The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-02
TROD The BOARDS
Senator T. Dumont Smith Al
most an Actor.
Played With Charles HanfOrd,
Tim Murphy and Others.
LIVED IN WASHINGTON.
Belonged to Dramatic Club
Which Made Actors.
Ex- Representative Otto Eek
stein Also a Member.

Senator Smith met Otto Eckstein, of
Wichita, today and they had quite a
talk over old times. They were young
men together in Washington, D. C., and
to hear them talk one would think they
would never get through discussing the
old days. To see Senator Smith In the
senate or in his committee room one
would not take him for an actor, and
he is not an actor, but came mighty
close to being one, and SO did Otto
Eckstein.
It happened this way: In the latter
part Of the 70's Smith and Eckstein were
schoolmates in Washington, d. c. They
attended the Jefferson school in WASH
ington and belonged to the Jefferson
debating club. Afterward they organized
the Lawrence Barrett Dramatic club and
during the winter months they played
Shakespeare and other plays that anna
tours usually tackle. There were about
twenty members in the club and all of
them are now on the stage except Smith,
Eckstein and one other.
The members Of the old club who now
have a national reputation are, Wilton
Lackaye, Chas- Hanford, Julia Wheeler,
Fife Shannon, Jas. Mahoney and Tim
Murphy. There are others who are not
50 well known but who are considered
among the best.
In speaking of the matter Senator
Smith said: Tt was in 1878 or 70 that
we organized the Lawrence Barrett club
We were all possessed Of the idea that
we could act and judging from the posi-
I think that our opinion was not Tar
wrong We gave one entertainment in
Washington each winter for three years
and would go to the surrounding towns
and give our entertainment. We had
lots of fun and at the same time the
foundation was laid for the future OF
most of the members. We sent to Phil
adelphia and got an el0cutiOnist and
of iran al r. instruct 8.
She said that Hanford and myself would
make great actors, but I never had a
desire to go on the stage and when the
club broke up I lost interest in the work.
Eckstein was a good actor and it was
a question with him for several years
whether he should adopt the stage as
his profession. To this day ne takes a
great interest in all home talent dra-
matte work
Il wen remember when Hanford came
up from Virginia and got a position as
nigth Waterman in the geological sur
vey department He was a big fellow
with a splendid voice, but knew moth
ing of eIOcuti0n. We were having enter
tainments at the schbOl house and Han
ford asked if he could not recite at the
next meeting. We knew nothing about
his ability but we agreed to his request
and he gave US the quarrel scene be-
tween MarmiOn and Douglas. l never
laughed at q man as did at Hanford.
He had a splendid voice bat he clench-
ed his teeth and gave US the whole thing
with a hiss. We laughed him off the
platform, but he was not discouraged
and after a few lessons in elocution he
came out better than any OF the crowd
1.-The first winter the club was or
ganfzed we gave Julius Caesar and
Hanford took the part OF Cassius while
played Julius We had great deal of
fun that winter"
where he had met Hanford since their
boyhood days and of the fun they had
in taking IL over.