The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-26
HARD LINES FOR THESPIANs.
.uR. PLASTER OF PARIS. COMPANY
IN FINANCIAL STRAITS.

taching Box Receipts-His Claim.
He Says, Is $54-Manager Fuller
saws 1t Is Not That Much and
Talks About the Company and Its
tHairs-HoIiday Dizziness Caused
the DfmeuIties-Had Expected to
Look Up After Yesterdays Per-
formances and Get Away-COm-
many Will Probably Disband-PIay
Has Been a ''HOOdOO."
The Mr. Plaster of Paris Company is
,r straits 1t is probable that it will be
unable to take the road again. Savannah
may lie made The abode of members of the
conlrany for some days, Is il is unlikely
mat they can make their arrangements to
Get away without some delay. 1t is freely
admitted that there are financial difficult
ties that are threatening the disruption of
the show, and there is little hope OF their
being settled up and general scattering
of forces prevented.
Gilbert Greene brought the impending
troubles to a climax yesterday afternoon
when he went before Justice G. Noble
Jones, and swore out garnishment writ
against the receipts for the night per-
torrance. He gave his Claim against the
company as s54, and Che receipts, when
TIE houses share was deducted, left $50.
That amount will be held up until the
settlement of the case, as Mr.. E. W. Full
Ter, manager of the company, expects to
contest il 10 the end, believing its merits
are on his side and that he will win out.
Greene was the advance agent of the
company. He has been travelling about
week in advance. The entente between
the advance agent and the company has
not been the best in the world, the man
ager said last night, and it was the intan-
ton to try to get along without him after
having Savannah.
1t was not until the night performance
was on that Mr. Fuller was notified of the
action taken by his advance agent. He
went into the lobby and found Greene. A
short discussion of the action Of the ad-
vance agent followed. 1t was entirely I'M
satisfactory, however, and Mr.. Fuller left
Mr.. Greene and went to the stage.
The curtain had then just gone down
after the first act The members of the
company had heard of the proceeding
brought by the advance agent and we're
not a little sore about it. There was a
lively time behind the curtain that the
audience was totally in ignorance of. They
did not know just how near they came to
the announcement that the play would
not go on. That would have meant that
they had seen the first act for nothing and
that their money would be refunded by
the management
Fuller stiiled the rising tumult. He ad-
vsed with the leading members of the
company. and it was decided that it would
ba foil IN M he
house to cut the performance in that way
for the satisfaction of keeping Greene out
OF what he expected to get by his gar
nishment proceedings. After little long
er wait, perhaps, than would otherwise
have been necessary, the curtain was
rung up for the second act and the play
went on as if nothing had happened
The audience could have had no sus-
picion that there was anything wrong.
The company is capable, played well and
the parts were up to their usual stand
ard the members seeming thoroughly I'M
concerned by this latest addition to their
troubles. They knew that they had been
playing in hard luck for some time but
Hope springs eternal" and they thought
they had a glimpse of daylight and bright
er times ahead.
While the last act was on Mr.. Fuller
was seen on the stage. He talked freely
OF the troubles into which his company
has fallen saying the principal cause was
the prOverbially hard times for the theat-
rical profession that are brought by the
holidays. Had business kept up well, there
would have been no money difficulties and
all would probably have been smooth sail
ing, Notwithstanding the Plaster" play
has always been regarded as a hoodoo.
About Mr. Greene, Mr.. Fuller did not
speak in very complimentary way. He
SAID ne had not properly performed his
duties as advance agent. An instance of
derelictions was given, it being said that
Mt Greene had overstepped his authority
ana changed the contract with the house
al Cordele, where the company played re-
Gently, by waving the 800 guarantee the
company was to have received. By that
act, Mr.. Fuller said, Mr.. Greene cost the
company over $780,
Greene had no right to do as he did.
The amount of his writ is more than my
books show is due him. 1t is not more
than $i4, and there are several in the COM
pany who are owed more than he. We
had an understanding that was appar-
emily satisfactory to all the members of
the company except one man. Greene was
supposed to have agreed to 1t, as we
talked it over with him last night, and
he said nothing against it. That was TO
pro rate to-day's receipts among the mem
bers of the company according to the
You see, it was our intention to stay
here until Jan. / and then start out again.
We expected that we could make enough
10 tide us over here in Savannah, allow
ing us to leave and get on the road again
when business is better as it is after the
holidays. Greene has interfered with that
PLAN however, and doubt if we will get
away in a bunch. The old Mr. Plaster
Of Paris" Company virtually pegged out in
brunswick Saturday night. We then de-
cided that we would continue it in a sort
OF commune. all Of us sharing the profits
We were in debt for salaries, every MEM
Der being something behind, and man
VINO was kind enough to make us an adj
vance being out unless we could make
enough to pay him up, but the proprietor,
Mr.. Mccoy of Chicago, had not been
called on for cent since we left that city
iasl fall to take the road"
The manager believes that the manage
ment of the company's affairs at Cordele
II The way Greene is alleged 10 have been
responsible for will be regarded in court
as more than an offset to his claim
against the organization. Mr.. Fuller said
me lady members of the company are