The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-24
COMEDIAN RESIGNED TOO.
WILBUR OPERA co. CAME NEAR
LOSING ANOTHER MEMBER.

| He Didn't Like the Treatment of
Miss POoIe-Mr. WiIbur's Attentions
to the Pretty Under study Said to
Have Suggested to Miss Kirwin
the Possibility of Her Taking the
Prima DOnna's PIace-Mr. Wilbur
Tells the Tampa People That Miss
Poole Is stiII With the Company.
She Left savannah For Detroit,
However.
All the members and the ex-member of
the WilburKirwin Opera Company got
away yesterday morning. The company
left for Tampa, Miss Kirwin. the prima
donna, and two or three of the leading
members travelling in a private car. Miss
Maude Poole went in the other direction.
She left by the Central for her home in
Detroit.
Miss Poole had plenty of money when
she left and also a ticket. The pretty
chorus girl seemed to have numbers of
friends who came TO her aid in her embar-
rassment.
The trouble with Miss Poole Is said to
have come very near causing a rupture in
the company. She and the comedian, the
little fellow who proved such a favorite
with Savannah audiences. were good
friends, and the latter was nettled at her
dismissal by Miss Kirwin. He told several
people that he intended sending in notice
Of his intention of leaving the
company in two weeks, and
this intention was carried out Saturday
] Tnh 10 L,I
his notice for some time, as he was dis
satisfied with the small salary he was re-
ceiving. His action was FASTENED by the
dismissal of his young friend, the chorus
girl. A satisfactory arrangement was
made between the management and him
self however, by which his salary is to
be raised, and he is to go with the Will
bur Opera Company, now playing in New
York state. The comedian went on down
to Tampa, where a two weeks engage
ment is to be played.
The story of professional jealousy hav-
ing been the cause of the dismissal of
Miss Poole still receives credence. 1t ID
said that Miss Kirwin has feared that
Miss Poole might develop abilities that
would mark her as a fit successor to the
honors that have been borne for some time
by the prima donna. The latter, it is sad
has felt that the mantle may fall at any
time to one younger. and with more of the
attractions of youth than her ripened
charms possess. The story goes on to say
that she had no desire to nurture in the
person of the pretty little auburn-ha
chorus girl one who might in time sup
plant her as the bright particular star of
the constellation.
The directress of the company, Miss
Hamilton, who wields a large influence,
said that the idea of jealousy on the part
of Miss Kirwin is prepOsterous. She did
not deny that the ex-member of the cho-
rus has talent, but she said there is not
the slightest trace of the application nee
essary for this talent to ever push Miss
Poole to the front The directress said
that she and Miss Kirwin have begged
and pleaded with her to devote sufficient
time to the study of the lines of '"The Bo-
heman Girl" and other operas for her to
relieve the prima donna at time when the
pressure had been too great Miss
Poole she said, did not seem to appreciate
her opportunities and was not ready to de
vote herself to the work of learning the
parts. Such a prospective rival, the di-
rectress said could not be feared by any
successful actress.
There Is also talk that the dismissal of
Miss Poole grew out of her being the re-
cipient OF too much attention from other
sources. The standard of propriety fixed
| Tor the COnduCJ OF the chorus girls IS Sa1d
to be on plane rather above that usually
found in opera companies. Miss Poole ad-
mitted that she had been out once after
the play, which was itself a violation of
the rules. She felt that she had some
excuse for this, however, as she had then
been with the comedian and his wife,
whose chaperonage should have been an
eXtenuatiOn Stories reached the ears of
the management of two or three valuable
presents among them a hat and VEIL
having been accepted by Miss Poole, and
that seemed to have had weight in the
sending forth of the mandate that severed
her connection with the company
The veil story, it is said, grew out of the
fact that Mr.. Wilbur walked down town
with Miss Poole after a matinee, the first
week the company was here, and stopping
in a store bought her a veil The story
got to Miss Kirwin's ears, and fearing that
Mr.. Wilbur might choose to make Miss
Poole her successor, she determined on
putting her out of the way. To a number
of people the prima donna announced that
Mr.. Wilbur was her property.
Miss Kirwin owns a half interest in the
opera company, and practically manages
it, Mr. Wilbur is proprietor of the Wilbur
| Opera Company, which has been playing
in Albany, N. Y. He had not been with the
Wilbur-Kirwin Company since last sum-
mer until 1t came 10 Savannah.
In this connection, the story of Miss Kfr-
wins rise in the operatic world is of in
terest. Fifteen or sixteen years ago she
was a chorus girl in the Wilbur Company
Mr.. Wilbur was preparing to put on a new
opera, and was having some trouble in
getting costumes at the price he was will
ing to pay. Miss Kirwln Of
fered to undertake the costuming.
but Mr.. Wilbur doubted her ability to do
it, She made the attempt, however and
was so successful that she was at once
advanced. Since then she has designed
and fitted the costumes worn by the Will
bur company. and which are a feature
of its productions.
a Tampa special to the Morning News
last night stated that the company and
Miss Poole with 1t had arrived there.
Manager Wilbur hurried to get himself in
terviewed and explained that the dismissal
of the two chorus girls here was a fake
known only to himself Miss Kirwin and
the Sirls. 1t was gotten up as an adver-
tisement story. the manager said.
Mr. Wilbur is evidently mistaken as to
Miss Poole being with the company at
Tampa She left the Planters Hotel yes
terday morning with the clerk. who saw
! her beard the ra