Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-02-12
HER WILL CRITICISED.
EMMA ABBOTT FoRGETs HER
PROFESSION.
The Chorus of Her Late Company Penni-
less and Positively SufferIng-One Mem
ber of the Company Who Calls the Dis.
position of Her Estate "Rad Taste.''

cal circles in this city-surprise, not so
much as to some of the benificiaries, as
to the fact that not o member Of Miss
Abbott's profession was remembered.
1t has been an open secret for some
years-in fact Miss Abbott herself is
quoted as the authority when she
died there would be provision found in
her will for the continuance of her
charities. Expectation was disappointed
when it developed Aat none Of those
who have stood by Miss Abbott so faith
fully, i'm years past, and who must have
been regarded as probable heniticiaries
to some extent at least, were even mem
toned in the will.
Miss Abbott's estate is, according to
the will, about 100000 in the aggregate,
a sum far below the figures that usually
were quoted. The immediate relatives
are literally provided for. D. A, or
Danny Consadine, as he is Familiarity
known, receives $1,000. Consadine is
the only one of those about Miss Abbott
who received bequest. When Miss
Abbott first employed him she took him
from mental position in Nashville,
Tenn, theater, and he advanced in her
service until he became treasurer of the
company.
Nine Churches Get $4,000 Each.
Nine churches each receive S., 900, and
the rest goes to charitable institutions of
various natures, but not one to an insti-
tuition for INDECENT or infrm profess
SIGNALS.
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
matter of Indifference as far as personal
needs are concerned.
While not a. few declined to permit
their names to be mentioned, all were
unit in the opinion that the neglect to
remember the profession in the will
formed Just cause of criticism. In ad-
dition to this it was positively stated
that the treatment of the disbanded COM
pany had been such as to warrant I'M
qualified condemnation.
ST think it was bad taste," said Fred
Solomon, s'to say the least. The people
who stood by Miss Abbott faithfully for
many years were entitled. You might
say they were paid for doing as they did,
but person doesn't need to be in this
profession long to find out that there is
kind of faithfulness that money won't
buy.
"This is the nature of the service Miss
Abbott 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
prominence in theatrical life that Emma
Abbott did should not forget for an in
slant how much they are indebted to the
support of others. I don't mean to criti-
cize the dead, but the principle of such
an action is all wrong.
without Engagement and Penniless.
ST do not know so much about her
leaving money to the profession at large
but, o, those poor people in her COM
pany! Miss Abbott ought to have pro-
vided we'll for them. just think Of it.
| Without an engagement in the middle of
the season and penniless, for that lathe
way most of the chorus people were.
Miss Abbott was rich, and when she
knew she was going to die why did she
not leave word that the people who had
served her so faithfully should be we'll
provided for. You know, just after the
holidays theatrical people are always
poor, for we have to remember our
friends. 1t was just after this time, sad
to say, that Miss Abbott died.
81 cannot understand it, said Harry
Hallam. cit seems to me singular
thing for woman like Miss Abbott, who
has so much cause to remember the pro-
fession, to do. There's no accounting
for tastes, suppose. Certainly Miss
Abbott had right to do as she pleased
with her money. Her action, however,
| ! 60 Al
sin my estimation" said Mr.. J. H.
Ryley, "MiSs Abbott's will showed dis
tinct lack of charity in her makeup.
The idea of leaving $4,000 to the
churches that she was always in a row
with and not cent to the people who
by hard and faithful work helped her tC
prised, and I think you will find thai
most professional people will say the
same thing.
ssWhat's that old Latin quotation? de
mortuis nil nisi bonum.' Well, l don't
want to say anything unfavorable about
the dead, but what I have said Is the
truth"
'sThere's Que thing that ought to be
considered" Mr.. Starr remarked, "anG
that is Miss Abbott's unwarrantable neg
lect of The profession as regards thu
people that were with her. I was will
Miss Abbott's company eight years ago
When I saw the members of the com
pany here last week, there were some O.
the same faces among the chorus tina
were numbered with that portion of thu
company in my day.
Been With Her Many Years.
s'Some of Miss Abbott's people hat
been with her ten or twelve years. The.
had become drilled in her repertoire ant
in her ways of producing operas. Man.
of them are actually now untitled by thi
experience and advancing age to secur
engagements with other companies
What are these people to do? Most O
them are penniess, for members of TIL
chorus are not given to saving. How
did Miss Abbott reward these people TO
their service? BY leaving her money t.
the churches who always opposed her
and didn't need it, and to charitable In
situations that the members Of her ow
profession never reach"
GAS a matter of fact" Mr.. John Fal
rell remarked, sit seems to me it woul
have been only proper for Miss Abbot
to have been charitable enough to hay
left q little something in such away tina
it would have skept her memory greer
in the hearts of the profession. Th
utter Indifference that her will show
will bear fruit in the unpleasar
thoughts of which the mention of he
| name will call up"
!, A WellvknoWn me nber of the THEATRES
J profession, who did not care to have b
: name appear in connection with th
statement, said: ssPossibly it's imposs