The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-23
THEATRIC OBSERVATIONS.
SOME PERSONAL pECULIiRTTIES or
4 GREiT WINiGER
Auru,tln nnls,s Es,reme scnsluvene" to

Aurustn DAYS Extreme scnsitiveness to
Adverse CriticiNm Father Lnvclle's An
ecdotc III bniy aud an Assailant.
Writer'S about AuGustn Daily since his death
have varied but slightly IN their estimates OF
what he had done for the American stage. 1t
IL agreed with hardly word OF dissent that
he led in tho modern development Of refined
and artistic stagecraft Eut the accounts OF
his personality have been contradictory. His
manner of control over his actors has been
praised by some OF thsm as always Just and
consdorate. and by others as unbearablv
brusQue and autocrntic His eccentrcities.
however wore mostly regarded as proofs Of
his genius. IL has been said that he cared
naught for adverse criticism In The news
papers. That Is mistake lie was extremely
sensitive and resentful. lie was a ready writer
OF complaining letters. Undoubtedly he
thought out each detail OF his production. set
tied every question In his own mind. believed
he was right beyond peradventure. and so
could not read u different opinion with any
comfort. Some Of hio letters to critics were
quietly arEumentativo Others were violently
abusive He kept ScrnpbOok containing all
the articles published concerning his theatre.
and beside each was written the name OF the
author. Most OF these mon made liberal al
lownnce for MIR. nays pecuaritss. and
smiled good huInoredly at his strong Ian
u
cures Magazine Of his going to the sditor-in-
chief of daily newspaper and saying: Your
dramatic critic ought to be DISCHARGED" Tho
editor. who was personal friend of the man
aGer. replied: III talk with him about it. and
II he thinks he should DO discharged. then I'll
discharge him." Mr.. DAILY employed what is
called n Eress agent. whose duty 1t is to send
to the newspapers all the particulars of forth
coming performances and other things, the
publication OF which would benefit the thea
tire. 1hese paragraphs are used in some Jour
the wastebaskets, after: any desirable plain
facts have been taken from them to rewrte.
Mr.. DAILY engaged the late George Parsons "a
thror for that work and expected that Mr..
l.athrops reputation as writer would save
whose rule against press agents articles was
prohIbitvei Can't YOU make an execution
enthus!ast!S. article about a, portrait Of Ada
Rehan. Why, yes" was the reply, The
was pnpshed it /. but the
Jathrop. Mr.. Daly's remarks, as Mr. Lathrop
afcrward said were mslodramatic-yery."
Mr.. DAILY was not exceptional among man.
ayers in caring great deal about what jour
nails OF wide circulation and influence said con-
corning his stage. That is natural enough
He was different from most OF them. however.
In taking an attitude OF personal snmity to-
ward many an able and honest critic. II he
had five successful productions he would an
suing failure. even though the writer Of the
article had duly praised tho preceding five
But II he was dlsliked in sone quarters for
those idiosyncrasies he Tas ad mired by tho
same persons for his rssolute fights when dis
honestly assaulted by those bushwhackers who
operate between the ragged " edges OF journal;
q weekly, dramatic journal, He and ibis
ne %s. enb IL
ing actors. ,playwriRhtS and managers right
ard s sso% and SpTS sy was RsSG s6s
tise. 30 the man wrote such Q succession Of
articles Of personal abuse as attracted consid-
ism and In doing so made mistake in naming
That gave Mr.. DAILY his chance. He sued Ds for
damages. and as the Jurors were convinced OF
diet OF $4,000. The defendant could not pay
and f9r S or 30 Jar re-
up very chsapIy some ,judG ments that we're re.
outstanding against DAILY and settlement, OF
:sSs9 At rs H. Ta; a Hs9sE 1 to now in hs
5s:ssS snS v Tsi G b@ f I'd
years. Father Layee said that DAILY over;
rated the injury OF these attacks and suffered
much from them. At length some one offered
Ter debt owed by the viiifisr. " Instead Of
the priest declared, he marked it cancelled
and sent it % him with IA pleasant little note"
u
forbearance. Some readers may construe It
rather as a submission to blacknail. ANYWAY.
the obscure journal supposed to have been in
dicate1 by the priest has praised Mr. DAILY
profusely ever since that time.
Annie Russell was homo from London yes
terday. She went there to act. but an attack
OF nervous prostration prevented. and when
she recovered 1t was too late for this season.
''Mr. Frohman will send me over again" she
says He has play by sydney Grundy. In
which l am to appsar.in New York and Lon
don. and another piece which am not yet
permitted to tell about"
The singers Of the Jaxon Opera Company
literally sung Tor their bread and butter in
Pittsburs. and for such other viandsas they had
eaten during week at a hotel. The landlord
would not let them take away their trunks
ira performance and advertised it plainly as
Amelia Bingham will play the rogush vaude-
vile actress in His Excellency the Gov
day night. Miss Millward will pay a summer
visit to England.
Manhattan Beach is ready with Pains fire.
works and Frank Danies's comic opera for
to morrow nights openinR.
HenryA. Du SOuchst's first farce with music
IN It will be called IAN Easy Mark"
Thomas H. Davis 10 not out OF business be-
cause OF retiring from the firm OF Gulick Il
tres. He says he will eXploit not less than ft-
teen companies next season In melodramas
and farces and provide the m wi tn scenery from
big studio at White Plains. A side issue will
be that of q family tive-cent magazine.
ULD moss HOET'S DEEDS DISPUTED.
yU.. II (Nara