
ing States Evidence.
HOW BONINI SAVED HIS BONDSMAN

Colonel Samuel Dawson and Charles
Bonini, of the Bijou Thester, are held for
court trial Tor conspiracy. Anthony Kear-
ney is held on the same charge, but for
mountain of reasons he is no longer con-
sidered with the Bijou. The bail is fixed at
81, 1,00O
At neither the Bijou nor the Opera
House has ever been produced play in
which each actor so perfectly filled his part
as in the melodrama, .''Tried for Con-
spiracy," the first full dress rehearsal of
which was given yesterday afternoon.
| Owing to disagreement between Managers
Dawson and Wilt, both of the great Pitts
burg theaters were overlooked, and the play
was produced in Alderman McMasters'
office. The production was a success. The
house was packed-so much so that half
hundred women had to find standing room
on the pavement outside. ...
In the role of Alderman, Squire Nc
Masters portly form showed up with great
effect Beside him was a line of stenogra-
| pliers and reporters that were real, and not
a painted scene. In front were the leading
characters, and beyond was a complement of
theater ushers and photographers which,
while it did not make charming back
! ground, had a certain uniqueness about it,
and which, from the very rarity of such col
lection, made it an improvement over coun-
tereIt trees and a cabin.
OTHER ACTORS IN THE PLAY.
E. D. Wilt assumed the role of
prosecutor and the look he wore
would have frozen ice while the
mercury kissed the nineties. He was
backed by Attorneys Burleigh and McGill. who
handled their business as if it was an old story
| with them. Cunningham and Chantler were
the attorneys for the defense. and though not
physically fitted for the parts, wore the air of
gladlators IN righteous cause.
Colonel Dawson, the supposed leader in the
conspiracy" appeared on the scene with very
little hair, but with a smile that was happy and
far-reaching, and which did not forsake him at
any time during the trial. Fortunes rose and
tell, but the Colonel had large stock of the
nerve which has made the Bijou a success.
Anthony kearney, one of the defendants,
was the first witness called. He stared vacantly
about him, and then sank into the chair as
reluctantly as if it had been his grave.
Attorney Cunningham objected to one of the
defendants testfying, but Attorney Burleigh
said it was like the case of Larry Bender turn
ing States evidence IN the Bauder trials. Man
ager Wilt leaned forward to catch every word,
but when the Alderman decided to admit the
evidence he leaned back in his chair and COM
posed his mind and a poem, The latter is on
the style OF the angels denunciaton in Para
disc Lost" and is expected to be used with
telling effect In the court trial.
Kearney then testified: II am an usher and
photographer at the Bijou. 1 had talk with
Mr.. Dawson the week before the appear
ance of The Great Metropolis On Thursday
found the Opera House people had taken all
our windows for autographs, but Mr.. Dawson
said he had scheme to knock them out. On
Saturday night he sent me out Penn avenue
with the Wait bills. He told me if got into
any trouble to send to the Bijou.
FAILED TO GET THE PRIZE.
81 was to take out all the Great Metropolis
bills of the Opera House, and put up the bills
telling the people to Wait for Superba.' l had
about 800 bills. L am paid SIS week. 1 was
to get four or five cents for each Great Metrop-
oils Iithograph brought in. There may have
been two or three other people in the room at
the time. but did not hear Mr.. Dawson tell
this to anyone else. saw Charles Yeeger go
out, also. with bundle of the Wait bills.
worked Penn avenue and brought back % or 80
Autographs aud gave them to Mr. Dawson.
The man who got the most was to have a prize
of $40. was paid SIS for my work and the prize
was won by Charlie Yeager. l don't know
whether Mr.. Dawson told me anything more.
Where took out the Great Metropolis paper
l told the people was from Hanlon Brothers,
of the 'ouperba' show. did not give out any
passes. did not see Bonini take out any of
the bills"
On the cross-examination Attorney Cunning
ham asked Kearney what kind of a "pincher'
the prosecution used to make him testify as he
did. He at first affected ignorance, but as the
questions came stronger the boy alternately ad-
mitted and denied that any means had been
used, but finally he confessed that Constable
Murphy told him if he would tell the story he
had he would get off free. He also said Mr..
Murphy had promised to get bail for him, and
other parties had promised to take care of him.
Kearney was then asked whether any of the
Biiou paper had been taken down by the Opera
House photographer. Attorney Burleigh OBJ
jected on the ground that MIR. Wilt was not on
trial. and even if the Opera House hthogra-
pliers had torn down Bijou paper it was no ex-
cuse for the Bijou men to do the same. The
objection was sustained.
STORY TOLD BY THE PRINTER.
Charles Taylor, the manager of Percy F.
Smiths printing house, was called. and said he
had printed the swat" bills.
"Who ordered them?" asked Clarence Bur-
leigh.
II refuse to answer. That is private bust
ness"
Rats! Private business! Thunder!" roared
Mr.. Bur!eigh, and then followed a charming
little speciality entitled, "Scrap," in which four
attorneys figured prominently. But MIR. Taylor
had to give Colonel Dawson credit with order
ing the bills. He also said none of the author
tiles of the Op era House had anything to do
with the bills.
Charles Bonini. one of the defendants, was
called, but could not be found. Then T. ].
Murphy was placed on the stand. Said he: ''On
Tuesday night asked Bonini up to my office,
and talked to him about the Wait bills. He
told me he had taken down Great Metropolis
paper, but he had not put up any of the Wait
bills. He would not tell me any more. and so
arrested him. He did not know had a
rant for him. l was going to put him in Gen.
trail station. but as he said he was sick agreed
to keep him all night In the office"
The constable was cross-eXamined, and ad-
mitted that Bonini had sent messenger boy to
Mr.. Gulick asking him to bail him. but he could
not get any satisfactory answer. "Bonni sent
messenger boy" said Mr.. Murphy. "Bonini was
gong to pay the messenger boy, but a boy
named Marrow, in the office, said he would fix
that"
Can you explain why that message never
reached Mr. Gulick?" asked Mr.. Cunningham.
WHAT A CONSTABLE DOESN'T KNOW.
The constable's forehead took on a deeper
color of blue, and. after hesitating, he answered.
II did not know it never reached Mr.. Gulick."
"You told Mr.. Bonini if he had told the truth
you would have let him go until tomorrow"
The witness finally admitted this statement,
and the prosecution called several witnesses to
prove the Bijou men had taken down the
Great Metropolis" paper. The defense was
anxious to air the circumstances connected
with the loss of Boninrs message but the
commonwealth rested its case, and the Alder
man held the defendants for court.
Then came the greatest scene of all. The
Alderman was about to declare Boninis bail
forfeited, when that actor in the little play
dashed into the office all out of breath and
covered with mud. He had driven from Glen
field in order to save his bondsman.
James Piatt went on the bond for Colonel
Dawson and Charles Bouini. Kearney was left
in the cold clutches of the law, but Constable