The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-13
NOT ON THE BILLS,
CONTINUOUS COMEDY PERFORM
ANCE AT THE NEW GRAND.
Russell Bassett Does an Interesting
Turn With Manager McGarvie-
Final Performance VIII Take
Place in Court This Morning.

Patrons of the Grand Opera House,
had they chose to notice it, could have
been furnished with little nightly rec
reation during the past two weeks, not
down on the bills. Precisely as the
clock strikes each night there may
be seen the figure of a neatly dressed,
middle-aged man. with clean cut,
semi classical features, ascending the
front steps of the Grand Opera House
building. The figure is that of the well
known actor, Mr.. Russell Bassett. AS
the last stroke of dies away he goes
up to the box office, raps on the win
dow, and to Manager McGarvie, Who
glares at him through the glass, repeats
this speech. Il am here to report for
duty, and will accept any part for
which [ am cast" This done. ,he turns
away, descends the steps and disap-
pears.
For IA nights now has this pro-
gramme been carried on, the. only de-
Walton being when Manager McGarvie
changed his glare through the glass
window to a speech of more or less
emphasis. The first few nights he linn
tied himself to expressions of aston
ishment; later, when the purpose of Mr..
Bassett became clear to him, he was
inclined to wrath, and expressed him
self in language more fOrcible than po-
lite After awhile the humor of the
situation dawned upon him, and he
simply returned Mr.. Bassett's nightly
stereotyped speech with a smile. On
one occasion when there was a big rush
at the office, and he heard the nightly
salutation coming through the window,
his wrath got the better of him, and
he intimated to Mr.. BaSsett that if he
didn't retire in double quick time he
would have him thrown out of the
place Mr.. Bassett nodded and retired,
but next night came up on the stroke
of with policeman on each side OF
him. Then it was that the affair began
to assume a. humorous phase to Man
ager McGarvie.
This morning at 10 o'clock the affair
may see it's climax. Mr.. Bassett has
simply been carrying out the instruc-
tions of his attorneys, who have ad-
vised him that Mr. McGarvie is liable
10 him for his salary as long as he
had not served him with a written no
tice of his discharge. This, it will be
remembered, Mr. McGarvie did not do
at the time when the company was
laid off The suit was brought before
Justice of the Peace Sommer and Mr..
McGarvie's attorneys entered a de-
murrer. This was overruled, and he
then put in an answer, alleging incOn-
potency on the part of Mr.. Bassett, and
this is the issue which will be tried be-
fore Justice Sommer this morning. Mr.
Bassett says that he has only been
served with written notice in the past
few days, and that he has no doubt he
can collect his salary from the time
the opera house closed UP until two
weeks after the date of this written no.
tice. If he can do so he will be repaid
for his stay in Salt Lake so long after
the others of the company have gone
home. The entire trouble seems to have
sprung from the fact that Mr.. McGar-
vie declined to pay Mr.. Bassett's fare
back to New York, as well as his sal
airy in full. Had that been done the
probabilities are the present suit would
not have been brought