The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-04-23
IHE1HEA1ER TRUSTS
THE COURTS TO BE APP
PEALED TO.
Action Against tho Hayman-Frohman
Syndicate Suggested by the TRANSMITS
souri, Decision and. tho State Laws of
Missouri-sstars" VS.. Combine"

New York, March 31.-The courts
may soon be called upon to decide
whether the theatrical business is a
branch of and, if the or
ganizing of dramatic and operate at
fractions, the conduct of theaters and
contracts between companies and
theaters and sale of seats are declared
a branch of commerce., the famous
observation-disclosures combine" will not
only fall to pieces but some OF the
greatest managers of America will be
subject to fine and imprisonment.
Already the possibilities OF the inn
minent war between the '.Hayman
combine and the stars have become
so serious that the combine may have
to drop Kansas City from it's list, or go
so the expense of leasing all five thea
tiers in that city and defending itself
there from prosecution under the anti
trust laws of Missouri.
A means of breaking up the great
trust of theatrical managers and thea
tiers, which has placed the American
stage under the ban of AL Hayman.
Charles Frohman,, Klaw & Erlanger.
Rich & Harris and Nixon & thinner
man, has been suggested by the recent
decision of the United States supreme
court UNFOLDING the Sherman anti
pool act of 1890. While it is the policy Of
all those now taking up and planning
war against the combine to deny their
doings it is known that the ramifica-
tions of the anti-trust uprising ex-
tend from New York and the home
of Joseph Jefferson throughout the
country from Boston to San Francisco.
From the suggestion contained in
h wholesale demolition of railroad
trusts by the decision at Washington.
handed down on March 90, it has, been
discovered that the laws of Missouri
are particularly hard on trusts and
combines. Hence the first offensive
movement may not be in New York,
but may take place in Missouri, prob
ably at Kansas City, not under the
United States antitrust law, but
under the laws of Missouri, The Mis-
souri, antitrust law fixes a fine of from
$500 to SIS, 900 or one year in Jail, and
gives the prosecutor one fifth of the
fine.
h question under the Missouri law
is whether the entering into a combine
to freeze out theatrical attractions
unless they pay a higher percentage
n the selling OF seats at the theaters
to see the same constitutes a branch of
commerce.
The Sherman act is more definite,
however, and distinguished attorneys
say that it certainly includes the the
atrical business.
This feature of the law is peculiarly
interesting because it is said that Miss
Lillian Russell who, with Della Fox
and Jefferson De Angels, are bitterly
opposed to the combine, are anxious to
retain ex-President Cleveland as coun-
sci to fight the case. If the ex-presi-
dent will consent he will undoubtedly
be retained as attorney for the allied
stars comprising, besides Russell, Fox
and De Angels, the great Joseph JEFF
ferson, Fanny Davenport, Ada Rehan,
Chauncey Olcott, E. S. Willard. Nat
Goodwin, OTIS Skinner, Francis Wilson
and Frank Daniels.
In Philadelphia, Washington and
Baltimore, where the combine is SUI
preme, there are still available thea
tiers, and a fight is now going on to
prevent the combine from getting
them. The combine finds that it must
get all the theaters at the principal
cities, hence the fate of the Cleveland
.s ~ IL Oiepetdnu, Che Urdnu ~
P%ittsburg, the Grand and Great North
ern in Chicago, the Pabst in Mil-.au-
kee, the Fourteenth Street in st. Louis
and the Auditorium and Ninth Street
in Kansas City are a source of interest.
The combine may have to cut loose
from Kansas City altogether, because
that city has more theaters to its pop
ulation than any other city, and the
expense Of controlling five theaters
for the purpose of closing all but two
may leave Kansas City open to all
corners.
MISSISSIPPI FLOODS.