The herald., 1895-02-27
NEWSBOYS' HOME BENEFIT
Mrs. Finney of the Charity to Have Been
Benefited, Talks
She Says That She Doubted the Managers
Sincerity and the Sum He Paid Her
Confirmed Her Suspicious

On January 31st and February 1st
Home, Sweet Home was played at the
Los Angeles Theater under the direction
of Winfield Blake for the benefit of the
News Boys Home on Ducommun street.
Each evening the house was well filled
and it was expected that a comfortable
sum would go to the charity for which
the plays were alleged to have been given.
For several days it has been rumored
around town that the News Boys Home
only got few dollars, and that the direc-
tors of the institution were very much
displeased at the turn things had taken.
Yesterday Herald reporter called upon
Mrs. Finney, the president of the home,
and the lady was found in a very talk
ative mood.
The fact is, y said Mrs. Finney "that
the home has received but $26. so as its
share of the proceeds from the rendition
OF Home, Sweet Home
About six weeks or two months before
the show was given, Mr.. Blake called upon
me and asked to be allowed to use the
name of the Newsboys' Home in adver-
tsing his undertaking, and he agreed to
give us one-half of the net receipts. |
talked it over with the other ladies who
have charge of the home, and we agreed
to his request
Everything went along nicely for a
few weeks. We told Blake and Mr.. Bah
cock who was assisting him, that the
ladies of the home, none of whom are
but little assistance to him. He replied
that that would be all right, as he would
arrange to have the tickets sold.
Long before the affair came off we felt
that there was something wrong and Of
fered no assistance. feeling that if we
did we would be benetiting Mr.. Blake
rather than the home.
"The meanest part of the whole business
is this: Mrs. Titus, who was then play
ing an engagement at the Orpheum,
kindly volunteered to sing on those two
nights. She was taken quite i'll, and as
she could not sing for us she offered in
stead to donate $25 to the home. One of
our ladies called at the hotel. The clerk
seemed astonished, and said that it was
his opinion, from what he had heard,
that Mr.. Titus, in accordance with his
wife's request had paid the $25 to some
one for the home.
''We have never received dollar of this
money, and as Mrs. Titus left a few days
afterwards, We had no means of knowing
To whom her husband paid the money or
what became of it. 1t may be included in
the $26. we received, and if it was that
would leave but 81. 80 as our part of the
net proceeds from the show.
''I don't know anything about Mr..
Blake. | never heard of him until he
called and unfolded his plans to me, but
it does seem to me that we should have
received great deal more money
II have heard recently that Mr.. Blake
has left town. l have also been told that
before he went he boasted of having $500
or $500 in his pocket To me he stated
that he lost $3.50 by the undertaking and
Babcock chimed in by saying that he had
dropped 800.
II am sorry that the newsboys have had
anything to do with the business for it
gives us notoriety of kind we do not de-
sire"
Will Conant, treasurer of the Los An
geles Theater stated that the receipts were
very poor the two nights in question. He
did not remember the figures and for that
reason declined to make a statement.