Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-03
TEARING DOWN KEENE
Autographs of the Great Tragedian
Pulled Out of Store Windows.
THE vARLEY BROTHERS ARRESTED
Contest Begun by Thsatsr Employees Against
Two Eouses.
MANAGERS WILL MAKE A HARD FIGHT

John and George Varley, brothers, who
live at No. 149 Fourth avenue, are in the
Central police station charged with ma
licious mischief. They are young men who
post up theatrical Autographs, and they
are accused of tearing down two handsome
portraits of Thomas W. Keene, the ira
gedian- Their arrest is the outgrowth of
the refusal of the managers of the Duquesne
and Alvin Theaters to consent to the agree
ment entered into by the American Fedora
tion and Z. OF L. unions of theatrical en-
ployes
During the summer the theatrical en-
ployes, some of whom belonged to one and
some to the other of these great rival Or
carnations, entered into an agreement in
this city, which they believed would end
the long chickering's between them and re-
suit in their mutual benefit The employees
on the stage, carpenters, electric light men,
scene shifters, etc, were to belong to the
Z. of L., and all who worked in the front,
ushers, ticket takers, ticket sellers and
lithographers, were to belong to the Feder-
alton. The result was that two scales were
presented to each manager, and it was
agreed by the members that if either scale
was not signed the men belonging to the
other organization would strike. The scale
was signed by all the managers except E
j. Mccullough, of the Duquesns Theater,
and C. E. Davis, of the Alvin Theater.
Tn" New arrangement Repudisted-
Mr.. Mccullough signed, some weeks ago,
the K. of L. scale for the stage hands. 1t
was slight advance over the former season.
He says that he signed it on the statement
of his workmen that they had nothing to do
with the movement to organize the ushers
and photographers. About fortnight ago q
committee, representing the Federation, pre-
sented to him q scale for the front of the
house. He refused to sign it. He did not
consider ushers and photographers expert
workmen. The committee wrote to Daniel
Henderson, in Chicago, and he sent this
reply: "Gentlemen: In answer to your
letter I would say, that if you will give me
good and sufficient bond, will lease to
you the Duquesne Theater for a term of
years, and you may conduct it to suit
yourselves.
At the Alvin, Manager Davis signed, as
he did for the former season. the Federation
scale for the stage mechanics. Recently he
was called upon to repudiate this signature,
and to sign X. of L. scale Tor the stage
and Federation scale for the front. This
he has refused to do. It would cause him
to lose nearly all his present employees
The Struggle Will Come Monday.
The managers of both houses are confident
that their men will stick to them, and that
they will be able to raise their curtains
Monday night. Keene is to open at the
Duquesne. The Knights of Labor say that
their members at the Duquesne will strike,
and the Federation people promise the
same for their people at the Alvin. These
strikes, if the occur, will not take place
place until the last moment on Monday,
and all preliminary work up to that time
will be done.
Yesterday it appears that some Of the
union men decided to begin operations. F.
Hennessy, the advance manager for Keene,
learned that his window Autographs were
being torn down. The Duquesne litho-
graphers were directed to keep their eyes
open for such acts During the afternoon
two Duquesne employees, Ford and Simp-
son, saw the Varley brothers tearing down
Autographs from a window on Grant street.
Mr.. Hennessv at once made informations
before Alderman McKenna, charging the
young men with malicious mischief. The
defendants were arrested by Detective
Robinson last night and locked up in the
station house.
Manager Mccullough says that he in
tends to show the men who indulge in such
methods of coercion that they are running
against the law, and declares that he will
vigorously push all such cases There are
likely to be lively developments in the con-
test before Monday evening.
A hearing in the case will be heard be-
fore Alderman McKenna at o'clock this
afternoon.
wOMEN'S gossip by Margaret II. Welch
In THE nISPATCH to-morro~