The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-04
HER ANGEL. :"
How N. x. Fairbank, the Mil
1iOnaire Soap Man,
Hired David BelascO to Bring
Out Mrs. Carter
TO PAY HIM 100000
About Which He Did Not Keep
His Word.
Some Interesting Developments
in Court.
TO PAY HIM 100000

New York, June 4.-DaVid Belasco
was a witness in the supreme court to-
day in his suit to recover $4,000 from
N. K. Fairbank for services rendered in
fitting Mrs. Leslie Carter for the stage.
BelascO testified that he first met Fair
bank in the autumn Of 1889 in the apart
ments OF Mrs. Carter in this city. This
| also was the plaintiff witness first
meeting with Mrs. Carter. The meeting
was at Fairbanks request. According
to the witness, he told Fairbank the
cost of making a dramatic star OF Mrs
Carter would be $40 600 to $4,000, which
was no more than was paid for prepar-
ing Mary Anderson for her career To
this information the defendant respond
ed, placing his hand on the plaintiff 8
shoulders:
My boy you have been very frank
and would frighten any other man, but
I have plenty of money. / lose $l.OOO,OO0
in one day and make it back the next. =
BelascO further testified that he OBJ
/ jected to dealing with hackers who
withheld their names from the public,
to which Fairbank replied that it was
for weighty business reasons that he
did not wish to be known as the hnan-
cial sponsor for Mrs. Carter.
Negotiations progressed so far that
BelaScO retired from his other business
engagements to devote his entire time
to the development of Mrs. Carriers
talents, Fairbank had asked the wit
ness several times not to come to him
at his hotel as, witness being a theatF1-
cal man, his coming was apt to excite
gossip. A change of managers for Mrs.
/ Carter was effected at a cost Of $500,
which Fairbank paid. On one occasion,
/ according to Belasco's testimony, Fair
bank said to him:
"Belasco, what is this hear of your
leaving Mrs. Carter after she makes her
debut? I can't spare you; I want you
to tour with her and write plays for
her"
To this Belasco says he replied:
/ Goodness me. 1 can't do that; I won't
do that; I don't want to go on tour
and become a theatrical manager, as
have a wife and grown UP daughters,
and can't give UP my business.
Fairbanks asked how much Belasco
made a year, and when he was told
that it was between S25. 600 and $4,000
he said: Go with me, BelascOs and you
viii make as much
Witness said he fually agreed to go
OH a tour and informed Fairbanks it
would cost $50 600 for a Broadway pro
duction to which Fairbanks replied:
I Consider Mr.. Allen a bank and draw
on him for money"
The witness asked to be excused
/ from relating other conversation which
/ took place at this Interview, saying he
/ wished to spare Fairbanks as much as
! possible BelaseO testified he received
from Fairbanks representative a check
for $4,000 which was required to be
/ paid to the manager Of the theater at
! which THE Ugly Duckling' had its
/ first performance, November 10, 1893,
I with Mrs. Carter as the leading actress,
/ before the curtain could be raised.
! Belasco said he met Fairbank a cou-
I pie of nights after Mrs. Carriers ap-
Z pearance and was congratulated, and
/ as BelascO expressed it, he virtually
4 Rugged me"
Mr. Belaseo told Of money being ad-
/ vanced by Mr. Willard for Mr.. Fair
/ bank, during the latters absence. He
said he was in Chicago in February,
4 1891, and told Mr.. Allen of Mrs Car
/ ter's success there and urged that the
/ tour be closed. but Mr.. Allen asked
/ him to continue the tour as he would
/ have to see Fairbank about the matter
/ Several kilograms from Manager
/ Price to Mr.. Allen asking for money
] and telling Of poor business, were in
/ trOduced. Mr.. Belasco said he receiv-
! ed no part of the money. but it went
/ to Mr.. Price. He told of a conference
I with Mr.. Morrison, in Kansas City
/ March a. 1891. when he. as proprietor
/ and Price as manager, signed a receipt
/ for $500 as payment for all salaries
/ due actors and actresses, and expenses
I of the tour. He said he told Morrison
/ at that time that he had claim against
/ Mr.. Fairbank and did not want to re-
I lease that claim Morrison, assured
/ him, so he says, that he merely re-
1 ceipted for the purposes embodied in
/ the receipt. The case was adjourned
/ until tomorrow.