New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-10
MISS RUSSELL'S "TIGHTS."
cor1D SHE WEAR FLANYELS UNDER THEM?
SHE SAYS 1T WOULD MAR HER SYMMETRY iii
LEARNED JUDGE TAKES TIME To
CONCTDFIs


CONSIDER.
Miss Lillian Russell drew a large audience ID INC
superjor Court YESTERDAY and siad judicial ocer
49, 10 rreednan acted as general manager OF the
oor,cyr The Gloomy surroundings did not appear 10
rcct Misc Russell in the least. Her blond mar anu
nrett face were often in close proximity to the oad
bc,d NJ her counsel Abe" IIumme. and she laughed
and ioke1 with her lawyer as though she cohsdereu
A lawsuit the funniest thing IN the world
The whole controversy which brought her 10 court
arose over a pair of tights" Miss Russell entered
49,. -, o,,tr,rt with lanes c. Duff October II,
1857 IN aDpear as the leading lady In inc soprano
part, Of ,uch operas ~ he should bring out i! the
large cities throughout the country Inc contract was
for the seasons If 1s97'Ss and 1857 o. MISS huS-
sell was to receive $500 week ana traVehing eA-
pcnscs Everything seems 10 nave gone shoOuuS
until November l. 1855. The company was Ven IN
Chicago and at the end Of the ENGAGEMENT IN That c'y
IT, vas f., 70, T., Philadelphia ON the date last men
TONED Miss Russell wrote to Mr. Dun that 1t would DC
impossible for her to leave Chicago on saturiS on
the way TO Philadelphia. she would start on MONDAY
al 10 A. N. she wrote, If lie would send Ter tickets
for herself and maid. If Mr.. Dun ala not send
tickets she would start when she pleased, and Mr..
Duff could put on her udersudy in her place. Mr.
Duff answered the next day and sent the tickets, not
standing the fact ho wrote in his letter, that
he mad chartered a special train to take the company
to Philadelphia.
The company was playing the Queens Mate" a.
th, time and Miss Russell appeared in tights 40
further trouble developed until November 20.
while The company in Philadelphia. when Miss
Russo, again w,ote to Mr.. Dun. This time she com
psin,d that wearing tights causing her 10 catch
cold and Hjuriuc lcr voice she wrote, On fact, that
she would never appear in "tchs again. Her voice,
she said, was her prime consideration, a. she de
pended upon it entirely for her support, ana she would
nOi jcopaIdzc it 10y wearing tights" any longer she
suggested change IN the lines o the opera, 20 that she
might wear b. sh boot, and coat. She closed the
letter by saying that she had been singing con
tuuou,y thai her voice va, strained, and She SIC
nined her intention Of taking rest Of two weeks.
Thl, wa the first time that Mr. Duf knew that Miss
Russell obi ected to wearing tight, and In MS answer
to this let,cr he expressed his surprise.
lie called Miss Itusscns attention to conversation
which They had when the opera was first discussed
with d view OF producing it, Mss Russell. he said ia
the letter. when told that II would be absolutely
necessary for her to tights" in the part which
she was to take in the opera. had said that Size did
not mind little thing Like that In fact, Mr. Dun
said she had shown an eaeemc,s To- wear tights"
MIR. Dun requested reply 10 this letter lie wantcd
Mis, Russcli's views Ia what She Intended To- DO.
Under date ci December D. Miss Russell Answered.
inco,ne a certificate from Or. Charles +. Roberts. Of
No. 90 East Fifty fourth st., in which tine ply
stefan said that he had positively forbidden
Miss Russell 10 appear In tights again
if she wished to preserve her voice. Notwithstanding
tni, certificate, Miss Russell wrote that she wOulG
jcOpaiLile her health and the chances OF having
her voicc ruined for a money cons.dcraton.' She
would ~ 10 boston and tights TO two weeks
at :45O "a week and she would sns FOR the old salary
# 500 a week after the company returned 10 New
ork, providing She d.d not have to wear tights"
Nr. Dun refused TO accept these tcyms. At about
thi, time Miss Russell made agreement with Ku
do.gh Aron>0n t. apVeag at the Casino. MIR AronSon
va, witness yc,clday and lie said that he fret talked
with Miss Russell about suring with his company In
November. I,--. Her contract with him 4gned
NOV Umirr "a. I-5-, and she was 10 begin singing at
tie casino January il, l-o9. Dun got an InIuDo,
ton ,o prevent her HJm -lDtns WIN ANY company
except Als own, ana MIS- kusseH gave bona ~
g 900 "a Indemnity Dun Tor any loss, p.Ovidlng he
uuuli release her i.JlI the INJUNCTION order.
The evidence yesterday consisted mostly Of the let
tel- referred and That of Mss Russell herself FT't
hOWeEc, /. Henry French, Prank ". ShHgtT ana
Rudolph ArOusOn caIicl tO the witness staId.
Incy al tcstuod that ia tLcir opinion Miss Russell
stood at the head of her profession a. comic opera
"a" letters referred TO -uh5tatltc II. Miss Russell
was called ~ Dee. own Dc!lu after rrcct'. Shr al
mittcd the authenticity ~ the letters. Her only de
fence tuit 10 VONl ruin LcF Nu!t" To- veal tght>
any more. she ,aI tiut She had been ou tr stage
iDr ten years and that -lr had not tg.s' for
cght yeas before she Joined NJ Duf's company.
the suggestion which had been made that -hc oodld
wear WDOllcn garment, underneath her slik ig1l,
shc answered that nature had been exceedingly gca
cIDusr t. her ~Ee followed tAIt admission Win
htto essay upon the requirements u those WhO wore
tights They must be- Absolutely Symmetrical IN
fr.In and with her IL sl.' sAOud wear WOODEN under
garment. Il Woud lu,n the symmetry 81 her iJral.
The tights She describe. a. tlmh 10 tI Fix stIcl.
and tho ncsh w0ni spoil tie ~lInm r.cal proportions.
Judge Freedmen reserved bi, decision.