The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-21
How Manager John Mcguire Was
Taken for Priest.
WITH HIS ONE-MAN SHOW
The Veteran Actor and Manager Talks
Entertainingly of His Experiences
in Montana in the Early
Days. "reminiscences

~ III carly udy experiences In the
theatrical business. The Spokane pa.
! pers story Of the interview is as fol
l lows:
John Mcguire is in town.
For the benefit of the unsophisticat-
ed few who have never met this prince
of entertainers and good fellows, il
may be stated that John Mcguire is
the veteran actor and theatrical man.
ager of the Pacific slope, with the ac-
cent on the veteran"
John Mcguire came to San Francisco
in 1860, and since that time has been
identified with almost every theatrical
enterprise OF note in the young and
growing cities of the coast and the
Northwest. AS a result of his efforts.
directly and indirectly, he mas proba bly,
furnished food for the intellect and
tickled the risibilities of more people
than any other man connected with
amusement enterprises who has visit
ed or is resident in the Northwest Mr.
| Mcguire is al present the owner of Ma
CURES opera house in Butte, and is
managers of theaters at Anaconda
Hamilton and Missoula, Mont He
| comes TO the city on business.
Jonn Mcguire played in stock COM
panles at Virginia City, New, during
| the days of dark Twain and Dan De
| guile in that fiourishing camp. He was
manager of the Newmarket tneater at
Portland in the latter i0s, and its stock
company, when 1t comprised such art
lists as James f. Warde, Richard ID.
| White, Clara Jane Walters, Annie Ad-
ans, Maude Adams, John F. Lindsay,
Arthur Sutherland, Samuel Dennis,
Mr.. and Mrs. p. j. Wade, Mr.. and Mrs
j. f. Allen, Georgia Woodthorpe and
others famous then and to-day. James
L. Warde was one of the greatest Irish
comedians of his day. Annie Adams
was famous and the mother of Maude
Adams, who is now making such a hit
in New York. Maude Adams was then
a child and took baby parts. Georgia
Woodthorpe is now Mrs. Fred CoopaS
of Los Angeles, Cal, and the names of
many others of that wonderful stock
company linger in the minds of the old
timers and are not unfamiliar TO many
of the younger generation.
Mr.. Mcguire is a typical Irishman,
with clerical cast to his features. He
abounds in "reminiscences of the early
days in the Northwest and enjoys the
distinction of having put on the first
show ever given in Spokane. In con-
nection with it he relates an amusing
anecdote. He says:
1T was in 1885, and | was touring the |
northwestern country from Portland |
with my wonderful one-man show. l |
was a monologist in those days. / |
was the one man., and, of course, the |
whole show. That was a good sort of |
an aggregation to carry in those days, |
as travelling was expensive and the |
smaller the salary list the better. |
was my own manager, and when the
ghost failed to walk there was no one
| could relate my troubles to but my
self.
Il had a poster printed in red and
green, and you may be sure the green
was above the red. That poster con-
tanned the words, 'Faugh Ballaugh
tclear the way, John Mcguire Is Com
ing. / was never a cheap man, but
charged dollar for admission, and for
the reserved seats, where the planks
We're laid on the nail kegs, charged
$780,
well. I boarded the stage at Lewis
ton bound for Spokane. Now, mind YOU
the people of Spokane were boomers
even in those days. There were about
300 people here then, but the little
weekly paper published here, which we
used to receive in Portland conveyed
he impression to me that there We're |
1t least $500 people here.
The stage | was on took on at ColfaX
wo sisters of charity. who were bound
or Colville to relieve two others who
lad been teaching there. 1t was the
labit of the stages then, upon arrival
n town, to call first at the postoffice, ,
hen the express Office and finally the ,
hotels and private residences where
passengers were destined to stop. l I
scertained from the sisters that they
we're to stop at a private family, and ,
g..
AXE them to this house before making 1,
lis usual rounds. He said as all of .
he places We're in a bunch he guessed
here would be no difficulty if he de-
arted from the rules in that instance q
he whole town was out to see that
tage come in. I was dressed in a frock +
cat, buttoned high, and had on long /
men buster. When we arrived at the \
ouse L assisted the sisters to alight O
nd into the house, and then took my
'ay to the only hosiery, called the s
merican hotel.
1T was Saturday evening. and. |
hall never forget the beautiful sunset n
witnessed over the hills at that time /
-fter viewing the falls and all there "
as to see at the time. and Illuminating s.
pom what a magnificent place to build Il
city, | returned to the hotel. where / s.
'und quite an assemblage waiting for Ii
he. 1t was quite common then for me S.
be visited by number of people p
pom my arrival in place. and 1 k
bought nothing of it, A little Irish
an who was acting as spokesman for F
he party began to introduce Mr.. "
lynn, Mr.. Doyle. Mr.. Flanagan, Mr..
oriarity, Mr.. Maloney and others. I'M
| thought | had struck new Hi
Getting you l said: I thought my NJ
'ming had been announced. | sent Jt
me notices of it, | asked them where
was to appear. The spokesman indi-
ted hall across the street over a
'ug store. 1t had a stairway wide Sc
Tough to allow people to go up single
e. and landing at the top where
an had to stoop to keep his head from =
riking the ceiling My informant told !. ~
e the hall would accommodate 100 ~
ople, and was used for all purposes. al
me nights Methodist preacher %
euld come along and hold services. "
me nights other denominations would n
We It, and when not in use for other "a
rposes the boys would hold a dance le
ere. IN
7 talked a While with my visitors ID.
q was about to excuse myself. when. ST
lat Was my surprise. to have my lit
friend PROFOUND: Your rivera nee. CT
II Won be kind enough To inform us
you viii have any confessions before
Il say mass2 \ light broke upnn
at once. and when ! explained who 60
vas great was the amusement at the