The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-09
A New wrangIe ON Broadway.

II is seldom that there is not a quarrel in
progress among those persons that make
their living by specializing in public amuse-
ment enterprises. A somewhat amusing
wrangle is now occurring in which are in
volved Clyde Fitch. a play-writer; George
w. Lederer. prominent a few years ago
with the Casino Extravaganza and musical
cCmedies: Oscar Hammerstein who has
built a string OF theatefs in the metropolis
and lost several fortunes. and Louis Meth
ersOle. brother of the famous Olga. and
husband and manager of Sadie Martinez.
Mr.. Fitch is a prolific maker of popular,
because tngeniOusly-extrayagant, melO-
dramas. Most Of them have to do with
New York's smart set. One of them Is The
Way OF the World in which Elsie De
Wolfe. a society woman and actress, has
been the principal player. Recently she and
her company took the stage of Mr.. Ham
merstein's Victoria Theater, and the re-
ports sent out by her business management
E Esfe iast T Week Piaf fbe was co a gre%t s su66en-
ly ceased TO present the play. Mr..
Lederer. Miss De Wolfe's manager,
said that Mr.. Hammerstein had for some
reason forced the company out
of his theater. MI. Hammerstein said that
the public did not care for the play and
II was useless 10 continue to offer it.
Several weeks ago Miss Martinez. who
was acting in another of Mr.. Fftch's
dramas, The Marriage Game" In the
Eastern cities. lapsed into idleness. Mr.
SUE Edl he ndu utGluGu ~ XIV llN
company a vacation until he could obtain
a New York theater. 1t Is announced that
on tomorrow night Miss Martinot and her
assistants will begin a series of perform
ances of The Marriage Game" at Mr..
Hammerstein's Victoria. Mr.. Fitch is in
the attitude of opposing a producer of one
OF his plays. for he is a friend of Miss De
Wolfe and is financially interested in her
success and is incensed at Mr.. Hammer
stein. who Is permitting Mr.. NethersOle's
company TO use his theater after putting
Miss De Wolfe out.
Mr.. F1tch's The Marriage Game is an
adoption of Emile Anglers lie Marriage
D'Olympe," but Mr.. Nethersole says that
In his contract with Mr.. Fitch IL appears
that the programmes must state that the
original play was the younger Alexandra
Dumas. In order to save himself from
being ridiculous, Mr.. NethersOle explains.
he will have the programme say that
though Mr.. Fitch asserts he took his play
from Alexandra Dumas work. IL really is
from a drama by Angler. Mr.. Nethersole
will thus succeed in ridiculing Mr.. Fitch.
which no doubt will be a great joke to the
former, whether or not the public find IL
comic.
This complication. contributed to as it is
by several persons prominent in the Ameri-
can drama, throws light on the exceeding
dignity of that institution.
Regarding Mr.. Hammerstein's affairs it
Is interesting that besides his devotion to
art he pays attention TO inventing devices
10 expedite the manufacture of cigars. He
has made thousands Of dollars out OF these
inventions and soon will make more thou
sands out or several new ideas he has
formulated on the subject. Last fall be lost
SSO.DO In an attempt TO make stars of the
Russell brothers.. two comedians whose
rough caricatures of Irish servant girls
are familiar to patrons of the variety
and music of an entertainment thai he
named Sweet Marie" The New York
theater-goers cared neither for the show
nor the Russell brothers method In Ii, and
the lffn "a The nrlTn1F oHA~N