St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-07
SOMETHING OF NOTHING.
How Theatrical Manager Made
$500.

t'OOO'
Indianapolis News.
81 once took a company OF fifteen
people 600 miles for nothing, but 1t was
before the interstate commerce law
went into effect" remarked a theatrical
manager. Il had started West looking
for something at which l could make
dollar. | got to Plttsburg, had good
clothes. good reputation in the bus
mess and S. in cash. At Pittsburg L
found a brother manager who had Sc
cured theater at Nashville for TWO
weeks during the races. He had en-
gagged the Pittsburg stock company. but
had no money to take them to Nash
vile. From my appearance and fepu-
tation he thought | had money; he
offered me good big share OF the profltS
in Nashville if | would become the
financial hacker of the venture, and get
the troupe to Nashville to fill the date.
| accepted, went to the captain or a
steamboat advertised to leave Pittsburg
for Nashville. / told the captain OF the
boat that the manager of the show mad
gone ahead to Nashville and had left
the money with me to bring the com
pany to Nashville. [ had tried to break
a faro bank and there | was with fifteen
people who must get to Nashville. 1T
the captain would carry us the money
would be sure on the arrival OF the boat
at Nashville. Besides. | would give
into his charge the trunks OF the com
pany as security. He said All right;
get them aboard in the morning.
II paid 50 of my So to have the bag
gage hauled to the boat. 1t was an
eight-day trip by river from Plttsburg
to Nashville, fare $50. owed the cap
tain of that boat $500. On the way the
neople of the company would come to
me for dollar, or 50. What do you
want with money! [ would say. well.
we must have drink and cigar once
in awhile they would say. Go to the
bar and have it charged was my IN
structon, and when we got to Nashville
there was bar bill OF SIS in addition to
$500 for fares against the trunks OF the
company, not a member OF when Dut
thought the fares were paid and that L
had loads of money i'll my inside pocket.
"When we got to Nashville l went to
the proprietor OF the Maxwell house,
who had reputation as being a good
fellow and friend of the show people.
| told him the manager got left in Pitts
burg and the boat had brought us on
our trunks; if he would kindly advance
me 1928 II would bring the people and
trunks upto the Maxwell house and.when
or manager arrived he would pay him
the money. He said he would like to
accommodate me, but he did not have
the money; put" said he, II will in
torduce you to a gambeler; he is good
fellow and is stuck on theatrical people.
| think he will advance you the
money"
1.-The gambler said. well. old fellow.
l have got just SIS. | will go play 1t
against faro, and if | win enough
money to help you out | Will do it, l
went with him to a faro bank and sat
there all night long watching him
play. He would WIN and lose again,
and again win and lose. About
daylight his last chip was raked into
the Unsuitable nav of that hungry faro
bank, and were both broke. l went
back to the boat and took sleep. When
| got up took the captain of the boat
into stateroom, and told him the
whole Sickening truth; that | had lied
to him, and threw myself on his mercy.
He took ME to the agent of the steam :
boat line. To him | stated just what L
thought | could do during the races.
and if he would help me out of the
hole | would let him have charge Oh the
ticket selling at the tneater; he should
take the money as fast as it came i'll un-
til he was paid. He accepted my prop
oSitlon, arranged the rent for the thea
ter. and made us all right at the hotel.
We played to a big business. L left
Nashville with over $500 for my share
of the two weeks engagement, and not
any member of the company ever knew
at any stage of the game but what | had
more money than mule could pack"