The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-26
BILL HOEY'S MIND GONE
"OLD HOss" BECOMES VIOLENT AT
THE MOUNT CLEMENS BATHS.
Friends Have Taken the Popular
Funmaker East, Probably to Join
the BIOOmingdaIe Colony.

DETROIT June 25-willam Hoey, the
actor, widely known IN theatrical circles
as "OId HOSS' Hoey, who has been taking
baths at Mount Clemens, has lately de-
Veloped signs of mental unsoundness, aMd
yesterday a party of friends started with
him for New York city, where he viii prob
pital for treatment. Within the last few
days his mental vagaries have assumed a
violent form, and it is feared by his phys-
clans that he will never recover.
"Old Hoss" Hoey has left his mark on
the American drama, having done more to
make the stage tramp popular than any
other actor "Bill' Hoey, as he was called
by all his friends. also had the distinction
of having given Captain Arson, OF the Chi
cago ball club, his first trial on the stage.
"Old Anse" was taken on at the Harlem
Theater for "one night only in 1883 during
a performance of "A Parlor Match" and
enjoyed the experience SO much that he
afterward easily persuaded by Play
right Hoyt to star in "A Runaway Colt"
of recent lamented fame. Thousands and
thousands of theater goers will be grieved
TO near the sad news regarding Hoey, but
to those who were in touch with the theat-
rical people the announcement of his al
h1ction does not come with any great sur
prise Hoey made money rapidly and spent
it with great facility. He was hail fell
low and high liver while he had wealth.
artist Of considerable merit. He made his
debut in the spring of 1874 al Tony Pastor s
theater in New York, and there learned the
trick of singing topical songs. he made
a hit at once, and his salary per week was
represented by three figures, big pay in
those days for a man in his class The
following year found him a member of
arlington S circus, which gave him an OPP
portunity of doing many things, even in
act in the concert" after the big circus.
The circus broke up but Hoey got tenn
porary position at savannah, Ga, where
three weeks without salary he decided to
return to his native city, New York
where, by the way, he was born In 1890 1900
of Hoey. He completely strapped and
started to walk. Falling in with some
tramps he was taken with the comical side
of their existence and then and there con,
ceived the popular character of odd Hoss,
which he determined to put on the stage
at his earliest convenience. He made many
friends on the way and by his fund of jokes
and great good humor he was able to ac-
cumulate enough to pay all his expenses;
Bryant and the team, under the name
of Bryant & Hoey did a musical act that
was a success and kept them as members
of Tony Pastors Company for five years.
In 1882 was formed the firm of Niles, Evans,
Bryant & Hoey, known as the Black
Comedy Team which met with great sue,
cess over the country in skit called
The Meteors." 1t was in 1854 that
Evans & Hoey Joined forces and made
the great nit OF tnelf nVeS IN "A 1dIlOI
Match" by Charles Hoyt. Hoey suggested
to Hoyt, while the playwright was still a
Boston newspaper Photographer, to weave
a farce out of the specialties which Evans
and Hoey were giving Hoey's experience snGs
as a tramp came in good stead and odd
Hoss'' was the result. THE Book Agent
or A Parlor Match" was about the first of
the farce comedies which have made the
fortunes of many men in the theatrical
profession "A Parlor Match had run
until three seasons ago, when Hoey left the
combination and produced THE Flams. =
and Hoey came together for an
other tour with ga Parlor Match"
The revival was failure, the
company disbanding on it's last visit to
indianapolis. two seasons ago. Another re-
vival took place last season AND, with the.
assistance of the French muslc-hall singer,
Anna Held the piece met with its old-time
success in New York and the other large
cities and Bill Hoey was once more on
I,ir foot