The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-03

was something merltorlouS IN ~
have IL he would. He made fetich OF
il. which he both feared and worship
ped. 1t was because he knew so httle
about IL that he sometimes lost 50
heavily on It. Coming to the concur
sion that Italian opera was the prope.
thing he went to Italy and importeu
whole opera company. He dlun
know how to discriminate between the
name and the thing itself. and hence
never saved expenditure where many
times IL could have been done without
impairing in the least the artistic eN-
cellence But though IL ruined MIN II
brought to the coast actors and singers
who never would have come out
through some such manager.
He has connected his name with the
work in this country of some OF the
best-known theatrical people In all
branches of the profession. Scarcely
a well-known minstrel during the 81
years that minstrely held the popular
fancy but was helped along the road
to popularity by Tom Mcguire.
las early as 1854 he brought out his
first minstrel troupe from the East. In
cluded in this troupe We're Jerry ana
Neal Bryant. Sheridan Campbell, the
baritone; Eph Horn, Barker and FOR
roster. This troupe, changing some OF
its personnel from time to time, MADE
money for Mcguire for years.
His second great minstrel importa-
ton was in 1869. when he brought out
Billy Emerson, Con Murphy Tommy
Peale and Otto Burbank.
"A later combination contained Bill
Burch, Backus. Wambold, Bernard and
Sam Wells. Then there were Ben Cot
ton, Abecco, the famous harpist ana
singer; Joe Murphy and Lolita played
in the walk-around. In 1859 he brought
out Mrs. John Woods. who is now run
ming a theater of her own in London.
In her company were Harry Courtane
and his wife. Ada Isaacs Menkin APP
peared in the opera house in 1861, ana
she was a money maker for Mcguire.
Three years later. in 1864, he brought
Charles Kean and his wife, Ellen Tree,
and Cathart from Australia. Blanca
sang in the opera house in 1861, ana the
next year there was the opera company
that contained Henry Squires, Lucy
Escott and Rosalie Durand as prlma
donna and Miss King. contralto. Then
there was Parepa Rosa and Cary Rosa
and an Italian opera company in the
SOS. Patti sang under his manage
ment out here. and so did all the other
noted singers that followed her.
HE brough Forrest out here in 1866
and lost $4,000 on the venture. John
McCulloch came with Forrest. The lat
ter did not appreciate McColluSh as
highly as Mcguire did, and was paying
him only $40 a week. When Forrest left
Mcguire offered Mccullough $75 week
10 take a place in his stock company,
and Mccullough accepted 1t. That was
one of the strongest stock companies
that probably ever played together.
Among it's members at different times
were Harry Berry, Joe Jefferson, Mrs.
| Julia Dean Hayne, Sophie Edwin, the
| Lands sisters, one of whom afterward
| married Perry and later Junius Booth,
/ Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Juhad, Charles
Thome and Frank Mayo.
Mcguire, in 1866, together with Old
Man Risley, brought the first japanese
/ troupe that ever came to this coun-
try. Among them was the famous Lit
1 tie All Right whose name and attain
ments were in constant service in the
/ newspapers for several years TO point
a moral or adorn a tale. After season
here. Mcguire took his troupe TO the
| East, and to Europe, and was ialriy
| successful with II.
"Maguire's last theatrical venture
was the Baldwin theater. lie had an
option on the theater property, foi
which +. j. Baldwin offered him $780,
600 But he wouldn't take IT. His am
bition was to have a theater on Market
street SO he entered into an agree
ment with Baldwin by which the latter
was to build a theater and put him N
the management Of It, This was done
and the theater opened in March, 1876
| with Barry Sullivan. Alice Oates FOL
lowed very soon after, and there wer
anumber of very successful attractions
But hard luck began coming to Mcguire
and he lost the management of tn
theater. His career as a theatrica
manager came to an end about 1873
For thirty years in this city and OF
the coast he had ruled the theatrica
world"
Maguire's earliest activities had beer
more or less in connection with poll
tics. In the early day gambling anc
politics were closely allied, and Ma
p1Iire soon after going TO San Francis
co. became interested in gambling
house. Later this was enlarged. unit
II was the biggest one in the city
PLAYERS could find any kind of game
there. 1t was run by his partner. bu
during the years 1861 and 1862 Ma
CURES share of the profits from tn
gambling house and saloon was NOR
than 81 900 900. At any time durinl
a dozen years or more Mcguire, it i
said. could have cleaned up and qui
with A. cash fortune of 81, 900, 600
Mcguire was twice married. His frs
wife came here with him from New
York She was a woman OF excellen
business judgment and was of invalua
BILE assistance TO her husband. III
second wife he married here. BY he
he had one child. Young Tom" VIII
died about three years ago Of hast,
consumption. During the days Of hi
prosperity Mcguire gave considerable
sums OF money 10 his wife, which sh
invested in real estate. And IL wa
from the proceeds Of these investment
that he was practically supporte'
from the time he ceased to be a thea
I trical manager until a year or tw
: ago. when the last of II was expende
in keeping Mrs. Mcguire al a privat
asylum, her mind having given way
Since then Mcguire supported himsel
nobody knows exactly how. His las
! business was as agent for a theatrica
: property storage warehouse.
? Mcguire was a handsome man, ia
and finely built. straight as an arrow
i And his fine looks and figure he car
: ried to within a year Of two Of hi
grave.
have seen anyone IlTpC