The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-27

The /" Baroness F" PLAYED
Her Players.
SHE DID NOT PAY HER DEBTS.
A Society Actress Dual Role in 'De-
Cepti0n" Causes a Fiasco at
the Bush-Street.


ously around in the auditorium of the Bush
street Theater to see the Frenchy society
play advertised under the name of "Decep-
ton" did Tot see any play last night.
They were deceived" in the fullest
sense of the word, and so were the actors
and actresses Who behind the curtain were
clamoring for their salaries.
No salaries were forthcoming, and there
fore there was no performances double
deception indeed.
Brinkley. the property man of the COM
pany. who. when he was not making paper
mache delicacies for The banquet-table,
played Hyppolite in the cast, stepped out
from the wings and an nounced that owing
to the unproiessional conduct Of some Of the
members OF the company there would be
no performance, and the box-office would
refund the money.
Fifteen minutes later the Bush-street
Theater was wrapped In gloom. all the
lights were turned out. and the only re-
minder Of past splendors was big JIM"
who full of sorrow leaned against the en-
trance wall
The cause Of all the trouble, Baroness
Blanc." who managed the company. had
retired to her elegant apartments III the
Palace Hotel, and her company had lott
the theater when CALL reporter visited
tho place. but shortly afterward he found
furnished the following interesting details
About eight years ago a young society
lady of Philadelphia married a wealthy
citizen OF the same city, who died two years
later, and left his fortune to his young
widow who shortly afterward sought conso-
lation for her loss in the whirlpool OF New
York society.
Young, vivacious and rich. this interest
ing widow soon attracted attention, and
when the year of mourning had passed she
ftxnG nf ri
mony.
This time her choice was Barron Blanc,
an agent for Florida and mineral waters,
who was dashing and handsome young
swell.
The Blancs lived In great style on the
widows money and on the revenues OF MT.
Blanc's lucrative agency. and Mrs. Blanc's
brougham with spanking pair OF horses
attached was as fine as any outfit OF the
kind seen in Central Park.
But six months ago cloud burst over
the house of the Blancs, and the deluge
which followed caused a devastation of
domestic happiness and social prevalence.
There was a separation and the instliu-
ton Of divorce proceedings on Mr.. Blanc's
part
These proceedings are still pending. but
the great social scandal which had brought
the lady in the case into such an undesirable
prominence was to become the means .of
her achieving still more notorety In an
other direction.
Like many other handsome young di-
vorcees in these speedy fin-de- steele times.
Nine. Blanc determined to go on the stage
and earn fame as well as dollars.
She took a hurried trip across the Allan
tic, and. looking around London, saw a
piece called on the bills THE Fringe of So
cety," which suited her exactly.
There was bold and wicked French
aristocrat 10 the cast whose character she
thought she could portray so wildly as to
carry audiences by storm everywhere.
Besides. this part gave her great oppor-
tunIies In the way Of toilets, and she
hoped by an elaborate display In that line
TO make up for whatever talent she might
lack
So she went back to New York In search
of a manager, and still having money she
found no trouble in persuading George
keogh (who doomed Mrs Langtry in her
palmiest days. and John Hamilton to man.
age the company she was recruiting.
Tha new star, taking advantage Of being
Mrs. Barron Blanc. just dropped one ~
and called herself on the bills Baroness
Blanc" She also changed the name of the
play into deception.
Buffalo was the first city honored with her
appearance on the boards. bur- strange to
relate, the Buffaloites did rot flock in great
numbers to see the new actress.
Cincinnati and Pittsburg were visited
next, but in both cities the Baroness and
Deception" were great failures.
keogh and Hamilton then dropped the
management and the company returned to
New York, where the baroness secured
weeks engagement in Miners Fifth Ave-
nue. Theater by paying S75o0 for the priv
ilege OF entertaining metropolitan audiences.
The New York business turned out
another fiat failure. and the lady decided
then TO make a tour TO the wild and w0oly
West, where baronesses are scarce and
handsome French toiettes are appreciated
However her Eastern theatrical ventures
had depleted the baT0nial purse and money
was beginning TO get very scarce.
Notwithstanding this number OF peo-
pie were found who were willing to take
chances and out OF these company for the
Western tour was recruited.
When everything was ready for the de-
partnre the Baroness bad little trouble in
| getting out of the Albemarle Hotel with
out first settling her bill.
| The season was TO be twelve weeks and
Davenport Iowa. was the first town where
| the show stopped.
| From. there they played one-night stands
| to Denver and Pueblo, but business was
| very bad right along.
| In Denver Fred Yuengling, the CORE
| spondent in the divorce case. joined Mrs.
| Blanc. who also carried O maid and man
| servant over the read.
| The eight actors and actresses had 10
| work to keep all this retinue going, and
| times were anything but flush.
| 1t was a constant struggle with hotels.
| conductors and baggemen until they ar
| rived here.
The scenery had been left behind In Pu-
| ebio, S72 was due on the baggage, and the
company had weeks salary coming to it.
| j. b. Leavtt, who had already advanced
| considerable money 10 the Baroness" once
| more came to the rescue, and paid every
thing so as TO enable 'Dece ption" to open
/ on Monday last.
Leavitt's advances amounted. alto
| har n xr,ha
| Tuesday nights receipts were divided-50
| per cent to the Baroness and 80 per cent to
! Leavitt, the latter found that he would
never be able TO get even at that rate.
On Wednesday night, therefore. he tod
| the Baroness that he was sorry. but he
would have to corral all the money in the
| box-0ffice until his advance claim was paid.
! Madame la BaroneSse promptly kicked
and said she would not 60 on the stage I'M
til she was paid her 80 per cent.
Leayltt cayed III, and. to avoid trouble.
| paid the money.
! The MADAM gave notice 10 her company
| that after two weeks its services would
no longer be needed.
The company said: "All right; but we
| must have our money at the end Of the first
| week before we play another"
| This brought matters 10 a climax. because
| when the three leading members demanded
| their salaries last night Madame refused to
pay them, whereupon the company went
! on strike.
| This caused the announcement by the
| property man of unprofessional conduct, il
| being considered by the Baroness that her
| hired people have no right to ask for sal
| aries.
| When Manager Broadhurst, who repre-
| sents Leavitt, tried 10 patch up matters by
| suggesting to Baroness Blanc that she
| might use her valuable diamonds TO tide
| over temporary financial embarrassment
that lady haughtly replied that she would
rather earn an honest living as a shop
girl than paftwith her jewelry to pay her
debts
1t was said last night that the Baroness
will try TO recruit a company in this city to-
dav and If che aan find manila who ara