Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-06
TNDTANSNA THEATER
SITTING BULLS EXPERIENCE AS A
FIRST NlGHTER.
A Lively Time ut the Opening of n Now
Playhouse In the Northern Fart of Da-
Rod Mpr,

Playhouse In the Northern Fart of Da-
kota-An Ignominious Retreat For tho
Noble Red Men.
Fifteen years ago times were lively in Da-
kota, especially in the northern part Of il.
The Red River valley was alive with home
seekers and Fargo was u booming town of
49, 900 inhabitants.
In those days money was made easily in
that section, and in the majority of in
stances it was spent rs fast as it was made.
The main channels through which it flowed
were the gambling houses and the theaters.
The town supported half dozen theatrical
establishments, every one of which gave to
the public nightly vaudeville entertain
ment rs excellent and as full of variety as
could be found in eastern cities of twenty
times the population.
John Guerin, who for three years had
been n drawing card in comedy parts at
the Coliseum, the leading theater in the
town, determined to open house and man
age it himself. AS n result of this deter
mination, in three months time Fargo was
given playhouse that in the richness of
IFS appointments far outshone any of its
competitors. Great preparations were made
for the opening of this house. New artists
were brought from eastern cities at enor-
nous salaries, and the programme prepared
for the first week was full of attractive fea-
lures.
The theater was to be opened Monday
evening, and that morning the train from
the west brought the great Sioux chief, Sit
ting Bull, with a small party of Indians
who We're en- route to Washington to inter
view the Great Father The famous Indian
chief at once became bone of contention
between the theatrical managers, who saw
that they could add to the box office re-
ceipts if they could induce him to occupy a
front seat in their places of amusement
that evening The town was full of eastern
people, or "tenderfeet," as they were called,
to whom the sight of an unkempt Indian
fresh from the reservation was something
to be remembered and talked of for life
time-especially an Indian as notorious as
was Sitting Bull
The interpreter in charge of the party of
Indians was quick to see the opportunity
for making stake and coolly told the the
atrical managers that Sitting Bull and two
of his warriors would attend the theater
that offered him the highest price. Bidding
ran high. The hackers Of Guerin's theater
had abundance of capital, and they finally
compelled the other men to quit the field
by Offering $500 for Sitting Bull and two of
his men 20 sit through their performance.
That night the floating population of the
| town fiocked to Guern's theater. Seats
were sold at auction, and many a man paid
$40 for the privilege of standing in the gal
lery.
Sitting Bull and his warriors were on
hand early, gaudily arrayed in feathers,
headdress, beaded blankets and wampum.
They were seated at the end of the center
aisle in the space between the orchestra
railing and the front row of parquet chairs.
They sat with their backs to the audience,
of which they were in full view.
| The red men preserved their monumental
stoicism, and throughout the entertain
| ment not smile wrinkled their faces. 1t
| was impossible for the observer to tell
whether the show was a bore or u pleasure
to them. Each one of them carried u short
! painted stick, one end of which was split.
| Into the split was thrust small piece of
| looking glass Occasionally the Indians
held the mirrors up before their eyes and
took a careful survey of the audience be-
| hind them. This enabled them to see what
was going on all over the house without
shifting their position.
The closing feature of the programme
was an act performed by female trapeze
performer who was advertised to possess
wonderful strength in her jaws. The stage
manager announced that she would hang
suspended from the trapeze bar by her
knees and support heavy cannon with her
teeth while it was discharged. The woman
| finished her trapeZe performance, and hang
| ing from the bar head downward clapped
her hands as an indication that she was
ready for the final act. There was u rum
bling sound in the wings, and then q can
non was run onto the stage, with the muz-
zle pointing directly up the center aisle
At sight Of the cannon, Sitting Bull and
his men began to show signs of uneasinesS.
They shifted about in their seats nervously.
Two men lifted the cannon and left it dan
Cling from the woman's jaws. The muzzle
| of the weapon swung on n level with the
Indians headdress
Sitting Bull and his warriors by this time
had become extremely nervous. They
looked at each other inquiringly, as if they
suspected that they had been drawn into a
trap and were to be deliberately slaugh-
tered They jabbered to each other excited
ly, and two or three times so far forgot
their stoicism us to look over their Shout
ders.
Finally everything was in readiness; the
1 stage manager stepped back, gave the string
that he held jerk, there was a flash and q
roar, and out of the cloud of smoke that
shot into the parquet Sitting Bull and his
warriors sprang, wildly shouting as they
made their way down the aisle, striking
madly right and left with the long stemmed
stone pipes which they carried.
No attempt was made by the audience tc
stop the Indians, who made their way out
side and didn't stop running until they
reached the hotel. For once the fearless
chief Of the Sioux was unnerved. Thomas
Holmes in Kate Fields Washington.