The evening times., 1897-12-18
sOUBRETTEs0A THE STAND
Serio Comic Scene in Mills JUS
tice Court.
HIS HONOR WAS AMUSED

gnnza Troupe, Sued the Manager "f
the Bi lou Thenter Because nf Al
legged Breach of Contrnct-resti-
mnIpy of '.Stars'' and Others.
The seriocomic hearing of the suit ;nr
$500 damages brought against Proprietor
johnson. Of the Biiou Theater, yesterday.
by Manager Henry W. Semens, Of bur
lesque company. for alleged breac OF coli
tract, was continued In the frce of Justice
of the feacc Mills today. The office OF the
justice was filled to its fullest capacity
with many Of tile actors and actresses now
playing at the thea ter. Mr.. johnson "as
represented by Attorney Edwin suiher-
land. and Attorney Campbell Carrington
appeared as counsel for the defendant
The fist witness was Mr: John sirie 'es,
the II anager OF the Bijou, who was rross
Questioned by Mr.. Carringtnn. Mr. Gr'e'es
testified iiiat he had contracted with Mr..
Semens for weeks performance OF his
extrava gT rza troupe at the Bijou He said
the written contract was made three weeks
ago but hearing that the show was IN
..deplorable condition. nc went ON TO Kew
York and made n verbal contract with Mr..
semens, superseding the former written
contract.
..wnc were present in New York when
the verbal contract was made asked
Mr.. Carrington.
'.Mr. Frank Carr, his treasurer and type
writer" answered the defendant.
when did ycu get a duplicate wfit.en
cont.act:''
'.when ! returned from New York, tn
saturday,
..fIow many persons have you acting a
the thea er?''
'.Thiueen,,' replied Mr.. Grieves.
The NJ mes OF the players we're then the
subject OF little contention bet zen
Attorney Darlington and Mr. Grieyes, the
former endca voring to show that they had
! peen cIiga ged ty Mr.. Scmens and bro .-;ht
here nut that Mr.. johnson had taken them
and used them for his own show by what
I is known as the ''freeZe-out" method.
1 did Nj. Semens bring his troupe "r
rifteeL Il, wn last Sunday asked pain
tiff's COINS ell.
'.He only brought three principals snd
several chorus girls was the reply Of Mr..
Gneves.
'.Hcw have he receipts of tn e thea ter run
this eel?''
About $500 or $780, answered the de-
fendant.
How does that sum compare with the
amount OF last week."
''Onr business 80 far this week has been
about 500 better than that of last
week
That IL do" interIected Mr.. Caring
| ton. looking at the clock, If we don't
hurry we won't have a ma tinee today
we want the matinee to go on
laughed Judge Mills.
Mr. DeveaX, who, with his wife, has been
doing II musical act at the Bijou this
week. was the second witness.
Were you engaged by Mr. Scmens?'
asked Mr.. CarTingtoB. He replied affirma
lively, and. continuing. said that he cane
ON from New York with his wife last Sun
day. He declined to play for Mr.. Semens
| last Monday and was engaged by Mr..
Grieves.
why did you decline to piay?'' inter
| jected &r. Carrington;
when : arrived here the proprietor vf
the hotel said that he had claim OF $50
or $50 against Mr.. Semens. l hea rd then;
wranGlinI about the money afterward, AMI
as he had not paid me for the week be-
fore. would not take chances on mother
week. MI. Seinens wouldnot guarantee my
money, and declined to act for him.
Misses Emma Homer and Maud Stone
stated that they were brought here by
Mr.. Semens. They came from Brooklyn
as chorus girls, but they We're 'nga scd
by Manager Grieves on Monday because Mr..
Semens had failed to pay them for the
week before.
Miss Bigger testified that she had teen
pla wing at the Bi iuu this week, whs:. he
WAS doing" character song speciality.
She coutradicted the statement that she
was any longer employed by Mr.. SeIn.ns,
Leader Nc Donald, OF the Biiou nrches
ira, testified that Semehs did not hand
him 8Ly orchestration for the show, III
accordance with the csta bIished custom.
Mr.. SrHeEs testified that the written
contract between himself and Mfr. Grievcs
was changed III New York SO that several
artists We're displaced by several Others
who Were better favOrites in Washington.
did sou have all the Music for :he
proper orchestra Instruments asked Mr.
Darlington.
'.Yes, ] mad the necessary music as writ
ten foI the parts by Mr.. Fred solomon
..why did not Miss Jennie Yeamans, the
singer, corus nere?" asked Attorney Suih-
deriand.
Because she left the uheater in Brook,
lyn last Saturday night with her bag
gage, ard said she was going TO the
Star Theater, where she had been Ell
gagged for the present week
Mr.. Se,nens also said he did not con
tract 10 bring Miss Yeanans here as
one of HIS artists hut the regular ..Seinens'
Extravaganza Troupe which. he said,
might lie composed OF. pia yers such as ne
should select. He claimed the right 10
change the bill, II any OF his artists re-
fused TO act, or If he saw fit to do 50
for any good cause.
Mr.. Grieyes was again put on the stand
by his counsel for the purpose of refuting
the claim OF Mr. Semens. He maintained
that Seirens had to present the artist
named in the contract.
Judge Mills remarked, with good ha
NOR. that he did not understand II Ich
about the ays of the stage, but if he
gentlemen wished to continue the lis
cussion Of theatrical law he was Ell
gagged for the season. and was willing
to allow then. to continue.
The counsel fu: defendant presented an
advertisement " hich appeared in local
paper, and which was alleged to ha ve
been written by Mr.. Coleman, the ad
vance agent of the Semens company, an
nouncing the appearance Of Miss Jennie
Yeamaus as an artist. A large stock nf
Autographs was displayed before Judge
Mills, with the name of the star artist