The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-05
BELASCO'S CASE.
Interesting DeFelOpmentsAbOut
Fairbanks Enterprise,
In Which He Blew in Money on
Mrs. Carter.
HE SPENT THOUSANDS,
But Mrs. Carter Was Not an Ac-
tress.
Fairbank Also Helped Out Taber
and SOthern.
HE SPENT THOUSANDS.

New York. June 5.-David Belasco
continued today the narrative OF ms
business relations with N. X F'airbank
and Mrs. Leslie Garter, seeking to es-
tablish the validity of his claim upon
the wealthy Chicagoan for s65,O0O The
story which was told supreme
court of this county had an interesting
auditor i'm the person OF MI 4 a1fpa-lA-
EeIascO related incidents Of the nfst
theatrical tour of Mrs Carter, i'm winch
R wv. Morrison, one Of F'airban1' $ law
yers, appeared as checking the accounts
of the company with Manager Price
He also testified that Morrison gave
him verbal assurance that EalFbank
would make good all deficiencies ana
pay him fBelasco) for his services Be
sides coaching Mrs Carter (and OF this
part OF his duties the witness gave the
jury a graphic description freely Illus
trated by gestures and facial play)s be-
lasco acted as stage manager property
man and all around utility man He
Thought he detected in Fairbank
growing disposition to shirS tine resp0n-
sfbility he had assumed i'm relation to
the Carter enterprise Letters which
he addressed to Fairbank remained un-
answered for q long time and some OF
them are still unanswered When the
play The Ugly Duckltng was taken up
the witness testified E'airbank said that
it should succeed in Chicago, where all
the principals lived and where Mrs. Car
ter had also resided.
ITO this end he gave all his energies
and all of his time except that which
was given to the writing of Men and
Women" for Chas. Frohman- This lat
ter work. however. took his attention
for only two or three days in the week.
Belasco testified that his services in
training Mrs. Carter from July, 1889 to
March. 1891, were worth $50, 600. and that
in reviving THE Ugly Duckling' and
experimenting its production he had
earned an additional $500 The lat
ter part of the day was occupied in
cross-exam alton of Mr.. Belasco- In
the course Of this process, BelascO re-
lated that on one occasion, following
an interview with Mr.. Fairbank at the
Office of Mr.. Willard. Fairbanks bust
ness representative Mr.. Allen, counsel
for Fairbank, called at ProctOr's thea
ter when he CBelasco) was rehearsing,
and that Allen In a brusQue manner
said. Sufficient money has been sent
you now until the curtain goes up. Fair
bank is a damned fool i won't allow
him to put up any more money, as he
has put up enough money in this
damned theatrical enterprise"
To this Belasco replied. in effect. that
Fairbank was getting of much cheaper
than others who had embarked in like
enterprises. He said Mrs. Carter was
NOT the only person he had developed
for the stage. testifying that others Of
his pupils had been Robert Taber and
u. II. S0thern.
Counsel for Fairbank read what pur-
ported to be q letter from Allen, Fair
banks counsel. to BelascO. in which
reference was made to a loan of $500
and a contract in which Belasc0 was to
agree to return the advances made by
Mr. Fairbank- but Mr.. BelasCo said ne
was not quite certain about its correct
ness Belasco said he knew Mrs. Car
ter only "a partner with FairnRnE ia