The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-07
RUSSELLAND W.J.BRYAN
Sol Smith Tells of the Meeting
Presidential Candidate.
A Talk About Himself With a
Journal Reporter.
Miss Creighton Made Hit With the
Regarded as Sure to
Win Great Fame in the His
trionIc W orld.

Probably no more satisfactory dra-
matte entertainment was ever given in
Topeka if the opinion of the audience is
consulted that that of Saturday night
at the Grand in which Sol Smith Rus
sell appeared as Mr.. David Holmes in
his new comedy, "A Bachelors Ro-
The play was original and it goes with
out saying that the company was super
Tor in most respects Mr. Russell mas
this year.
From financial estimate the perform
engagement of last year There were
a few empty seats in the back part OF the
Mr. Russell was wei pleased with it,
and said 50 from in front Of the curtain
persistent demand from the enthusiastic
audience
This time he said in substance:
assure you 1T IS not task, but
pleasure to speak 10 such an audience. 1
cur company 1cr the hearty appreciation
you DestOW upon our efforts to please
nave sald 50 much SO many uInSs N
your city in regard to this same subject
tlal 4 Leel sure you VIII excuse me tlils
time. Sl-ssuenlef-@ III YOU VII exert
fury IN an aVgempt 20 say the same .IInlA5
think you will see the difficulty and ap-
preciate my feelings in the matter
ut IS a pleasure to entertain such an
audience, you are so quick TO see the
delicate points and appreciate them We
have been friends Tor many years and I
hope the relationship viii continue Tor
many more We are young OLaughter)
We knew each other when we hadn
much to boast of on either side of the
f0Otlights. tLaughter) i don't say how
much OF your Improvement is due to my
efforts. (Laughter)
without wishing to extend any seem
ing discourtesy from either myself or the
other members of the company I win
omit the usual speech prolonged laugh
on the stage Saturday night Mr. Rus
sell assured a Journal reporter that he
VIII positively not appear in Topeka next
MIR. Berger tells me that we viii have
no one-night stands next year" he said,
and that we will not visit Topeka
But the Topeka people need not give UP
hope. Two years agO Mr.. Russell told
the same reporter the same thing but
he has beeIh 6ere regularly both years
says it, Of course, but the flesh is weak
and the demand for him is too great to
There is no pleasanter or more sincere
man than Mr.. r ussell- He is as good ma
tured on one side of the curtain as on
the other and in about the same way.
And in the same way he is irresistible
The older members of the stage force at
tne Grand are among nus acelutltlt stl9es
and he shakes hands with them and talks
The story of Sol Smith Russen's stage
career has been reprinted until it is al
most as 4sInliar az the story OF lhe NJ
tie boy NJ asnlnSIon ana ms hatcnep IN
every town in the country of any size
three
who played with Sol Smith Russell IN his
first production for pins at Cairo, III,
when he was a pale, thin boy. 40 years
ago. Mr. Russell has never carried such
q gigantic organization since
In Saturday nights audience there were
at least Two men VINO saw nm when ne
was the singing comedian with the
PeaSe family of bell ringers at no salary
over 30 years ago one Of these was g.
b. Payne and there We're doubtless many
others.
1Ir. Russell is a wealthy man. Tt is
said that his income is in the neighbOr-
hood of $780, 600 year from his dramatic
company alone Mr. Russell is not re
sponsible for the statement. though it
has been officially announced that the
company's earnings last year were above
He lives in a splendid home of his own
at 1915 First avenue Minneapolis, Mimi,
and when he is at home is much hon
ored citizen
II manage to spend THANKSGIVING and
Christmas week at home almost invari-
ably" he said Il played at Minneapolis
THANKSGIVING week just past and was en-
abled thereby to eat my turkey with my
family. 7 was given splendid ovation
None of Mr.. RusselIs family are stage
a daughter of VIM T. Adams. or oliver
Optis,' the famous writer of children
eve have two children" said Mr. Rus
sell. "a boy of l6 and girl of 49, Neither
of them appears anxious for stage Cd
reer. They have seen so much of the real
fascinat ton of it to people who have seen
none Of it, has ESCAPED them
that know of was am actor He was an
uncle of mine and it was his example of
Cpulence, for he had grown wealthy in
early st. Louis real estate deals. and the
very prohibition of the theater i'm my own
immediate family I presume, that drove
me to the life and art of an actor"
Mr. Russell is a warm personal friend
of AR Bryan. who was the Democratic
candidate for president in the late cleo
ton On Thursday night of last week
Mr. Russell and his company appeared in
Lincoln. Mr.. Bryans home
Ell have great admiration for Mr. Bry-
an" Mr.. Russell said. Il regard him as
him sprung from his having read law for
a long time i'm the office of my lawyer
brother ia Illinois MIR. Bryan and his
4 wife occupied q box at our performance
and I called on them the day following.
BY the way interposed the Journal
/ young man. you and Mr. Berger were
! interested. were you not. ia the state
ment made by Duncan Harrison during
/ the campaign that MIR. Bryan appeared
/ in Topeka with Ada Gray i'm East
Lynne some years ago"
yes" said Mr. Russell. I'VE took some
/ of it to me Thursday We laughed about
it and he said TO me. You know that if
! had ever had any intention of going on
the stage I should have first consulted
/ YOU. friend as YOU are, about an engage
/ ment and should be least likely. know
/ ing you. to so among strangers which
Mr. Russell viii spend Christmas week
in seclusion ait his home. He never acts
/ during that week nor on Sundays.
BERTHA CREIGHTON.
An Undoubted Star With Sol smith