Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-18
RAN OUT OF TIGHTS.
That's Why Mrs. Potter and Kyrle
Bellew Left South Africa.
THEIR WARDROBES BURNED UP
And Then the Manager Tried to Have the
Men of the Company
WEAR STRETCHED, DYED UNDERCLoTHEs
rBY CABLE TO THE DISPATCH,

rBY CABLE TO THE DIsPArcH,1
LONDON, March 17.-Yonr representa-
tive called to-day upon Mrs. James Brown
Potter, whom he found looking careworn
and thin, with the omnipresent Kyrle Bel
lew at her elbow, occasionally adding his
observations to the lady's remarks. Mrs.
Potter has had hard time of it, and seems
much broken up. Being asked to tell her
own story, in her own way, she said:
Coward the close of last year, when we
returned to London after our tour in AUS
tralia, I received an offer from Mr.. Lus-
combe Searelle, which induced Mr.. Bellew
and myself to go to South Africa. a country
which offered good and tempting pros
peets of success, being a veritable
rate ability. But Mr. Searches
account of the possibilities was as dazzling
as the diamonds of Kimberly. He said that
money could be made in piles, and that the
business that could be done was simply
wonderful. The people of the country and
the country itself, he said, were charming,
and Johannisberg, the golden city, would
go into raptures over me and yield at least
S1, 300 a week for six months According
to Mr.. Searelle, there was one good theater
already there, and another, the Standard,
was going to be opened and was building
like the Savoy, of London, or the Lyceum,
of New York.
Excellent Business at Cape Town.
sThen there was the great diamond field
of Kimberly near BY, in which the world
renowned DeBeers mines were situated.
There was also Port Elizabeth, the great
ostrich-tarming center, in both Of which
places money, being easily earned, was
spent as easily, and with light heart.
81 believed the ruffian and went to Cape
Town, where arrived on the 21st of Janu-
ary, and on the 23d opened the largest
house ever seen in that city. I selected
was received with a perfect ovation. and
everything augured triumphant success.
We played in Cape Town month, chang
ing the bill occasionally, and business was
good We had begun our fifth week. the
booking for which was wonderful, and were
about to make arrangements for opening in
Johannisberg, when on Sunday afternoon
the town was alarmed by the report that the
theater was in flames.
"Mr Bellew and I rushed into the street,
and found that the evil tidings were true.
The building was doomed, and nothing
could avert its complete destruction. With
the theater went the greater part of my
wardrobe and all my stage properties. Poor
Kyrle lost every stitch of clothes he had in
the world, as all his stage wardrobe was at
the theater. AS rule don't like to see
man cry. but my heart went out to Kyrle as
he stood and watched his clothes 20 while
the big tears rolled down his cheeks"
Mrs. Potter turned and looked at Mr.. Bel
lew as she said this, but there was rather
scornful light in his eyes, and he moved un-
comfortably first on one foot and then on
the other
ga very curious circumstance in con-
nection with this catastrophe" Mrs. Potter
"was the fact that during the
week preceding the fire received two
letters limiting that something
of the kind was about to take place, and |
advising me to look out for it during the |
asst week of my engagement. And now I |
come to the part that Searelle played in the |
lffair. After the fire Searelle-or should |
'ather say his brother, for of Luscombe |
Searelle we saw nothing after we |
cached the Cape-suggested that, as a por-
ion of my dresses had escaped destruction, I |
should appear in costume and act as usual, |
while the rest Of the company should pre-
ent themselves on the stage in their ordi- |
with pair of tights improvised |
rom men S underclothing stretched and dyed. |
decided not to wound Mr.. Bellows teel-
ngs by repeating this proposition, but on
he following day MI. Searelle called and
aid he had received a telegram from his
brother insisting that Mr.. Bellew and the
'ther members of the company should pro-
7ide themselves with gentlemen's under
lothing instead of tights and resume play
ng. When this proposition was made to
Mr.. Bellew, he rejected it with indign stion
nd horror, and for my part, ref (sed to
onsent to impose and swindle the public,
nd insisted that the entire as cement
hould be cancelled, which was done.
Troubled in Getting Away.
"After this came a telegram from Lus-
ombe Searelle repudiating the cancellation
# the contract and insisting on its fulfill
nent, offering also to pay for the entire set
# underwear for the company and for Mr..
3ellew, and threatening to have me arrested
refused. All this, however, came to
othing, and we decided to return home inn
nediately, and booked passage on the
teamer Durham Castle, which left on
Wednesday following the fire. We paid
he members of our company. bade them
oodby, and told them they should receive
heir salaries in the future through the
standard Bank, South Africa.
"Our troubles, however, were not yet
yer. After We went on board the steamer,
7hich was lying at anchor in the bay wait
ng for her mails, the Sheriff came up and
rrested Mr.. Bellew and myself under a
-arrant sworn out by two members of the
ompanv, Mr.. and Mrs Lorraine, who
laimed e40O. Their salary had been paid
n full up to the morning following the fire,
ut they now demanded four months pay
4 advance. There was nothing for it but
0 60 on shore with the Sheriff. unless we
ould induce someone to give bonds for us.
1t last Mr.. Belt, one of the directors of the
)eBeers Diamond Mine, came on board and
enerously, although we were perfect
to him, relieved US from arrest by
Ding our bond, and the vessel soon after
ard steamed off, -
Mrs. Potter is endeavoring to obtain an
pening in London, and says that she will
len go back to America Meantime, Kyrle
ellew is buying new trousers.