Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-05-22
A STRANGE EPISODE.
THE REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE OF
n WEALTHY AMERICAN.

His Peculiar Actions in and Around One
of London's Leading Concert HaIls-A
Colossal Idea That Brought IL Hundre
Ballet Girls to This Country.
Among the frequenters of the canteen
behind the scenes there figured an Ameri-
can who, Judging by the lavish way he
spent his money, might well nave been
taken for a millionaire. This MAI gener-
ally had on his fingers no fewer than six
magnificent diamond rings, and not one of
these rings could have cost less than $500.
He used to make his appearance almost
every night at the time the corps de ballet
trooped off the stage after the spectacle,
and manyo of these dancers were constantly
RECALLED by him with the best champagne
at FL the bottle.
The way that American threw his money
about was-to use one of the ballet girls
language "A caution. He gave costly
breakfasts at public gardens, and lived
'like a lord" at the Langham hotel. lie
had jewelry enough to stock a shop, and
man. Of: the girls received some very costly
trinkets from his hands. He used to hand
away these valuables with a princely air,
and spent his money freely; every one in
the place received something from his
hands.
All this sort of thing tailed exactly with
popular notions of American nouveaux
riches so all sorts of rumors f1oated about
the hall respecting the position n riches
of the american Prince,'' as the ballet
girls termed the stranger. Some averred
that he was Il 'silver king" from Nevada,
others IL great ranch owner from Texas,
while Others were sure that he was a pig
sticker in a big way i'll Chicago.
Mr.. Silas w Steggs himself said nothing
about his antecedents. He left the ''al-
mighty dollar" to tell its own tale. No one
was seen more lavish with his money in the
Alhambra canteen; and as time passed,
and this man kept coming and going, his
face became O familiar one at the Alham-
bra.
IMPORTING A BIG COMPANY.
! With the manager, the late Mr.. Frederick
Strange, Mr.. Steggs maintained Il close in
timacy, and one night he opened his mind
to him. The London ALEXANDRIA was, he
assured Mr.. Strange, the most splendid
place of amusement to be seen anywhere,
and. as an American citizen, he was sorry
they had nc place to equal it in the Empire
city. A New York Alhambra, he went on
v " ooys "ouAu oaAhAy PAofO "ScoA pay
ing concern if conducted on the same lines
as the London establishment.
He (Mr. Stcggs) had made it his business
to study the management. In SO doing he
had spent his MONEY freely; that did not
matter a cent; he had an object in view
which would repay him every dollar. He
proposed to himself to erect in the city of
New York a large and palatial building, to
be called the New York Alhambra. Alarge
sum of money would be required. He had
enough and to spare. One favor he begged
of the ALEXANDRIA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to
recruit his staff among the minor members
of the Alhambra company.
No objection was raised to this proposal,
and when it was noised abroad those of us
who desired to better our positions were
greatly excited. Mr.. Steggs lost no time
in making his arrangements, and negotia-
tions were al once opened with all manner
of people connected with the Alhambra.
All these people were to cross the Atlantic
in the same vessel. What 100 ballet girls
and a number of barmaids were to do dur
ing the time the place was building never
seemed to be thought Of.
However, we all believed we should be
paid up, work or not. I was one of the
officials Mr.. Steggs had engaged, and of
course l had to give up the place l held I'M
der the ALEXANDRIA directors. l did so, as I
was promised a much better place in New
York. Before we set out the American
CAV US a sumptuous breakfast at the Cafe
de rEurope. The next day we went to
Liverpool to embark. Mr.. Steggs had
taken berths for all on board a Cunard
screw steamer, and he had spared no money
in making us all comfortable.
Everything went on all right during the
voyage, though l noted with surprise that
the American had parted with all his cost
ly jewelry.
MIR. STEGGS DISAPPEARS.
When we arrived at Sandy Hook Steggs
went on shore to secure, SO he said, lodgings
for us all at the Metropolitan and other ho-
tells. All that day we waited for a message
from him, but none came. The next morn
ing several of us landed and made our way
to the Metropolitan hotel, and, to our aston
ishment and dismay, we learned that no
person Of the nam of Steggs was staying
there, nor did the hotel people know any
one of that name.
We returned to the vessel in hopes Mr..
Steggs would return, but he never came
back. Here we were in a strange country,
and what to do became a pressing ques-
ton. 1t was we'll for Mr.. Steggs he could
not be found, for the ballet ladies were in
furiated, especially so the fine young wom-
an who was to lay been the premiere
danseuse."
The greater part of these women were
sent back to England by the consul. Some
of the men also returned. Some of us, in
Guiding Mile. Blank, determined to stay in
New York. This lady at once obtained an
engagement at Niblo's Garden in the spec
tacle of "The Black Crook" tafterward
produced at the Alhambra). The writer
obtained employment on the press.
One bitter cold night in the succeeding
winter I was passing through one of the
streets at no great distance from the Bow
cry when my attention was drawn to the
painful spectacle-alas! as common now in
New York as in London-of a number of
tramps waiting outside the police station
for a nights shelter. do not believe !
ever seen such a mol of wretched objects
as was gathered there that night.
Que man in particular was a most pitia-
BILE object. He was dressed in filthy rags
held together by a number of pieces of
string. This mans face seemed familiar
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