The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-17
MADE HER HUSBAND ANGRY
Mrs. FitZsimmOns Fails to Carry
Out Her Part in Play.
Hefuscs TO Kiss the Actor-Puciiist
because of m Alleged Misundcr
standing-Gcts Black Eye in
scrimmage in Her Dressing Room.


| a misunderstanding between Bob F'itz-
simmons. pugilist and actor, and his wife
| led to highly interesting sequel to the
play, THE Honest Blacksmith" last
night at the theatre where the play is
| being produced. Bob is credited with
| kicking n panel or two out of the door
of the dressing-room occupied by Mrs.
| Fitzsi,nmons, while the latter is said to
be suffering from a big bruise over the
right eye. Nobody appears able to say
how the injury was administered or by
| whom, but the First precinct police be-
| lieve Mrs Fitzsimmons was struck during
the disturbance in the dressng-room. c.
II. Murray, representative of the Fitz-
simmons company, accompanied Police
man Doyle to the station, but was per
| mitted to go to his hotel after a parley
| with the police
| The story of the trouble between F'itZ-
| simmons and his wife. according to men,
| bers OF the company, dates back about
| ten days. when the organization was
playing at Johnstown, Pa. At that time
| Mrs. Fitzsimmons, who is a member of
the company. was i'll at the Common
| wealth Hotel, at Harrisburg. Pa, and
| Jessie Ralph n member of the company,
WIS put in her place.
In the fourth act of the play it is on
| the programme for the heroine to kiss
the hero as he leaves for the prize ring.
| She tearfuly bids him farewell and tells
| him to leave pugilism forever after he
has won his victory. There is opportunity
| for display of both pathOs and affec-
ton Mrs. Fitzsimmons. during her ill
| ness, was told that neither Bob ncr Miss
| Ralph neglected to act their part with
i,,t . aIaa
| to. She grew very angry, according to
report. and in spite of her Illness accom-
! panied her husband here, arriving shortly
after the rest of the company on Mon
day 1t is said she was determined to
find out whether the osculatory perform
ance in the fourth act was prompted
merely by histrionic enthusiasm or some
thing else.
So far as known. Monday passed off in
a fashion not to cause comment to reach
the public ear. Mrs. Fitzsimmons attend
ed the play at night, but was not alto
gether pleased with the way the leading
actors conducted themselves. She grew
rather cold toward I4anky Bob and re-
sented his attempts at reconciliation. Last
night at the National Hotel she is said to
have created wild scene at the dinner
table by grasping the table cloth and
husband. She also firmly announced her
intention of taking part in the play last
night, in spite of The protests of her hus-
band, who feared that she was not well
enough to go through her part. Mrs
Fitzsimmons had her way, however.
1t was during the fourth act of the play
that she got her revenge. When she
came to the lines where she was to bid
her lover farewell with pathos and give
him an affectionate kiss, she neglected to
go through with a portion of her role.
She did not kiss the honest blacksmith
but instead bent her head downward and
quickly left the stage as the curtain fell. |
Fitzsimmons grew angry and it is said |
that he went directly to his wife's dress |
ing room. There he asked admfttance, |
but, he says, was refused. Without fur
ther ado Fitzsimmons gave the door a /
vicious kick, breaking the panels. Into !
the dressing room Fitzsimmons strode and |
there ne began TO upbraid his wife. when |
C. H. Murray, of the company. appeared. |
Murray endeavored to prevent further |
trouble, when F'itzsimmons started for |
him. A brief scrimmage followed, during |
which. nobody knows how, Mrs. F'itzsim- !
mons was struck over the eye and pain
fully hurt.
Meanwhile Harry Griffith, a young man
III Vi OF IHe |
theatre. heard the rumpus and ran for the |
police. He saw Policeman Doyle, who /
responded to a summons and went to the |
playhouse. Doyle told FitZsimmons to ac-
company him and the two started out of |
the theatre. after Mrs. Fitzsimmons, ac-
cording to Doyle, had agreed to appear in
court should her husband be arrested. Mr.. |
Murray went with Doyle and FitZsim-
mons toward the police station and finally |
agreed to settle the matter for his prin-
cipal with the police by the placing of |
collateral if necessary.
FitZsimmons was then permitted to go
to his hotel, while Murray acc0Inpani |
the policeman to the station. There after |
conference, it was agreed that Mrs
Fitzsimmons should get warrant this
morning for her husband, If she felt so
inclined. Murray was then allowed to
leave the station.
FitZsimmons was seen after midnight |
at his hotel. He admitted in part. the
trouble. He said he had a mfsunderstaud-
ing with his wife; that it began because
OF a report that he had kissed a young |
woman or the company during the en-
gagement of the company at Johnstown, |
Pa, when Mrs. Fitzsimmons was ILL., and
that last night Mrs. Fitzsimmons denied |
him admission to her dressing room Il |
do not think the trouble will go any fur
ther,' said the pugilist. Certainly | did
not strike Mrs. Fitzsimmons last night or
at amy other time / understand She now |
the matter thoroughly. We
arrived in Washington Monday morning, |
after the rest of the company. and 20 |
from here to Cleveland. Ohio
Mrs. tltZSlmmonS was not at her hotel |
when reporter called last night II was
understood she had left the city, or con-
tsmplated doing so, but only for a day
or two. In this case she will rejoin her
husband here before the end Of the week