The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-20
THE MANSFIELD CRUSH
EVERY SEAT IN THEATER SOLD IN
LESS THAN TWO HOURS.
Men in Line 2S HOurs-The Receipts
$2,195-SaIe of the
Boxes.

All theatrical advance-sale records in In
dianapolis were easily broken yesterday
morning, when Manager Miller, of Englshs
Opera House. in one hour and fifty minutes,
sold every seat in the theater for the Mans
field performance Monday night. and prob
ably could have sold as many more in as
short space of time if he had had them
at his disposal. For twenty-eight hours
there had been a line of men and boys wait
ing for the box office to open, and some of
these were half-famished and haggard for
want of sleep. They welcomed the opening
of the office with huge satisfaction. dozen
or so who had waited in line purely for
speculative purposes, intending to sell their
positions, were put out by the police upon
complaint of the mana cement. Probably
the best-known ticket speculator in In
dianapohs was practically blocked this
engagement and had to content himself with
seven tickets. Several prominent citizens
gave evidence of slight atrophy of con-
science an hour before the sale opened by
bribing several men who had been hired by
others 10 stand in line, and thus several
other equally prominent citizens found them
selves shut out from tickets by this kind of
neighborly conduct of the aforementioned
prominent citizens. One or two people who
| intended to give theater parties failed to
get seats. While there was much chagrin
and some complaint, most of the people felt
that the theater management had done all
in its power to protect its patrons. Manager
Miller went down the line early yesterday
morning, and where boys could give no ref
erenees failed to show their money or re-
fused to tell for whom they were serving
they were elected by the police. The only
tickets taken out of the rack before the sale
opened were those for the daily newspapers,
the usual quota always called for in agree
ments between newspapers and theaters.
Seats are to be placed in the orchestra, but
these were all sold yesterday. A Cincinnati
speculator named Marks came to the city
early IN the morning and put up very bold
front to the mana cement The management
failed TO understand that he was connected
with Mr.. Mansfield's staff as might have
been inferred, and he was treated with ex-
treme difidence He seemed very much
surprised, and it is evident that he has had
hand in these speculative sales on Mr.. Mans
fields performances heretofore although
Mr. Mansfield would not tolerate for a min
ute any such schemes if it were within
his power to prevent them.
There has been some complaint because
Mansfield was only engaged for one night,
When he could have packed the opera house
at several performances. "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac' was booked year ago, at a time
when the production had not made such
tremendous hit, and it was only through the
friendship of Mr.. Ketcham who controls
the circuit to which English's Opera House
belongs, that the production was secured for
one night in indianapolis. Mr.. Ketcham
was able to secure Mansfield for but one
night at Columbus and one at Toledo. New
York. Chicago Cincinnati and ST. Louis are
the only cities that have seen "CyrapO de
Bergerac' before Indianapolis. There are
only nine cities in the country where Mr..
Mansfield fills an engagement, and he con-
cludes the season in New York having
taken the attraction out of the metropolis
at the height of it's run for a brief Western
trip. Mr.. Mansfield carries $50 people. who
travel in twelve cars. There are sixty-five
speaking parts in the play.
The box-office receipts yesterday from the
sale were 50, 1876, representing 1,546 seats. This
amount will probably reach 81 400 The
boxes on the right are sold to Henry Fraser
and Senator Albert j. Beveridge Mr.. En-
glish has the front box on that side. The
front two boxes on the left side were sold
to Mr. V. 4. Malott, while the rear one
was bought by Manager Boda. of the Val
entine circuit for the use Of his family
and friends. The only remaining chance to
see Mansfield will be on standing room, and
this viii not be sold till the night of the
performance.