The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-17
HOW scASLAN WRECKED HIMSELF.
nor OF "Peek-a- Boo, an rnvet
crate Gambler.

r..
IAN was dissipation pure and simnle He
was the most enthusiastic and inveterate
gambler that | ever knew, and il was this
particular species of dissipation that was
ms ruin. For years Seaman has been a
oesotee to the gaming table. 1t was poker
ol faro or rouge ct noir or any other form
% hazard that gave to him the excitement
ne craved- The result of this was his ruin
financially as well as physically.
II Is no exaggeration TO saw that within
the last ten years Seaman has thrown
away half million dollars. He made as
hucn money and as rapidly as any star
peiore the public, and yet no vacation of
ms ever ended that did not find him in
ueot 10 his manager. The common be-
nei tnat Seaman is rich man Is fallacious
ne mas lew thousand dollars invested
IN western lands or city lots, but aside
rom that he has nothing except the
money that his manager has saved for him
since MS engagement at the Fourteenth
street theater began last fall.
seaman would today be an. object of
cnarlty II 1t were not for the fact that a de-
voted wile took the precaution to save I'D
the moneys allowed her by him.
ocanlan's personality was charming. He
nad the bright, quick, ready wit of an
irishman, coupled with the generosity
tnat placed no value upon money. He was
vNacious, affectionate and enthusiastic
ne looked upon money as means merely
oi gratifying his passion for gambling. He
sought other diversions, but they had no
attraction for him.
ohe tnlng that furnished entertainment
or relief from his business was gaming.
whenever he came to New York, after a
season through the country, he gave mp
ms Whoie time off the stage TO games of
hazard. DE often said he would break
away rom his gambling habits and re-
form, but he was never able to do il, and
up 20 the last. as long as his strength
would permit, he sought out his gambling
acouaintances and played with them.
ms passion of his was a source of the
deepest affiiction TO his faithful wife.
What she endured no one will ever know.
certain instances came under my OBJ
seryatio which will illustrate the terrible
a old that gambling had taken upon the
actor. 1t was the custom of his wife
to go to the theater every night and after
the performance to endeavor to have him
go home and to bed In this she was
rarely successful, but failure after failure
never discouraged her, and each succee d.
save from himself the man she loved
Many is the time that she, having OBJ
tanned his promise to go home. took him
In carriage and started for their hotel.
On the way he would stop the vehicle,
and, telling her to wait q moment,
would dive into some faro bank and re-
main there until the place closed SEEM
ingly oblivious of the fact that she was
still in the cab at the door of the gambling
den waiting for him TO come out At
other times they would go TO supper af er
the performance and he would make some
excuse to leave her for only a moment, as
he said, and then run away to some game
not tos return to her at all. She would
wait alone in the restaurant until the
place closed and then sadly take cab to
her home.
Considerate and kind in other things,
Seaman seemed to forget everything that
was due to his wife when the passion for
gambling seized him. The result of this
was that he rarely slept. He would play
matinee and an evening perform
ance, and would then rush away
and gamble until the next days per-
Torrance began. If he slept at all il was
in those few hours when he could find no
game in progress or when nature, utterly
overcome, drove him to some Turkish
bath in an effort TO recuperate. The
strain upon his nervous energy necessi-
tated resort to stimulants, and this
FASTENED his downfall.
He finally became so absorbed in gambl-
ing that no other form of amusement could
entertain him even temporarily.
He made several attempts 70 break away
from the vice that had taken such fear
full hold upon him. A year ago last sum-
mer he consented TO spend his vacation
at the beautiful summer residence
of his manager, Augustus Pitou, on
the shores of Lake Simcoe in Cam
ada ad do
for the journey from New York; oil of his
clothing had been packed; the transporta-
ton was secured sleeping berths arranged
for and the start made. In the party were
Mr.. Pitou and his family and Mrs Scan
Ian. The actor went across the ferry in
seemingly the bappiest mood. He spoke
gayly OF the quiet pleasure that he should
enjoy on Lake Simcoe and altogether
appeared 10 be wholly content to carry out
the programme planned. When the train
started Seaman could be found nowhere
He had slipped out unobseryed al that
moment and started back 10 New York
where he remained for many days,
living entirely in the gambling houses
without ever going to bed or remoy-
ing his clothing only when it was neces-
sary 10 change his linen. He was finally
induced TO go to Canada, where he re-
manned only a week. His old passion
seized him, and he rushed away 10 Mount
Clements. in Michigan, where he found
opportunities 10 indulge his favorite
pastime.
This was single instance of many of
like character. Last summer he could not
be induced TO leave New York for even a
little while. His new play, "Mavour-
neen." was being prepared for presenta-
ton. and while he promised himself, his
manager and his wife that be would write
his songs and study his part, he put off
the work from day 10 day until within
less than a fortnight Of the time set for the
initial performance. Then he sat down
aud tired 10 study. To his amazement
and CONSERVATION he found he could not
memorize the lines. The pace that
kills had been followed so con-
stantly and with such rapidity
that his mind had lost lis
grasp. He became alarmed and consulted
physicians. who recommended an en-
tire change in bis methods of
life. He tried TO follow these recon-
mendations. bat he could not The GAM
bling mania had so mastered him that
ne was its slave. He still played when
ever he could eyade the watchtni care OF
his wife. The result was that when every
one else in his company was letter perfect
ne stumbled through his lines and was
upable 10 sing the songs that he himself
had written.
Even on the first night of "Mavourneen"
at the Fourteenth Street theater, his study
was so bad that the prompter 5 voice could
he heard through the auditorium. Then II
was that noticed more particularly than
ever before that awful quiyerlng OF the
chin. s.urring OF the words and thick ut-
terauce which are the fatal iorerunners oI
death by paresis | knew then that Scan
Ian was a doomed man. The rapidIty
with which his sffiiction has developed
leaves no hone TOR him. Ills