The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-18

car while on the Buffalo, Rochester and
Pttsburg road on his way to Bradford.
Pa. where he was TO open an engagement
this evening.
Professor Hermann was as well as usual
when he left this city this morning at Z 80
o clock. He had passed the night in his
private car and was in bed when word was
sent from it to the station master at Great
Valley that he was ill and the attendance
OF physician was desired. Before ply
stefan could get to the car Hermann was
dead. The car was taken 10 Salamanca
with the body. When he took leave of
Manager Pierce of the Lyceum after the
performance last night Hermann was in
apparently perfect health. He was en-
tertained at the Genesee Valley Club later
and seemed 10 be all right when accom-
panied to his private car by several of his
Rochester friends.
One of the last acts of Hermann was to
extend financial aid to stranded theatri-
cal company in this city. The "Ameri-
can Cousin" Company broke up at the
Academy here last week and yesterday
Mr.. Hermann was made aware of the
fact and imm ediately telephoned the ho-
tel where they were stopping to send him
the bill OF $50 and TO tell all the mem bers
TO come to his show last night and he
would have their railroad tickets to New
York all ready for them.
Alexander f. Hermann was German.
His father was celebrated physician in
his way and had very large practice in
Paris, where he settled soon after his mar
riage. Hermann was born in Paris about
so years ago. His father was one of the
best magicians in Europe, but made no
use OF his powers in public. Herrmann's
eldest brother adopted magic as profess
sion when a boy and wanted Alexander to
act as his assistant. His father objected
and Alexander was kidnapped by his
brother and taken to St. Petersburg
when he was IL years of age. Within
three years he was far more clever than
his brother and at the age of Ia he
ceased to act with him, went alone TO
Spain and made his debut before the
Queen.
From this time Hermann was the rec
ognized master of hand magic. He made
his first appearance in America at the
Academy of Music, New York, about
twenty-five years ago, and since the n be
took out his papers of citizenship and
fixed his permanent residence in this
country. He made three tours of the
world and possessed medals and tokens
from the rulers oil almost every nation.
He spoke Spanish, German, French, Chi
nese and Russian as well as he did English.
He wrote great deal for newspap ers
and magazines built two theaters and was
interested in many theatrical ventures,
and made and lost great deal of money
in Wall Street.
He always travelled in his own parlor
car, and carried from four to five horses
in car built for their accom- m odation.
He owned one of the largest steam yachts
in the New York Yacht Club and a park
and villa on Long Island, and belonged to
over 100 clubs IL Europe and America.
He leased McCalPs Opera-house in Phila-
delphia in the fall of 1888 and changed its
name to Hermann s Theater After hold
ing the play house for year he disposed
of it to other persons. He took the old
San Francisco Minstrel Hall in New York,
fitted 1t up at large expense, and also re-
named the place as Herrmann's Theater.
The building was badly damaged in Janu-
ary, 1891. by fire which destroyed the
Flfth-avenue Theater.