The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-31
THE SAD CASE
OF Mr.. HOYT..
macon" Mccormick Writes Of
Stricken Playwright.
KNEW HIM FIRST AS REPORTER
Became Intimately Acquainted With
Hin When He Had Achieved Success
THE WRITING OF "A MIDNIGHT BELL"
The Result Of Desire 10 DO Something
Bettef"-Death Of His Beautiful Wife
Was a Severe Blow 10 Mr.. Hoyi
THE WRITING OF "A MIDNIGHT BELL"

4
New York, July si.-The fact that
| Charles III. Hoyt has been committed, TO
a sanltarium In Hartford as an incurable
| paretic has caused tremendous amount
of excitement not only in the theatrical
world. which knows him so we'll but also
| i'm the ranks OF the millions OF patrons of
| theatres whom ne has amused and enter
tanned so highly for fully twenty years.
| The news that George Dickerson. now
] of the Atlanta Journal. but formerly of
| Telegram. who was raised WIN Mr.. Hoyt
| and has been his lifelong friend, intends
| contesting the legality of Mr.. Hoyt's de-
| tention in the sanitsrium, has added
! fresh fuel to the excitement. The legal
| proceedings will be watched with eager
! ness wherever the English tongue Is DOM
inant.
first met Charley Hoyt when he was
| newspaper man i'm Boston. but / did
| not become intimately acquainted with
\ him until he had acquired considerable
reputation and some money as play
| wright.
| Like good many others. / recognized
| the brightness of his farce work. and
| thought that he was capable OF better
| things--high class comedy, for instance.
FOR SOMETHING BETTER.
| One Sunday morning about fifteen years
| ago. ] was a passenger with him on a
| Pennsylvania railroad train from Phila-
| delphia to New York. He had with him
| one or his companies. which had con-
| cluded a very successful two weeks en-
Il
| talk. L said TO him, Well hoyt L
| hope to live TO see you do something more
| worthy OF you than A Hole in the Side
| walk or rot OF that kind"
That's very kind OF YOU" he respond
! ed, but you and number of my friends
don't seem to realize that | am giving
| the public what IL wants. I'm no reform
| err. Most of the reformers that | have
| read about In FoX's Book of Martyrs
and other light and cheerful literature of
| its kind were burned at stakes, or other
wise delightfully."- put to death.
| II have no desire to end my days in
| any such manner / have gone into the
| theatrical business with my eyes open.
| I've noticed that those who go i'm for
| tragedy and high art mostly wear fringe
| on the bottom OF their trousers.
those who provide amusing entertain
| ments for the public-rot as you fellows
| call it-dine on canvas-back ducks and
| reed birds. Now, I'm awfully fond of
reed birds and stylish clothes.
WRITING A PLAY.
But possess your soul in peace. I'm
| writing a play now which / think will
| please you. and by and by, when L can
afford to do IL, may make an attempt TO
| write the long looked for and so much
| desired Great American Comedy In the
| meantime don't jump on me- but give me
| a chance for my white alley. Remember
! that /, like the pianist I'm the Arizona
dance hal. Am doing the best can
A couple of years or so after this talk,
I'm Louisville, l witnessed performance
of the promised comedy II was "A Mid
night Bell" and thousands of your read
ers who have been delighted by II will
agree with me that IL was highly meri-
torious work, albeit not wholly pure
comedy. II was I'm this play that first
saw Maude Adams. now the most profta-
bic female star on the stage.
A PROLIFIC WRITER
Charley Hoyt was very prolific writer
and for many years his plays literally
coined money even IL they did not give
him high literary reputation. Because of
the fact that they were mainly sketchy
and because they were permeated by the
vaudeville element, most cities lost sight
or the fact that many or them contained
sermons OF the best kind.
This was notably the case in "A Tenn
perance Town and I'm "A Contented Wo-
man." The first named is a most power
full sermon against the abuses practiced
by those whose opposition 10 the terrible
evils OF intemperance has made them
fanatical. and the last Is the best argu-
ment ever heard against women going
actively into politics.
"a Contented Woman" was written by
Hoyt. primarily TO exhibit the abilities OF
his wife. the beautiful Caroline Miskel
Hoyt.
Mrs. Hoyt was n Kentucky girl. who
was partially raised I'm Covington oppo-
site Cincinnati. and partially In Toronto,
Canada. She was one Of the few actresses
of the many hundreds have known who
was not indebted TO make up" for her
fine appearance on the stage. In fact
handsome as she was on the boards she
was far lovelier vision in her own
apartments.
WHAT THE PLAY MEANT
"A Contented Woman" was only mod
erately successful during it's first season
/ was employed by Mr.. Hoyt az it's press
agent and business manager during the
last half OF It's second The first time
that ] saw IL recognized that as Asmo-
deus had lifted the roofs of the houses
I'm Paris and had exhibited the goings on
in them, Charley Hoyt had removed the
front wall OF his parlor and had present
ed his wife as he saw her I'm their daily
life.