The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-27

WHEN THCATGiut- TiCkGT SFLCy-
..ATOI3 WE'RE IN GLOVER.

WHEN THEATEiui- TiCEGT SFLCJ-
-ATO15 WE'RE IN GLOVER.
Hoo One of Them Won IA WAGER by the
Ala of an Old Violin Case-The Trick
Was One "r Jimmy Hytle's. Whom All
Old Time N"w York show People Know.
The palmy days of the ticket aYecu-
latOr are over" said the old theatrical
man ''Therc's nothing in the business
nowadays. Nrwr!i"r criticisms, the re-
suit of public sentiment, were the first
things to Kill the business, and it never
has and never will revive. Why, it was
nothing iii the old times for a man to
make 50 and $50 in a night specializing.
1t WASH necessary, either, for n mar to
stand in with the box office in order to
make money, as Spectators have 10 now
adayS. \ sPtculator could be stuck with
- o. 2OtiCketsand still make some profit.
50 far rs making money now, though,
there Is little in IT.. A speculator is in
luck If he can knock ont - q night. All
Of the old timers who made big money
specializing years ago are either dead or
in other branches of the business now.
a trickier or smarter crowd of fellows
than some Of the old time spectators
could not be found.
About the most successful game |
ever saw worked by a Spectator was
the scheme gotten up by Jimmy Hyde,
then prominent among ticket specula-
tors, to beat the French ball. Jimmy.
who is now with the Casino, made up his
mind that it would be an easy thing to
beat the ball out of several hundred dol
lars. MAJ Hirsch, who was then and ia
now treasurer of the Metropolitan Opera
House, was telling Hyde about the elab-
crate arrangements that were being made
for the French ball that year, and how
it was bound to be a great success on az
count of the entire suspension Of the
free list, when Hyde exclaimed: 'Sus-
pend the free list, eh? Well, you can
suspend No be darned, but Just the
same I'm going to pass in at least l.
people I'll bet You don't pass in a soul
barring yourself, replied Hirsch.
The result was a heavy wager, HYDE
betting that he would pass in at least 70
strangers for nothing. giving none Of
them tickets or passes. Every one who
heard of tn" bet laughed at HYDE. bur
Jimmy simply smiled and said nothiu~.
Those who knew Jimmy Hyde felt con-
iident that he would succeed in DONG
what he had boastel he could DO. al
though nobody could see lust how he
was gong to manage II. Well. on the
night of the ball Hirsch stuck around tin.
door OF the opera house all night, watch
ing every m that passed in. 1t wa, Just
about midnight when Hyde, followed Nv
a meek looking individual who carried
something under his coat, showed NJ il
the vicinity. Leaving his companion on
the corner Jimmy walked into the lobby
and approached a young man who was
leaning against the wall.
"'Going inE asked Hyde.
"'Can't. Amt got the price, respond
ed the stranger.
How much have you got? asked
Hyde.
1.-two an a half.
We'll its money anyway. so come
on and Hyde walked out of the lobby,
followed by the young man.
"'NOw, see here said Jimmy when
they reached the corner, when YOU get
inside don't stop a second. but Just 90
right past the wineroom down toward
the stage. At the left end you'll find a
flight of stairs. Go down them, and
you'll find yourself in the cellar right un-
der n Of the gratings which open on
Th%irty-ninth street. Will you do that%
~ don't see any use of doing all that
but you get me in and I'll do it..
All right said Hyde, and he TOOK
tne uull,,io from under his companions
coat and handed it to the young man.
1t was an old and battered violin case.
"'Take that and walk right through
he door said Hyde. If any one SAYS
anything to YOU, just say musician"
and pass on. When you get in the cellar.
pass 1t up TO me-
The young nan tOok the case and
walked into the lobby and past the door-
men without any trouble. In three min
utes he was undo the grating and had
passed the case up through u small aper-
ture. Nine other men, each Of whom
paid from - to 81 apiece for the use of
the violin case, were successfully passed
through. Hirsch stood at the door the
whole time and never once saw through
the game. 1t was one Of the dnormen
who caught on first. He thought it re-
markable that so a of the orchestra
We're coming i'll late, and when Hyde's
eleventh man tried to pass through he
nailed him. Musician said the man
hoarsely, but it was no go. The door
men took the case away and opened it.
OF course it was empty.
Hyde saw that the game was up and
almost burst with laughter when he saw
his man go sailing out into the street,
with the old violin case flying after him.
The truth flashed on Hirsch in an in
slant. Two mutual friends whom HYDE
had let into the secret at the last mo-
ment testified that 10 men had been
passed through on the old case. aud
Hirsch paid over the amount of the
wager like a man. 1t didn't take the
crowd long TO drink up the money, and
rrhn,, ~ u-n, ,rNon YT,,1, .... e. 4