Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-01-23
HER WILL CRITICISED.
EMMA ABBOTT FoRGETs HER
PROFESSION.

PROFESSION.
The Chorus of Her Late Company PENN
less and Positively Suffering-Ons Nom.
ber Of the Company Who Calls tho Dis.
position of Her Estate "Bad Taste.''
CHICAGO. Jan. 15.-The provisions OF
the will OF the late Emma Abbott were
received with marked surprise in theatri-
cal circles in this citY--surprise, not SO
much as to some of the benificiaries, as
to the fact that not a member of Miss
Abbotts profession was remembered.
1t has been an open secret for some
years-in fact Miss Abbott herself is
quoted as the authority-that when she
died there would be provision found in
her will for the continuance of her
charities. Expectation was disappointed
when it developed that none of those
who have stood by Miss Abbott so faith
fully, in years past. and who must have
been regarded as probable hcniliciarics
to some extent at least, were even men
toned in the will.
Miss Abbott's estate is, according TO
the will. about $500. 900 in the aggregate.
a sum far below the figures that usually
We're 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 a bequcst. When Miss
Abbott first employed him she took him
from 4 mental position in Nashville
Tenn, theatcr, and he advanced in her
service until he became treasurer of tho
company.
Nine Churches Got $1,000 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 iniirm profess
SIGNALS.
A reporter called on many of the pro-
fessional people now in the city yestcr-
dav, and all expressed themselves freely
the, to them, surprising
omissions in Miss Abbott's will. All are
of that standing in the profession which
would render Miss Abbotts action
matter of indifference as far as personal
needs arc concerned.
While not few declined to permit
their names to be mentioned. all were a
unit in the opinion that the neglect to
the profession in the will
formed a 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.
Il think it was bad taste,'' said Fred
Solomon. ''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 a person doesn't need to be in this
profession long to find out that there is
a kind of faithfulness that money won't
buy.
'sThis 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 on in
slant how much they are indebted to the
support of others. I don't mean to criti-
CHE the dead, but the principle of such
an action is all wrong.
Without Engagement and Penniless.
81 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 is tho
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.
Il cannot understand it," said Harry
Hallam. SIT seems to me singular
thing for a 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,
will lead to unfavorable COMMENT
sin my cstimation," said Mr.. j. H.
Ryley. 'Miss Abbott's will showed dis
tlnct lack of charity in her makeup.
The idea OF leaving $4,000 to the
churches that She was always in row
with and not cent to the people who
by hard and faithful work helped her to
gain her wealth. ] am more than sur
prised, and think you will find that
most professional people will say the
same thing.
"What's that old Latin quotations. DE
mortuis nil nisi bonum.' Well, don't
want to say anything unfavorable about
tho dead, but what l have said is the
truth"
There's one thing that ought to be
Mr.. Starr remarked, "and
that is Miss Abbott's unwarrantable neg
lect OF the profession as regards the
people that were with her. I was with
Mlss Abbott's company eight years ago.
When saw the members of the com.
pany here last week, there were some of
the same faces among the chorus that
were numbered with that portion of the
company in my day.
Been With Her Many Years.
''Some of Miss Abbotts people had
been with her ten or twelve wears. They
had become drilled in her repertoire and
in her ways of producing operas. MANY
ot them are actually now untitled by this
experience and advancing age to secure
engagements with other companies,
What are these people to doo Most of
Them are penniless, for members of the
chorus are not given to saving. How
lid Miss Abbott reward these people for
heir SerVicaS Rv 1oavipo bo. ,,e..,r -