The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-19
COMPLIMENTARY TO MR.. SHAW.

He Is Honored With Box at Mans
fields Performances in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Constitution gives the fol-
lowing account of merited compliment
paid TO Mr.. James C. Shaw of this city.
Though Mr.. Shaw is well known as a rail
road man throughout the country, he is just
as well known in Savannah as an able thea
ter manager and whole-souled gentleman,
who IS always ready TO do an act of kind
ness:
The only man on record as having re-
ceived the courtesy of box from Richard
Mansfield, is Jim Shaw, who has been in
Atlanta for few days. Mr.. Shaw is one
Of the Central railroads travelling passen-
ger agents. He came up last Saturday
from Savannah, and in the afternoon sat
in box at DeGives, and the marvellous
part or 1t is, that the box was with the
compliments of Maus6eld's manager, John
Slocum. Since he got reputation as an
actor, Mansfield has been very stiff, and
the profession saws he has a bad case OF
swell head. He is exceedingly exclusive
and does not mix much with everyday
people. He has turned down requests from
the leading members Of his profession,
among whom 1t is the custom to extend the
courtesy of box, just as it is to ask a
brother member what he will take to drink.
Jim Shaw, though, is an exception. Years
ago he was Tin the business myself as he
would say. Mind you, ''Jim" does not say
that he was an actor. though some people
would say that they we're if they had mis- ex-
perience. He was playing "Richelieu" and
Pink Dominoes," in Julius Cesar" and
"Olivette," for be is versatile and can
sing as well as he can act But when he
speaks of having been in the business him
self, he refers to the time when he ives a
manager. He managed opera and the legit-
mate. He was an impressario la the old
times, before the era Of Mapleson and Alb
hey, and these latter day managers, will get
together a lot of German singers to give
English and Italian opera. After be
dropped out of the business as q manager
and settled down in Savannah, his old
home, the boys there started an amateur
dramatic club. They called it, or them
selves, as you prefer, THE Fords.n This
was in honor OF John I. Ford of Baltimore,
the same John Ford in whose Washington
theater Lincoln was shot. Mr.. Ford was
too busy running his theater on FaYette
street, Baltimore, TO help his namesake out,
and they secured Jim Shaw as manager
He managed the amateurs for twelve or
fourteen years, until they got 50 good that
they could knock the spots off half the pro-
fessional companies that came along. They
graduated several members who are now
holding tirst-olass positions in the profess
sion.
All this is another story from Shaw's
getting the box at the Mansfield perform
ance. 1t was not due altogether TO his con-
nection with the profession in q managerial
capacity. During the many years in which
he has been rairoading numberIess theatre
cal companies have stranded in this part of
the world. And it ia well known to the pro-
fession from the smallest freckled faced
soubrette Co the heavy villain or grand
trngedian, that If they can only reach Jim
Shaw's line they will be all right.
He always helps the unfortunates out,
which means that he often puts up round
guarantee OF his own for tickets to New
York. Somehow or other that Is where
all broken players want to CO.
They go to Shaw and tell him their tale
Of woe.
Then he fixes them.
g was in the business once myself" jim
viii say.
And this is why John Slocum sent him
the box.