The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-24
SULTAN WAS SOBER.
He. Played to a Large Upper House at the
Grand Last Night.

He. Played to a Large Upper House at the
Grand Last Night.
John Lawrence Sullivan, pugilist, &C
tor and twelve-year champion of the
world, was in Topeka yesterday, but
there was no great uproar.
He wasn't feeling we'll and stayed in
his room most of the day. There were
surprisingly few callers and if the giant
from Boston is at ali sensitive he must
have felt hurt indeed. He was in bed a
good deal and played cards some. But
be had bad cold in his lungs, and his
stomach, which is big enough to hurt,
was out of order.
The advance sale was light, especially
down stairs, where the house was not
much more than one-fourth full. The
gallery was we'll filed and the balcony
was quite crowded
There is one nice thing about Sullivan,
so far as his stage work is concerned-he
doesn't try to act He speaks his lines
fairly well, and perhaps portrays the
part as the author understood it as well
as any one could. The character was
written for him.
The play is not good one. Some of
its sensational parts are very weak, and
there was very little that was real about
the climax of the first act.
There is nothing about the piece to APP
peal to the best impulses of an audience.
and it is simply a vehicle for the trans
mission of the stars proves IN regard
to muscle. Nearly every male member
of the cast gets knocked down at some
time during the action of the play, and
each time there is loud applause from
the gallery.
Sullivan's Irish comedian, Bobby Mack
is ordinarily good and the audience
seemed to like him. P. Sheldon, as the
old man was really good; too good for
that sort of an organization The rest
of the male members of the company
were hardly Jeffersons.
For the most part the women of the,
company were not only not good looking
but poor actors. Their parts were coarse
| and their talent was of the concert hall
variety. Miss May Donohue as the &C.
centric aunt, was good and also hand
! some.
The boxing scene was the most inter
esting part of the piece of course, but
Sullivan did not feel we'll enough to do it
| justice last night.
Eleven years old Josie Barrow who
plays FlOSsis is above the average of the
company. She is New York prOduc-
ton and has been on the stage three
years. Her brother plays with her.
Withal, Sullivan does not seem to be
such d tough as the papers seem to nave
painted him. Perhaps it was because he
was sick and sober last night, but he was
very agreeable indeed. There is no fear
of him in the company and the people
behind the scenes last night were par
ticularly good natured and jolly.
Sullivan does not close his fingers in
handwriting at all and the JOURNAL man
was glad of it. The members of his
company seem to like him personally
and little Flossie declares he is her
sweetheart. She sat on his knee in his
dressing room last night while the re-
porter talked to them and stroked the
Boston mans big fat hand lovingly
Il heard some where that you might
go into the ring again, Mr.. Sullivan"
suggested the reporter.
We'll, I may" replied the ex-cham-
piOn. perhaps after this season. | want
to take good long time to get myself in
condition, though. l take no training
now at all There is good deal of harm
that may result from getting in condition
too quickly"
"What do you think of that Corbett-
jackson AFFAIR.""
Sullivan shrugged his shoulders slight
". 81 don't think he wanted Jackson
game very bad" he said.
"Do you think you will ever meet Cor
bett again?" asked the reporter, but Sui
Ivan only smiled.
Sullivan is getting to be very gray
haired and is SO fat his clothes are too
tight.
The company plays in Kansas City at
the Ninth street next week