The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-24
The qieta paiy Eagle: xhursaau orung guue a. 1897

SWsA~ -
fledged star. II vas the same night
tina. he SO seriously injured his head that
ever since he had been subject 10 spslls
o; temporary alteration OF intellecs, dur
Upon him. His wife and his friends
were fully aware Of this, and for the has.
two and a half years he had been care
fully and constantly watched.
He himself had often told me that the
blow on the head he received in the En-
Pre- Theatre, TO use his own expressive
words, had burst tile OF his upper
story and sprung jack which would
Good the nine sooner or later
The season Of the Lyric Opera Com
pany under the management Of Bona
mici and Perkins had closed in Pretoria,
WHERE business had been bad in spite
OF the fac: that the volks-aad was in
session. It was in Pretoria that hrst
met Barney Barnato. He had come up
to lay some propositions before The
Dutch Legislature on behalf OF the min
ing companies of johannesburg. and was
in high spirits at the success OF his mis-
sion. He came every nigh, TO the
theatre, and spent all the time behind the
scenes. His great delight was 10 Dor
row chorister's dress and go on with
the crowd.
"He usually implicitly obeyed the ord
ers of the stage manager, Dunken Young
Barney called him Drunken Young
but one night he caused a sensation by
turning fiphaps in front OF the Mikado
in his Japanese gown until his wig came
OF, and during performance OF Aud
rams Rip Van Wrinkle as an imp Of
the Catskills, ne commenced TO juggle
bowling balls and demijohns in manner
worthy of circus expert Young 5ok-
ingly told him he was fined weeks
salary for those escapades, and Barney
replied by handing in 10 the treasury a
cneck covering the salaries Of the whole
company for week.
Champagne suppers were nightly &C.
currence while Barney was in Pretoria.
and az these our host, who drank spar
ngly at that time, would entertain tine
company with tragic Rotations. deliver
ed in a highly artistic manner. His
favorite was The Dream Of Eugene
Aram,' by Tom Hood.
Barney Barnato frequently said that
If his time had 10 come again he would
be an actor. 'Ha, my boys he would
say, "a peaceful actors life in the prov
inces Of England would suit me far bet
ter thar the furry and worry OF finan-
cial speculation Those who knew his
talents have little doubt that he would
have become as famous in historionic
art as he did as manipula,or of stocks
and shares.
When the Lyric Opera Company dis
banded in Johannesburg few of the
chorus singers had saved enough money
10 pay their passage back to England,
and Barnato proposed that benefit
should be given them. himself volunteer
ing TO play the part of Matthias in The
Bells. The difficulties Of playing such
piece with comic opera company
were pointed out TO the ambitious mill
:onaire, but he replied:-'My boy, there
is only one part in The Bells and am
going to play it. All you fellows have to
do is TO come on and speak the lines
Barney went around 20 all the big
people of johannesburg and made them
buy seats. His nephew, Solly Joel, Joe
Pullinger, Abe Bailey. Lionel Phillips
and Harry Buffers. the American engi-
neer, took the bulk Of the boxes and the
stalls. When the night came there was
1850 (sl.S00) in the house.
''Barnato's performance was powerful
and admirabl IN every way up 10 the
end OF the second act. He and / had
been assigned the same dressing room,
little den beneath the stage, but still
the best accommodation the Empire The
ATTIC, formerly known as the Globe. af-
forded. Barney was extremely excited
and elated with his success, and before
the curtain went up for the third act he
rushed out Of the room and commenced
to run up the steps TO the stage
above them was a big wooden beam.
1t was not four feet from the steps, and
70 pass il one had TO stoop Barney
in his haste and excitement forgot this,
and as l sat in my room l heard thud.
cry and crash. The millionaire anna
against the beam, been knocked insensi-
BILE and fallen backward 10 the bottom
Of the steps. where ne lay groaning and
covered with blood.
Some one ran for DR.. FIaharty, who
was in the house, and ne quickly restored
Barnato 70 consciousness and dressed
the wound on his temple. which was no;
very deep. Barnato insisted on finish
ing the performance. The interval was
more than half an hour long and the
audience got impatient, but no announce
ment was made. Barney went through
the remaining acts with strips Of plaster
on his head, but nobody seemed TO notice
this. Perhaps they thought IL par; of
the make up All the life and fire
were gone from Barna.o's acting, how
ever. and when the show was over ne
was obliged to forego the pleasures Of
big supper al the Grand Hotel which had
been ordered FOR the whole company.
He was taken nome in a Cape car.
his bed. bu: the news of his accident and
the fact that he had conclusion OF the
brain were suppressed by the physicians
at his reques, for some reason connected
with the financial market
Il have seen stories published here"
he continued 10 the effect that Bar
nato had frs, wife whom he deserted
fifteen years ago. I hardly think this
can be correct. for Samuel Colgell. the
market master OF Kimberley. who 1as
one os Barnato's oldes: and most famll-
lar friends told me that ne Diamond
King FIRST made his appearance in Kim
be7iey in 1873. A; that time ne VAS a
bachelor and used 10 60 into the market
place with A LILLE sQua-e came, and