The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1891-01-16
The Will of Emma Abbott Crit
icised by Theatrical
People.
The Chorus of Her Late Company
Penniless and Positively
Suffering.
One Member Of the Company Who
Calls the Disposition Of Her
Estate bad Taste.

much rs to some Of the benlilciaries, as
to the fact that not q member OF Miss
Abbott's profession was remembered.
It has been an open secret for some
years-in fact Miss Abbott herself II
quoted as the authority--that when she
died there would be provision found In
her will for the continuance OF her
charities. Expectation was disappointed
when it developed that none OF those
who have stood by Miss Abbott Sc faith
fully, In years past, and who must have
been regarded AS probable henihciaries
TO some extent at least, were even men
toned In the viii.
Miss Abbott's estate Is, according TO
the will. about $500, 900 In the aggregate,
a sum far below the figures that usually
were quoted. The immediate relatives
are literally provided for. ID. A., or
Danny" Consadine, rs he II Familiarity
known, receives 5000. C0nsadine is
the only one Of those about Miss Abbott
who received q beqnest- When Miss
Abbott first employed him she took him
from a menial position la Nashville,
Tenn, theater, and he advanced In her
service until he became treasurer OF the
company.
Nine Churches Get $1,000 Each.
Nine churches each receive s., 900, and
the rest goes TO charitable Institutions Of
various natures, but not one 10 an tnsti-
tuition for INDECENT or inhrm profes-
| sionals..
A reporter called ON many OF the pro-
| fessional people now In the city yester-
day, and all expressed themselves freely
concerning the, to them, surprising
omissions In Miss Abbott's will. All are
of that standing In the profession which
would render Miss Abbott's action o
matter of indifference as far IS personal
needs are concerned.
While not q few declined TO permit
their names to be mentioned, all were Q
unit In the opinion that the negieet 10
remember the profession In the will
| formed o Just cause OF criticism. In ad-
dition to this IL was positively stated
that the treatment OF the dasbanded COM
pAny had been such as 10 warrant un-
| qualified condemnation.
soIdnona ,en so L Ess sas Aa lsas sess as'd dbge
| who stood by Miss Abbott faithfully Tor
many years were entitled. You might
say they were paid for doing as they ala,
| but q person doesn't need 70 De in this
profession long TO find out that there =
a kind OF faithfulness that money won't
buy. -
| "This il the nature Of the service Miss
/ Ahhoat obtained from those about her.
She should at least have left something
| To the actors fund or the Actors Order
| OF Friendship. Persons who attain the
nromInence in theatrical life that Emma
/ Abbott did should iot forget for an In
slant how much they are indebted 10 the
support of others. / don't mean 20 eritl'
clze the dead. bat the principle OF such
an action Is SfsHwrong.
without Engagement and Psnniiess.
ssI do not know so much about heI
leaving money 10 the profession at large
but, o, those poor people In her com
pany! Miss Abbott ought TO have pro
vlded well for them. just think OF IT,
Without an engagement In the middle o.
the season and penniless, for that Is ths
way most Of the chorus people were
/ Miss Abbott was rich, and when sh'
knew she was going 10 die why did sh'
NOT leave word that the people who has
! served her so faithfully should be wei
. provided for. you know, just after th'
HOLIDAYS theatrical people are Away
moor. for we have 10 remember nu
friends. 1t was Just after this time, So
. | 10 say, that Miss Abbott died.
al cannot understand It," sAfd Hafr
: HaIlam. ssIt seems 10 me-a singula
! thing for woman like Miss Abbott wh
: has 80 much cause to remember the Pre-
!, fasslon, 10 do. There's no acconntln
4 for tastes, suppase. Certainly ~
Abbott had right to do a. she please
! with her money. Her action, howevei
will lead to nnfavorable comment"
ssTn nv estimation" said Mr. j. i
Ryley. aMiss Abbott's viii showed di
Q tinct lack OF charity In her maEe-pl
q Tha idea OF leaving $4,000 % u
! churches that she was always IN 70
r with and not o cont 10 the people WI
D. hy hard and faithful work helped her
d gain her wealth. am moro than 50
o prised, and / think yo4 viii ind ~
y most professional people Eil say Y
= .What's that old Latin quotation? i
~ mortnls nu nlsl bonpm.' Well, ] dor
~ want 10 saF anything pnfavorahle ano
= = the dead, but what ] have said y =
w truth"
There's one thing that ought 20
20 considered" Mr.. Starr remarked, "a
- that ia Miss Abbott's unwarrantable ne
on leet OF .he profession AZ regards :
OF people that were with her. / was vi
od Miss Abbott's company eight years ae
Y When ] saw the members OF the co
~ pauy here last week, there were some
ae the Same faces among the chorus -
tn were numbered with that portion Of
- company In ny daY,
AZ Been with Hes mRny Feassv
I'd stgome OF Miss Abb0tt's people B
.he heen with heF ten or twelve years. III
"a. had become drilled ln her repertoire .
IN her ways OF producing operas. Ma
al of them are actually now untitled by I
aen experience and aavAnclng age TO seei
ri. onRagements with other c0mpani
1sa- What arc these people 10 a0s Mast
III. them are penniieas, for msrheFh Of
OF chorus are not given 90 saving. II
mt. did Miss Abbott reward these people
-. their service2 BY leaving her money
the the churches who always opposed
sad aldnt need n aHd % ehafitshls