The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-24

CELESTIAL TRAGEDIANS READY
TO KNIFE ONE ANOTHER.
Force and Legal Means Used, But Fin
ally Better Councils Prevail and Ar
bitration Pours Oil on the Waters.

Peace reigns again among the Chin !
ese thespans, and the amusement low
ing people of Chinatown were last
night treated to special performances
in both theaters in honor of the birth
day of the Queen of Heaven. The war
clouds that have lowered over Nuuanu,
King and Maunakea streets during the
past few days have disappeared under
the influence of arbitration. The
ombination is busted" but the new
theater company quits $4,000 ahead of
the game. Hereafter both theaters
will give nightly performances as be-
fore.
The history of the theatrical war
that has caused such disturbance in
Chinatown during the past few days,
is briefly told. The Tong Lock stock
company owns the old theater and had
a monopoly of the amusement business
until the Sing Ping Company appeared
as a competitor in the field. The lat
ter company was successful in secu-
| ing a good share of the business, but
it soon became apparent that there
was not enough business to warrant
the maintainance of two theaters. So
combination was effected, by which
the Tong Lock Company agreed -
lease it's theater and costumes to Loo
Chit Sam for a nominal consideration
of ST per week. This agreement was
signed on the Sth inst, and continued
in force until the 18th.
Meanwhile Loo Chit Sam signed an
agreement with Manager Kan Wing
Chin, of the Sing Ping Company, for Il
consolidation of the two companies of
players, in which it was stipulated
that if the actors of either company
should fail to appear in the old the
ater Sn the evening of the 18th, for
felt fof $4,000 should be paid to the
other company, and the theater and
costumes of the delinquents should De
forfeited for a period of two year,,
rent free. The combination company
was to appear in each theatcr for a
period of three months, paying a
rental of $75 whether or not they per-
formed.
On the night of the 18th both the
actors and musicians of Loo Chit
Sans company failed to put in an ap-
pearance, for the reason, as they after.
ward explained, that they had not
been notified of the arrangement ny
their manager. Thereupon the new
company moved in and took possess
sion, giving performances until the
nth, when they We're temporarily en-
joined by an order from Judge Carter.
who required the old company 70 give
a bond before giving any perform
ance. When the case came up for
final hearing, Judge Carter dissolved
the injunction and dismissed the com.
plant of the old company.
The case was carried up to the Su-
preme Court by Attorney w. r. Cas-
tie. While it was pending there the
greatest excitement prevailed in
Chinatown. With the assistance of
five policemen Kau Wing Chin had all
the effects of the new company moved
into the old house and took posses
sion. He applied to the MarsnaI for
permission to arm his guards and
asked for twenty-five soldiers to guard
the theater during the performance.
Rumors of war were rife, but there
was no trouble.
Thursday evening the matter was
left to arbitration, Wong Fa Fog, OF
Wing Wo Tai & Co., and Hong Quon,
of Sing Chong d Co., representing the
, two companies. They decided that the
} new company had sustained damages
in the sum of $500, and so it was
, agreed. The papers were all drawn
from the courts yesterday and peace
} reigns again The combination is
: Busted"