The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-10

- y tseephone with hi th~ns.r ~
pftntinx once. his stock hwokera~n
S..h. nts real estate burpau. - NO.
a.. . :, nossses. HIS sssbss ana his ssyoon
.~s. lAsIsr run under tho ossennibse MAJ
This ~. o. ore Of ssetson's protezes).
n3 q m--Sfessor ., IN. ,rh- -.
1s = me theater IN half an hoar- as.re'
.-.s. ssefyfhing with you. I want 20
49, ~ accountA Bee that an hxnds axe
II not therein be trnuiae
Inose morning sessions IN the ur4vass
-. =. 81 tne old Globe thsAter. an apnrt-
@s.sN n.so with romantic memories ante.
msr entrances Into masrimouy.
we're gathered who handled dafiy
nas upon thousands Of co,lars 81
5tsfson's funds. One woald ten
sow inc rents OF North End rexosfx were
.aln8 m and how sugar certificates r,ar
- wv the day before, another wos,,d xfve
80 1snfes OF business and PROFITS Of the
s.. stson pawn shops, sometimes Pat
rr...ss y people Of Beacon Hin. = third
Feport the OUTSTANDING claims Of
~ snow printing house. and advfss
ne some struggling showmau IN
1Sos' Wnise another would report mar.
enasss Of Or loans upon Boston real e.
ute. Ihs local manager of the shea,er
ouso state his case. II the Attraction
running vas on big sharing terms.
ply grow1nd. n tho week looked Ilks :
scsef Tor both house and attraction. the
OLD man gruff1y said:
isacn EN- better. Good. 1prveu .ew
s.xnc They'll 90 TO sons other house next
stesson was . nigh liver. but no. q.
aems. AZ the hotels around Boston's bus4-
-, sn1er nis patronage was valued. He
LAY drank 10 excess during the day
re would transact huge volume o, varied
Sss ~ through . show, suggest
changes. Sign contracts. dictate 4 dozen
letters or dispatches. and then. when tbe
curtain rang down. old John, to quote him.
Opened up."
I've no uss for . ginner.- he aaid,
pus sne man who can't DO . big days
work Tor me and then ut IN with the
gang at night II not one Of nv
neutenants.
MS weli-known iliiferacy was no more
marked than his vulgarfty In general con-
sefsation. "A womzn's bushes never
paaseo the manager. who looked on
women. on and on the stage. - utterly un-
deserving Of consideration.
no one but thorough-gosng British
1Ake manager OF burlesqus could COM
nnAnd such q collection OF erpletiyes a.
ctetson employed during rehcarxals OF pro-
auctions IN which women figured The
ouiiy stood out in all his dealings with SUBJ
oruinafes. And he apparently gloried In
MS reputation as bully. Those OF his en-
ployes compelled to associate closely with
him were usually time-servers. suhser-
vieaf during his presence. jumping at his
command. and damninE him behind his
back stetson saw through such ahams
and despised them.
IL - told upon the Riaito that on Broad
way one day the Boston manager launched
a voiley Of characteristic abuse at Charley
Schroeder. then his lieutenant at the Fifth
Avenue theater. Passers by heard the tor
rent or vituperation. saw big Johns fist
shaken under Schroeders nose. ana were
awe struck when they heard and saw
Schroeder retailate In kind. II was the
only play for Charley 10 make. He beat
the Old man at his own game, established
himself upon the Rialso rs "a man who
dared to talk back 10 Stetson," and was
always prime fayorite OF the eccentric
millionaire.
The stories OF stetson's butchery OF the
English language would MI volume. even
W confined 20 those admitted by him to
be true. One most familiar TO habitues Of
tho stage deals with ste;son's imperious
disposition. He sent on the road an opera
company under the stage management OF
a chap named Sharp. Ststson wired orders
for q rehearsal In Albany The stage man
ager posted the customary notice: "Au
memhers report for rehearsal Mt 1870 a.
m. sharp" Ststson arrived. scanned tho
notice. tore II down. and substituted one
reading: Rehearsal f0.3o a. IN. Stetson.
not Sharp.'
When some theatrical pirates put out .
garbied version of 'sTherese Raquin" In
the one night stands. Stetson issued . no.
tice. In which he SAID:
"A garbsged version of Therese.'" etc.
But John was q money getter not q
scholar. Sensitive as TO interference with
his prerorative as an amusement king, and
vindictive In pursuit of those who opposed
him. stctson had withai \ kindly side A
few years ago a weIi-known comedian,
then not In the best OF luck. induced Uncle
John to lease 20 him his Globe theater for a
summer run OF comic opera The comedian
was playing on expectations Stetson liked
him, and desired 20 boom him. The come
dian got a sweiied head. cut Stetson's namo
out of nll the printing. told the treasurer
20 charge the old man go a nigh, for his
own private box. and Stesson never dark
eucd the doors of the house during that
engagement The engagement failed. Stet-
son smiled then.
when Disty Bells comic opera company
was winding up disastrous engagement
az the old Globe, New York creditors at
tempted to attach scenery and cos,umed on
a Saturday night Dsxhy was much per-
turbed. The performance vas about over.
ssetson heard OF the row. To nj. local
manager the usually Rdamant old fellow
said:
They're In rotson luck. Amt they, TIN
going to sneak over 20 Clarks. ana you'l
md me there until you quit. Take care OF
these poor people. Don't let id sher-
IT'S deputy in the house. II you have 20
harrtcade-welI. keep 'ern out. That's all
I'll stand the expense of getting the show
out OF town"
And he did. Twas a memorable night,
Dlgny Bell In hiding. srrayed IN Jupiter's
costume. Louise Montague cheering the
female members ~ the company and say
ing Dent mind me. can keep warm IN
me tights. old chap" Stage hands. grips.
u.hers and rssmen harrscac,ng the iron
doors at the stage entrance and q score OF
deputy sheriYs ciamorinx for Admission
m the name OF the commonwealth of Mas
sachnsetts"
Stetsoa's private saloon furnished re-
frexhwenfs TO the neeieRed actors. Sset-
sons manager .oothed the quakinr star.
and when the Sabbath dawned the sherssrs
hirelings retired defeated. the show" got
GU, OF town. and old. ugly John opened
several bottles although hts p-ofts on the
engagement would not pay the expenses
Of subsequent lawsuits AZ the sherlfrs tn
stance.
ste,son was a great believer IN the sid
ing scale In booking attractions at his own
theaters. though he preferred n guarantee
for hts attractions on the road. II his
soma - .hn ssG,,sden neafA- ror,narv