Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-21
At THE FRENCH BALL.
Disgraceful Scenes ard Orgies
at New York'S Annual
Fandango.
OTER0, THE NOTED DANCER,
Becomes Involved in an Exciting
Row in One Of The Boxes
FREDDIE GERHARD In A FIGHT.
a Number of Other Well-Knowu Charac-
tiers Come to Blows.
OTERO, THE NOTED DANCER,
FREDDIE GERHARD In A FIGHT.
LOTS OF EMPTY CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES

in the Madison Square Garden wa1ed in
intensity as the night waned. But for the
black dress suits of the majority of the men,
and long dresses of a few of the women,
the scene might have passed for the ancient
bacchanalian frolic, and in spirit it GER
tainly approached that classic institution.
Everybod who went to the ball expected a
little more liberty and fun than has charac-
terized the same ball in the past five years.
but the proceedings opened demurely
enough.
In fact, several hours passed before the
high kickers began to kick. Otero, the
Spanish dancer, was one of the prominent
personages at the ball, and she managed to
impress the rest of the crowd with her pres
ence. At about o'clock she was escorted
around the big floor by several gentlemen
not unknown in the "Teuderloin precinct,
while three more sober gallants followed at
a respectable distance The corsage OF
Otero's golden gown was cut rather decol-
lette, and she was a pleasing vision as she
tripped lightly along, chatting gaily in
French.
A Row in the Dancers Box.
AT o'clock there was a sharp report in
the box occupied jointly by Otero, Manager
Jurgens, of the Eden Musee, and Mr..
Steinberg, of the same institution. Some
body said that otero had slapped Mr.. Stein
berg's face. A moment later chairs were
overturned aud Otero ran screaming from
her box, followed by Steinberg. who re-
fused to be restrained BY Mr.. Jurgens.
Several times Steinberg gesticulated
violently at Otero with his fist. 1t looked
very much like man trying TO hit woman.
He did not hit her. Each time one of the
strangers who had rushed into the corridor
back of the box interfered.
The corridor was quickly filled with e1-
cited men, women, policemen, armed with
long night sticks, and detectives in plain
clothes. In the confusion Otero escaped
and Jurgens and Steinberg retreated into
the box. Five minutes later Otero screamed
again. Steinberg was pursuing her down
another corridor. Again Steinberg was re-
strained just as he made a grab at Otero.
This time the crowd hustled him away with
no regard for his feelings or Clothes and
Otero also disappeared.
Champagne an Explanation.
Only 4 number of champagne bottles
remained in the box to explain things.
Fifteen minutes later, two men got into a
row with young man in box on the south
side of the room. One of the men on the floor
objected to an epithet applied to him by
the man in the box. The latter's female
companion insisted that the complainant
had no right to kick.
Man on the Floor (hotly)-He can't call
me that.
Woman in Box (calmly)-Why not?
Man on Floor-Because I'll break his
nose and yours, too.
A few more exchanges, and then the man
on the floor invited the other fellow to come
down ard get licked. He came like
Jhuuderbolt but his blow was glancing and
he slipped as he landed. That gave the
other fellow chance to do some punmel-
ing. But the other fellow was up in
minute and sailed in with heavy blows that
would certainly have won had not a
host of outsiders joined in. When the
row was quelled the winning man climbed
back into The box, pausing on the rail long
enough to shout exultingly: "Vive Ia
Republique." The two men on the floor
went away with bloody faces.
About this time Fred Gebhard and Mr..
Thomas Mcguire, treasurer of the Four
Teenth Street Theater, were disagreeing over
4 box. No blows passed, but Mr.. Gebhard's
blood was evidently excited, for few min
utes later he and Bob HIlliard fell out and
began to pummel each other.
The Langtry's Darling in Fight.
1t was an interesting fight. and Marcus
Mayer pleaded hard with everybody not TO
interfere. Maurice Barrymore, vino can
handle his fists pretty well, disregarded
Mayors proteSts and sent Hilliard and
GeOhard flying in opposite directions. TIE
night was resumed shortly after, however.
anG this time the police got an inning, and
Gebhard was escorted from the building by
Sergeant Sheldon. The procession was
heartily applauded.
HiIliard, upon being interrogated as to the
cause OF the row with Gebhard, said: IF
YOU remember, l was supporting Mrs.
Langtry in LAS in Looking Glass away
back In 1888. One night we were playipe
IL One Hundred and Twenty-ffth street, and
my wife and Henry Dixey's wife were in
box, one removed from the stage In the
next box nearest the stage was Fred Geb-
hard and party of friends.
During the performance they looked
at the ladies through their opera
glasses in very impudent manner. Nv
vie drew the curtains separating the boxes.
but Gebhard drew them back again. knew
nothing of this until after the performance,
and then I got a club and went down around
the Union Club, hoping to meet Gebhard
and break his face. After a while friends
got between us, and Leonard Jerome and
DeCourcy Forbes brought me
An Explanation From Gebhard
in which he disclained any intention OF
insulting my wi fe or Mrs. Dixey, and that
there were number of stable boys in the
parquet belonging to mis- stable, and that
they were the people he and his friends
were looking at through their glasses
Well, at the ball had a box and so had a
friend Of mine. Between and 3 O'Clock 1
asked the wife Of friend of mine to
walk around with me, her husband
acqulesclng. She took nv arm and
We bad not gone far be eore we met Gebhardt
aud couple Of his friends. They made a
wall in front of us, and SO plainly and pur-
posely blocked our progress that / had to
make detour to get by them. A lew steps
further L met friend to whom / conf6ed
the lady. Then / went back and I smashed
Gebnard between the eyes. OF course we all
got mixed up, and when 1 let hy again did
not hit Gebhard but Mr.. Wendall, OF the
Cafe Savarin. After that we were pulled
apart and went home"
Mr.. Wendall corroborated billiards ver-
sion Of the row. He got it in the neck.
Alter the row in Harlem, it will be remem.
bered, Hilliard was discharged by Langtry.
Leon Kahn and AchiIle Friel. walters ar