Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-24
BETTE GERARD TOOK CHLORAL.
Unable to Play Last Night. but Prob
ably All Right Now.

From the New York Herald. today
While the audience in the Academy of
Music waited until nearly a quarter to .
o'clock last night for the curtain to be
rung up on the first act of I'm Old Ken
lucky" Miss Bettina Gerard, who plays
the leading woman's part in the piece, lay
almost at deaths door in her room in the
Gedney House, with a doctor, housekeeper
and a maid applying the remedies usual in
the case of an overdose of choral.
During this wait at the theater Miss
Laura Burt was hurriedly dressing to re-
place Miss Gerard, who, according to
rumor which quickly spread to uptown
theatrical resorts. had attempted to COM
NIT suicide.
The actress herself subsequently admitted
say she had intended to end her life, she
expressed regret that a doctor had been
sent for, giving as the cause of her weari-
ness of this world her latest matrimonial
venture with Actor Harrison j. Wolfe
Miss Gerard's maid rushed excitedly into
the theater at 7:}0 o'clock last evening
and informed Manager Dingwall that the
actress was very ill and that she was lying
unconscious in her room at the hotel.
Surprise at the Theater.
AS Miss Gerard had played on Wednes-
day night and was then apparently in her
usual health, Mr.. Dingwall was very much
astonished and sent at once to the hotel
to make inquiries. He also sent a mes
senger to Miss Laura Burt, who is to head
an In Old Kentucky" company on the
road, to ask her to take Miss Gerards
place last night. Miss Burt. who was just
going to theater party when the message
arrived, hurried to the Academy of Music
and While she was dressing for the part
a member of the company announced to
the audience the cause of the delay.
When l called at the Gedney House a
little later was told that Miss Gerard was
somewhat better and that she would see
me. 1t Will be remembered that only
few weeks ago she brought suit for divorce
against Harrison J. Wolfe, an actor who
had played the leading part in In Old
kentucky and whom she married to
plque Actor Billy Beach, with whom she
had quarreled.
Miss Gerard. in becoming house dress,
but very pale, lay on a sofa in her sitting
room, and IN voice scarcely audible from
weakness told her story.
Il have been greatly worried since my
troubles with Mr.. Wolfe began" she said.
Il have dreaded the effect this new scandal
would have on my parents. AS for myself
am getting rather used to it. Still you
know these things do hurt one Just a little
always L have always been of morbid
disposition. and from worrying 1 have be-
come extremely nervous and of late 1
haven't been able to Sleep
bought Some Choral.
II am not in the habit of taking choral.
but the other day l bought some-not by
my doctors advice-and this afternoon
when 1 came home l felt so badly that |
took some of the drug and lay down on
the sofa to sleep telling my maid to awaken
me at o'clock.
when she came at that time she found
me unconscious and was unable to arouse
me. She became frightened and told the
hotel people who sent at once for my ply
sician, DR.. Robert Wiley. He came at
once and succeeded in making me all right
l still feel very drowsy, but the doctor
thinks l shall be as we'll as usual by to-
morrow, and hope to be able to play to-
morrow night"