The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-19
UNCLE TOM ON THE STAGE
Nota Cent of the Great Fortunes Made for
Managers Has Mrs. Stowe Received.
Be Stopped If the Courts Can Do It
Lew Dockstader's Miustrels.


and true that last season may have been
the last one for unauthorized performances
of uncle TOMS Cabin" Forty-one travel
ing companies repre- sented the play last
autumn. winter and spring In tents. town
halls. village opera houses and occasionally
IN the theaters of the big cities. Not one
of these bands paid a cent to Harriet
Beecher-Sto for the dramatic use of her
story; nor has she ever received, since the
original stage version of her book by the
Towards in Troy. N. Y. any of the great
profits made by the ootlighted impersona-
ton of the characters which she created in
her famous story of slavery days. At first
she could not have prevented the show
folks from spproprlating her property. The
copyright law at that time did not defend
a published book against dramatization.
Another reason was that she sold the story
outright TO the publisher. and to him be-
Ionged any possible stage rights. A third
reason was that she was religiously con-
demnatory of theatricals, and If she could
have controlled the matter at all she would
have prohibited the performances instead.
of drawing revenue therefrom. Ii is less
than ten years since she consented to wit
ness q stage representation OF Uncle Toms
Cabin" Then her brother. Henry Ward
Beecher, induced her to do it. Her anti
theatrical doctrines had been much mOdi-
fed by that time. and she was pleased and
entertained. Not long after that she de-
clined In mentality. and now she is an i'm
beetle. She lives at her old home in Hart
ford. In fair physical health for so old q
woman, but quite irrational. Her close
neighbor is Mark Twain. the grounds of
whose oddly handsome residence touches
corners with her garden. 1t Is the humor-
ist famous for his success In turning his
comicality into cash, who is resolved to Sc
md hAr hAtr HhA
future value in Uncle Toms Cabin rs q
play. 1t should be explained lest his enc
mics cOnstrue his interest as selfish. that
ne has no notion of sharing In the income
which may result from his action. Indeed.
he has sailed for Europe for years tour.
leaving this matter in the hands of New
York firm of lawyers.
A bill has been prepared for introduction
In Congress, and the substance of IL is
that, hereafter. any old book of American
authorship may-thrOugh process OF re-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the same protection
that a new book can obtain. Twain got
the promise of advocacy for this measure
by influential Senators and Congressman,
and. as there IS not likely TO be opposition
enough to retard It's passage. it may become
q law in time to be operative early next
winter. This news will strike terror to the
Uncle Tommers. as the players of Uncle
Toms CABIN" are nicknamed. Twain ex-
poets that most of them will pay q mOder-
ate royalty. and so stick to the time worn
u
fortune TO Mrs. Stowe. She could not be-
ing of unsound mind, make q will which
could not be broken. but the understand
ing Is that her wish. which Is 10 found n
memorial charity with the money, would
be carried out by her relatives. Hardly
another play than Uncle Toms Cabin"
would De affected by the proposed legisla-
tion, but the Uncle Tommers will be dis
tracted by apprehensions of disaster in
going again ION the road"
One piece of good news in theatricals 10
bad news for amateur dramatic societies
and professional drama stealers. Brook
lyn judge has decided. after mature delib-
GRAFTON, that the proprietor or manager or
theater 10 pecuniarlly responsible when
ever play Is performed In his house with
out the consent of the plays owner. That
IL to say, he can be made to pay over to the
injured party all the money received on ac-
count of the unlawful entertainment. The
test lawsuit was one brought against q
Brooklyn amateur company and the man.
ager IN whose theater they enacted a drama
without authority. The trial was thor
ough and careful and there is small reason
TO doubt that the ruling will stand all pos
sible attacks. 1t has been the practice of
amateurs TO use plays which were either
copyrighted, OF which, not being published
at all, were somebody's property at COM
mon law. Hereafter every such step may
be enjoined, or 1t may be followed by the
compulsory payment of damages by every
person concerned in it. Amateurs will
have 70 let alone all pieces other than Old
foreign ones that are on public sale in print
Dockstsder's Minstrels.
The summer dizziness will be broken the
latter part of this week by the advent of
Lew Dockstader's minstrel company, w hIch
will appear at the Grand Opera-house Fri
day evening. Saturday afternoon and even
ing. Dockstader, George Powers. Mcintyre
and Heath do most of the funny work in
the first part. while Frank Girard is the in
teriocutor. The first part of the programme
contains the latest vocal successes and q
number of new features. The second part
opens with what Is said to be q
very amusing speciality by Perry
and Magrew. who give bur-
lesque boxing match. Mcintyre and
Heath follow in plantation sketch in
Producing plenty of catch songs and dances.
Lew Dockstader tells his funny stories
and sings his topical songs in modern
Beau BrummeP' makeup. Cain and Loren
20 have a burlesque act on the trapeze, and
the Narcotics contOrtionIsts and grotesQue
dancers appear In n sketch called Prom
the Sublime to the Ridiculous" which
made a great hit in New York recently.
There are other features to the attractive
programme. and the company Is said to
give q splendid burnt-cork enter;a inment.
The absence of theatrical attractions dur
ing the past six weeks has whetted the
public appetite to such degree that the
coming of Dockstader's company will he
welcomed with delight