The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-02-23
IN THE OLDEN TINES.
WHEN THEATRICAL TICKET SPECu-
LATORS WERE IN CLOVER.


man. There's nothing in the business
nowadays. Newspaper criticisms, the re-
suit of public sentiment, were the fhst
things to kill the business, and it never
has and never will revive. Why, it was
nothing in the old times for man to
make $25 and $50 in night speculating.
1t wasn't necessary, either, for man to
stand in with the box Office in order to
make money, as spectators have 10 now
adays. A speculator could be stuck with
ID or 20 tickets and still make some profit.
So far as making money now, though,
there is little in it. A speculator is in
luck if he can knock out So a 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 speculator 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. Max Hirsch, who was then and is
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 ac-
count of the entire suspension of the
frSe list, when Hyde exclaimed: 'Sus-
pend the free list, eh? Well, you can
suspend and be darned, but just the
same I'm going to pass in at least 10
people, I'll bet you don't pass in a soul,
barring yourself replied Hirsch.
"The result was heavy wager, Hyde
betting that he would pass in at least 10
strangers for nothing, giving none of
them tickets or passes. Every one who
heard of the bet laughed at Hyde, but
Jimmy simply smiled and said nothing.
Those who knew Jimmy Hyde felt con-
fident that he would succeed in doing
what he had bOasted he could do, al
though nobody could see just how he
was going to manage it. Well, on the
night of the ball Hirsch stuck around the
door of the opera house all night, watch
ing every one that passed in. 1t was just
about midnight when Hyde, followed by
a meek looking individual who carried
something under his coat, showed up in
the vicinity. Leaving his companion on
the corner, Jimmy walked into the lobby
and approached young man who was
leaning against the wall.
"'Going inP asked Hyde.
"'Can't. Amt got the price? respond
ed the stranger.
"'How much have you got? asked
Hyde.
1.-two an half
"'Well, it's 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 go
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 I'M
der one of the gratings which open on
Thirty-ninth street. Will you do that?
81 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
tie uuutiio 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
the door, said Hyde. If any one says
anything to you, just say musician"
and pass on. When you get in the cellar,
pass it up to me-.
The young man took the case and
walked into the lobby and past the door
men without any trouble. In three min
utes he was under the grating and had
passed the case up through a small aper-
ture. Nine other men, each of whom
paid from So 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 doormen
who caught on first. He thought it re-
markable that so many of the orchestra
were coming in 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.
Clyde 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, and
Hirsch paid over the amount of the
wager like a man. 1t didn't take the
crowd long to drink mp the money, and
when it was gone Hyde was forced to
blow in the money he had collected from
those he had passed in too. That was
mighty neat piece of work, that was, and
there wasn't another man in New York
but Jimmy Hyde who would have
thought of it. 1t seems that Hyde had
made up his mind to beat the ball in that
way long before the bet was made. and
that he only accepted the wager because
he saw a chance to rake in few dollars
more.
Yes, the day of the ticket speculator
is over, and, despite the old saying that
history repeats itself, don't believe it'll
ever cOme arOund aOain Now NOrE