The record-union., 1897-09-26
OFF THE STAGE.
Billy" Williams Has Settled Down
in Cleveland

The prince of MINISTRIES, Billy Will
Jams. after twenty three years of life
on the stage as one of the foremost
burnt-cork artists. is about to retire
and make Cleveland his home for the
remainder of his natural life.
Broken in fortune, and in nearly the
same condition as to heart he pain
fully went through a monologue and
variety performance at Eucnd Beach
Park yesterday afternoon and evening.
He has a wife and four children. but
for the last few months his wife and
and one child have been on a sick bed.
It has been a hard strain upon the old
minstrel who has given joy to thou
sands, but the people who listened to
him yesterday afternoon could not see
his heart through the odd makeup.
Williams intends to establish a dane
ing academy in this city and also act
as instructor for local minstrel shows.
He has had a romantic career. Several
years ago the minstrel show without
Billy Williams as an end man did
not have any standing. But he has
grown old in the business, and he is too
fat to dance as lightly as he did in
years gone by.
When a boy 10 years old he attended
a boarding academy in Stamford, Conn.
One day a circus appeared in the town.
Tt was called Coles New York and
New Orleans Geological Exposition"
That evening Williams attended the
performance, and he was carried away
by the glare of the lights and the flash
ing tinsel. The daring bareback
feats set him on fire, and that night he
left his boarding academy and went
with the circus. He was cuffed around
for a number of weeks, and finally Sc
cured a job taking care of a number Of
horses. After that he was an usher.
Tim Hayes, a celebrated dancer, took
a liking to Williams and taught him
how to take the different steps. II
was but a. few weeks later that he was
taking part in the concerts. This was
the hight of Williams ambition at the
time, but he steadily mounted higher.
When he was 20 years old he had earn
ed for himself a name and nearly S1O,-
0O0. Being a wayward boy, he did not
return to his home, and three years
after his parents had passed away from
this earth 1t grieved him to think
that he had acted in such a manner
towards them, and he decided to atone
as much as possible by doing charity
work
He went South with a minstrel COM
pany. famous in those days. and while
touring the South the yellow fever
broke out In a number of cities his
company was quarantined, and during
all this time he played and gave the
proceeds to the poor families in the
South. In places where the people
were panic stricken and would not at
tend the performance. Williams gave
his own money to purchase collins, so
that the victims of the yellow fever
might be properly buried. And to the
survivors Of the family he gave a bar
rel of -four, purchased with his own
money.
Mr.. Williams was a member of the
Original New Orleans Minstrels, and at
another time was the comedian with
Jack Haverly's minstrels. With the
latter company he toured Europe. and
made a big hit. Not many years ago
he was standing on the corner of a
Southern street with Cal Wagner,
the father of minstrels Both were in
the same company at the time, and
lttEN were NdlOD1lS ii Aa1IbCI OA llACi4
experimenting with an electric car.
The town had just discarded the street
cars which used mules as a motive
power and introduced electricity. Con-
seQuently nearly every person in the
city was watching the efforts of the
man at the lever. An old negro
stood On the corner. his face a study.
How do you like it, uncle?" asked
Williams.
7 d'clar, boss. da Yankees is great
people" exclaimed the colored man.
How is that?" queried Williams.
We'll" answered the colored man,
"da Yankees cum down Souf an free
de negro: now de free de mules"
Williams at once introduced this in
his show. and it created a sensation all
over the country. About this time
Williams sang a song entitled Hot
Times On the Mississippi" This also
made a great hit with the people. and
is still sung in minstrel companies
Cleveland Leader.
Theodore Reynolds of Monson. Mass,
has purchased a valuable edition Of
Shakespeare's works, published in