Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-24
Mr.. oFFNER's FRIENDS.
About 400 of Them Attend His Benefit at
the Worcester Theatre.

The benefit to Jules E. Offner, the
manager of the Bijou Theatre, who
with his wife was barely rescued from
that burning building last Friday, oc-
CURED at the Worcester Theatre, We'd
nesday evening, and, considering the
brevity of the preparations and other
handicaps. was well patronized. The
local newspaper men, VINO managed the
affair, will have about $500 to hand to
the beneficiaries, which, while not so
large as was hoped, will still make
comfortable nest egg to start life over
again with.
After the volunteers part of the pro-
gram was over the spectators waited
patiently ten minutes till the scene
could be changed from the tattle of Ce-
dar Creek to a modest parlor setting.
Then w. j. Larkin of the SPY stepped
upon the stage, and in few words in
troduced Mr.. and Mrs Offner, who
were greeted with round after round of
applause. Mrs, Offner showed plainly
the tremendous strain she had been
| through. She looked extremely pale
and weak, and kept quietly seated
while her husband was speaking, nurs-
ing her injured arm meanwhile Mr.
Offner was also pale and thr, but he
stood sturdily, and his voice rang as
clear as when he used TO say, THE next
pictures on the biograph, ladies and
gentlemen, will be the famous illusion
The HaverstraW tunnel He referred
briefly to the horrible experience he and
his wife had been through and then
said he wished to express thanks to the
following persons: Carl Aldrich, night
clerk at Mellor's drug store who rang
in the alarm; Chief Vaughn and all the
firemen, especially Lieut.. Jones, who
personally rescued Mrs. Offner: 10
Messrs. Herbert, Parks and McLane.
newspaper men who covered the pair
with clothing and conveyed them to the
Bay State House; to Landlord F. P
Douglass and his attaches for their
great kindness and generosity; to Jo-
seph Beaudry of the Bay State stables
tof gratuitous use of carriages when
ever needed to the policemen; to DR.
1. A. O'Callaghan; to Manager Rock
for the use of the Worcester Theatre
free of charge; to Fiske Brothers, Fiske
q Barton, Belisle Publishing Co. and
Charles r. Stobbs for donated bills: to
the members of the press; to the Wor-
cester Calcium Light CO.; to the vol
unteers for the benefit; and to those
VINO bought tickets, one and all. Above
all, the beneficiary wished to thank Mr.
ana Mrs. W. j. Larkin, who had given
them shelter from the time of his mis-
fortunes until the present.
Mr.. OHner was listened to with atten-
ton, and his statement that he intend
ed to make Worcester his permanent
nome was received with loud applause.
1t Is understood that the Biiou is to be
restored and remodelled, and Mr.. OFF,
ner has been offered the first refusal of
it in that event.
The entertainment which preceded the
speech consisted largely of juvenile tai
ent. Best of all was Master Ralph
Stone, diminutive but remarkably pre-
eoclous youngster, who sang two pop
ular songs in genuine professional style,
with appropriate business and in correct
time. Master Stone should make his
mark some day, and even now would
command a good salary from a va1de-
vile or repertoric-variety combination.
Dorothy Liberty, another microscopic
specimen of humanity did an amusing
imitation of ballet dancer; six boys
pupils Of ]. w. Dick, played two selec-
tions on mandolins and guitars, and
Mamie Parsons and Lizzie Wilson con-
tributed a number Of fancy steps
For the grown people there were two
numbers by the Light Infantry orches-
ira, selections by the Glover Club quar-
tet, recitations by Hazel Griffin and Lu-
cien DeMuir euphonium solos by J. r.
S. Taylor, an impromptu monologue by
Robert r. Simmons and songs by Tere-
sa M. Larl1in and e. A. O'Connor Mr..
OConnor gave by request ''The flag of
the free" which song was the vehicle of
his first public appearance, he having
sung it as a solo on the common July T.
1876. The program closed with the
third act of Shenandoah" by the City
Guards Dramatic Company.