The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-06
BILLY EMERSON is ILL.
Man Who Has Made Thousands Laugh
Is Now Sick and Alone.
Chicago Times-Herald.

Sick and alone in a little stuffy room in a
third-class Clark-street hotel, Billy Emerson
is still as happy as a big sunfiower" He Is
not looking for sympathy. and as for money.
he says there is a quarter of a million
awaiting him In San Francisco any time he
wants it, and all he would have TO do in the
words of the song would be to telegraph his
baby If he needed funds.
News that the hoodoo that theatrical peo-
pie believe in was in hot pursuit of the noted
black-face comedian caused sorrow in the
profession here, and all yesterday friends
were dropping in and offering to do all sorts
of things for the sick mans comfort. One
of them began telling funny stories and Jokes
upon the theory that Billy was down In his
luck and needed cheering up The song and
dance man stood IL for time and inter-
rupted his friend as follows: Let up on that
FUNNY business 1t isn't in your line and
don't need ii. All want is little rest"
Emerson is suffering from fever and has
been compelled to cancel all his summer
dates. While not exactly stranded, he is
not surrounded by the luxury in which he
rolled for years, and the trunks full of swell
and dapper suits that used to delight the
hearts of his female admirers are not in evil
Ind, while with w. S. Cleveland's MINISTRIES,
he sprained his ankle and had Just recovered
from II when his present sickness came upon
him. People who recall the time when Billy
Emerson sent all Chicago and the country
for that matter, crazy with his songs and
dances, and who know of the hundreds OF
thousands of dollars that poured into his
pockets, shook their heads and looked sad
yesterday when they saw the untidy room
where the comedian is confined. and told
or the days when he bet his money upon
morse race like prince and won and lost
thousands at the gaming table without
giving the matter a thought.
Billy Emerson has undoubtedly made
more money than any comedian in his line.
ana yet he has not dollar OF his own to-
FRANCISCO, he prefers travelling about the
country and appearing on the vaudeville
sage 10 living at home in ease and luxury
Jay Riah tell of his halcyon DAYS and de-
clare that he was the king of them all in
me song ana dance line, and that he has
mace IN his time several million dollars
Only the oid-timers remember Billy Emer-
son In the days before the great fire. when
in the Dearborn Theater. on D @srbbarg
street between Madison and Washington
Summer and winter he and Manning
whose reputation was second to none ran
minstrel show, and Tom Foley says there
was not night when the standing room
sign was not hung out I'm the little NAV
t nouse, rms continued until the fire swept
b tne ,s ouiiding away and left Billy poor as
ne was pe1ore large box Office receipts be-
gan pouring into his treasury. Ii was Billy
emerson who originated artistic dancing
move mnor, WITH singing. and his every
OF motion His stage career began when he
R Raj glmosts TOO young to remember. In
Of John R,s hh i S under the management
Have Missed You" Soon after he i tnek m ~,
with the m Isps ne came eo, to Chicago and
ca aSsasnarLan Hlnstreis, which toured the
country in opposition TO Rice's Mastodons
emerson was end man and got $500 week
ana generous percentage Of the receipts
Later Tom Mcclure the Napoleon OF the
coast, took him West and gave him 81 oO0
q week. McGuire's "El Dorado is said to
ndve got the major portion of the salary
while Billy was in San Francisco. Those
were the days Of Kimball, Bob Hart. John
h,eiy and Dan Bryant. Emerson Considers
MS greatest success the song ~ am ss
Happy as Big Sunfower." FOR the nuhiic
n n MN singing 1t for over ten years. Even
i i.uw ~ is frequently callsu for, and Nor
among the Roses have nearly as great a
s snsrm AS as ever Emerson has made thres
does not dance with the Same yr.ca my. nc 10
yore and his voice has lost some of its
Smeetness. ne Is still a card that vaudevills