The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-17
HENRY E. ABBEY DEAD.
The operate Manager Expires
Suddenly Sketch Of
His Career.

NEW YORK. Oct. IT, 1S96-EIenry e.
Abbey, the operate and theatrical man
ager, died suddenly this morning in the
Osborne fiat house. at the northwest cor
ner Of Fifty-seventh street and Seventh
avenue
Mr.. Abbey has been in bad health since
early in the summer. At that time he
and his wife concluded to separate, and
shortly after the operate firm Of Abbey,
schoerel & Grau failed
Henry Z. Abbey was still a compare
lively young man, having been born in
Akron, Ohio. in 1916 He learned the
trade OF jeweler, and his father. who was
In the jewelry business, bequeafhed him
his business. Having musical tastes. Mr..
Abbey became an able musician. In 1863
As.~ Abbey became the manager Of the
Summer Opera House in his native city.
His experience with the opera house
tprned ont disastrolasiy.
He subsequently went 10 the box Office
of the Euclid Avenue Opera House.
Cleveland, under the veteran John Ensier
and later became treasurer Of EllsIer' S
Opera House at Pittsburg. He became
very popular, and had a number of op-
portunities to take charge of the tours
of prominent professionals. OF these Of
fers he selected that made by Lotta. Up
to that time Lolita had never played q
satisfactory engagement in New York.
since her first appearance here as sssong
and dance artistic" from California. Mrs.
Crabtree, her mother, wanted to invest
money in metropolitan venture. The
old Park Theatre here was leased Mr..
Abbey was employed to take charge OF
the venture. Thus the jeweler, in four
years time. was transformed into a New
York manager.
AT first the Park Theatre was not popaI-
lar, but through his energy he soon had
It on paying basis. In 1877 Mr.. Abbey
leased Booths Theatre, but failed to
make the house popular. With Mr.. Schoef-
fel he leased the Park Theatre in Phiiadel-
phla and the Park Theatre in Boston
The first was unsuccessful, the second ilr-
nlensely popular. In 1889 he brought
sarah Bernhard and her company TO this
county at great expense. 1t was then,
secure in his new fame that Mr. Abbey
and Mr.. Schoeffle became interested in
operatic affairs. They brought over
NILSSON. Patti, H4angtry and Irving. and
tI,ea IIleif lame increased. In 1855 Mr.. Grau
strengthen plans that had been made for a
magnificent grand opera season
When the firm secured the MetropoIitan
Opera House it was their ambition to
give grand opera. This ambition was
realized, and the history of the brilliant
managerial career of Mr.. Abbey is in
separately linked with the glories ana
reyerses of the Metropolitan Opera House.
On May % the theatrical world and the
public were astonished to hear Of the
failure OF Abbey, Schoeffle & Csrau.
Mr.. Abbey's poor health took on a criti-
cal phase early Friday morning, when
the stomach. Every effort TO check the
progress Of the ailment proved unavailing.
The physicians We're in attendance all
day Friday and all last night Mr. Abbey
appeared easier early in the evening b1I1
at TWO O'Clock this morning he became
restless.
He called for his business .partner;--aHr.
came into the room Mr. Abbey told him
that he knew he was going to die and
bade him farewell After that the Sick
man became more restless. His mind
had been perfectly clear up TO that time.
but it began TO wander shortly after the
physician administered a dose of medi-
cine hypedermicalIy. This quieted the
dying man somewhat but he did not
again regain consciousness and died In a
short time.
Mr.. Abbey's funeral viii take place next
Tuesday. He will be buried in Northamp-
ton, Mass, near the graves of his first
wife and children.
There will be meeting of the opera
company'S directors at the Academy this
afternoon. Mr. Grau Mr. Abbey's part
Rer, is in Paris, and a cabiegram announc-
ing Mr.. Ahbey's death was sent to him to-
Florence Gerard. Mr.. Abbey,s second
wife, is also in Europe.