Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-11
HARRY KERNELL OFF.
His Friends Greatly Worried Over
His Present Mental Condition.
EVIDENCES OF A FLIGHTY MIND.
he Doesn't Know Just What he Is Going
to Do This Season and
FoRGErs THE ENGAGEMENTS he MAKES


NEW YORK, Aug. 1o.-Bad news has
reached the theatrical fraternity in town.
1t came from Asbury Park, and it asserted
quite circumstantially that Harry Kernell,
the noted Irish comedian, had become men-
tally unbalanced, and that his friends and
relatives at that watering. place were greatly
concerned as to his condition.
The report was circulated by a group OF
actors, friends of the comedian, who had
visited him several days ago at his seashore
residence. 1t had been rumored prior to
their visit that Kernell had given unmis-
taxable signs of mental collapse, and these
actors had called upon him, hoping to be
! able from personal observation to conclu-
sively deny the distressing story. To their
sorrow and surprise, they found that there
was substance in the rumor. One OF the
actors said:
''Before we called on Harry we had been
| told by Mrs John Kernell, the wife of his
brother, who also lives in Asbury Park,
| that Harry was really in bad way. both
mentally and physically. We found that
to be only too true.
A Great Change in q Few Months.
'Tn the past few months Harry has
greatly changed for the worse. His cheeks
| are sunken and his eve is no longer bright.
His demeanor has altered entirely. For
merly he had new joke ready or new
gag to spring at any time and with oil
| comers But during the entire course OF
| our long interview he was either moody or
| silent He evinced no interest at all In
theatricals, and considering that all of us
| were old professional friends and associates
his failure to talk shop was in itself re-
| markable. Instead, he seemed to have di-
vined that we had heard the stories as to
his condition. and he watched us furtively
most of the time. Even after we had left
him and had crossed the street we saw him,
while pretending to read, follow us with his
eye over the edge of newspaper
81 have known Harry Kernel nearly 20
years, and though it will grieve thousands
Of his friends to hear it, think there is no
doubt that he is not all right mentally.
His eccentricities have for some time past
been known to his relatives and friends,
but they have not revealed them, naturally,
for the actor has never been considered
violent Some of his more recent doings
are well known in Asbury Park, even by
people who have no interest in stage mat
ers For instance, at Catholic church
benefit in the town, last week, Harry
volunteered his service, together with those
of his brother and his wife, Quesnie Vassar.
Forgot All About the Benefit.
Cali three were billed, and Harry even
sent his music in advance to the orchestra
leader for rehearsal. But he did not ap-
pear at the show. He had forgotten all
about it, and he has also not yet sent to the
manager of the benefit for the return of the
music. His offer of his wife as a volunteer
was strange enough to excite comment be-
Sides, for she is engaged every night in "A
Trip to Chinatown at the Madison Square
Theater, and she could not possibly have
appeared She goes down to Asbury Park
only on Saturday night, and then stays only
until Monday afternoon.
''Harry's two children are with him in
his cottage there, and he devotes nearly all
his time to them; but even with hthem he is
not always rational Only q few days ago
the little boy, Harry, was discovered on the
beach alone. He had buried his fathers
watch and diamond pin in the sand, and the
actor had forgotten entirely that he had left
the jewelry with the child. While we
talked with him one of the party brought
up the subject of this seasons engagements.
circles that Kernell, who is always sought
after. has as yet signed no contract to play
with any troupe this year, and there has
been no little gossip in consequence.
Thought He Was With Harry Williams.
ITO the first inquirer he said he would 20
with Harry Williams, the Pittsburg mana
ger, for 20, weeks Ten minutes later he
told another actor OF the party that he
would join Tony Pastors troupe last Tues
day, in Asbury Park. Of course he did not,
for Pastor had never engaged him. Still
later he said he wasn't going to act this year
at all. Then, almost Immediately, he
turned to discussion of the cases of w. j.
Scanlan and George S. Mcknight. He said
he had recently visited Scanlan, and pre-
dicted that Scanlan would be at liberty in
time to take the road next month. As O
matter of fact, Scanlan's case is admitted
by his manager, Gus PiLou, to be hopeless.
IL happened to talk with George Knight
a few weeks before his dementia became
known and his case, think, is not unlike
Kernelrs. Knight, however, was in much
worse shape than Kernell is at present, for
the latter can enunciate distinctly and can
frame his sentences intelligibly, though his
mind seems to wander at intervals. He fire.
quently kept referring to Scanlan and
Knight, and believe he was cunningly en-
deavoring to draw us out rs to the object of
our visit We learned while in Asbury
Park that he had acted strangely in his
pecuniary affairs He recently took all his
posted it in an Asbury Park bank Still
later he withdrew it from the latter bank
and it is now said to be concealed in his
house. The amount is probably in the
thousands, too"
some Refuse to Believe Him Crazy.
Managers and actors who talked about
Kernell last night were disposed to believe
that his friends had Exaggerated the extent
Of the comedians illness, but they ad-
mitted he had not been himself of late.
An intimate acquaintance attributed Ker-
nell's present condition to worriment
caused by domestic troubles.
A few months ago Mrs. Kernell, who is
the pretty English soubrette known as
'Queenie Vassar, entered suit for divorce,
charging incompatibility Of temper. At
that time it was understood there had been
many violent squabbles between the pair,
during several of which the wife was severe-
lv handled by her husband, who was very
Jealous of her. In her bill Mrs Kerneil
asked for alimony, and asserted that her
husband was worth at least SAC, 900, which
he had acquired In his business as per-
former. Before the suit was called for trial
reconciliation had been effected, and all
summer the pair have been at the Asbury
Park cottage which Kernell bought some
years ago.
hernell eApetlenceSO OF married lie nave
been unfortunate. About 20 years ago he
married Jennie O'Neill, who was the best
jig and reel dancer of her day. She was
famous in the vaudevilles, and was always
in demand at big wages. They lived to-
gether until about 1880, when they separ-
ated, and were subsequently divorced.
QueenieV Vassar came to this country about
five years ago from England, where she had
been well known as q music hall singer.
h. Z. sLn I.;- -