The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-28
PLAYWRIGHT H0YT C0LLAPSES
Man Who Has Made the World Laugh
Isa Nervous Wreck.

New York, Feb. 27-Charles Hoyt, the
playwright, whose breakdown in health is
the close concern of theatrical and liter
| airy circles has had an interesting and
| eventful career and is one of the figures
of the stage literature Of America. Tween
ty years ago Mr.. Hoyt was the funny
man" on a Boston newspaper, and his wit
was 80 well received that he determined
TO try what he could do with play. His
first play was "Gifford's Luck" Then
came "A Bunch of Keys" which establish
ed his reputation. The play came out with
Willie Edouin and Alice Atherton in the
cast and coined money for them and Frank
Sanger. Mr.. Hoyt himself received only
$500 for the peice. But if his apy was
small for his first effort, it was not so
with those that followed. Their titles are
all fmailiar TO persons who read news
papers. see billboards or patronize thea
tres.
After "a Bunch of Keys" made Mr.. .Hoyt
famous he wrote "a Parlor Match" which
was handled by Evans and Hoey. His 9TH
er farces are "A Rag Baby" "A Brass
Monkey" a Midnight Bell "A Texas
Steer" "A Trip to Chinatown" a Tenn
perance Town" "A Milk White Flag"
"A Black Sheep" "A Contented Woman"
"a Stranger in New York" "A Hole in the
Ground" "A Day and Night. and lastly
a Dog in the Manager" This last play was
a great failure which precipitated the ner-
vous breakdown with which the author
now suffers.
Mr.. Hoyt was married in 1857 10 Miss
Flora Walsh. one of the prettiest girls on
the stage. Her beauty was such as to
enthrau the audiences that saw her, for
she played in one of Hoyt's companies.
In 1893 Mrs. Hoyt died and one year after
the playwright married Miss Caroline Mis-
kall, who was likewise a member Of Hoyt
company She was noted for her beauty
even than that OF the first Mrs. Hovt. But
she died only last October. and the twice
bereaved man never recovered from the
sorrow that followed. In spite Of all this
however ne went on with his work against
the advice Of his best friends, and when
a Dog in ManEer'' failed recently in
Washington Mr.. Hoyt collapsed.
The great writer OF farces was born at
Concord. y. H. about the beginning q
the civil war He attended the Boston
Latin school for two years. bur I'D not
finish his education either in that school
or in any other. His father believed that
travel was better educator for a boy
Than the classroom and young Hoyt had
plenty Of travel But his book learning
vas not neglected. and his reading has
been deep and wide. H began the study
of law. but was accidentiy thrown into
journalism His first position was chat
II temporary managing editor Of the -.
Adams Advertiser. Thus he began a; the
Top. He accepted a place a H,,le later as
writer OF the "AH Sorts column Of the
Boston PoSt. and before leaving that Jour
nal he vas its sporting. musical and dra-
matte editors al rolled into one. In this
position ne picked up an acquaintance
that enabled him TO find friends in al
parts u the country
After The big hit by his first farce Mr
HOVE retained his plays and became A
manager X Is said he has drawn an in
come from these productions that az ora
time was SIS. 90 per snnum. HIS d5mes-
lie life with both 81 h-s wives vas most
happy.