The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-22
Who Wrote Cyrano
BY A. n. HUM M Ell.

The absurd charge of plagiarism made
against M. Edmond Rostand, created a
ripple of amusement throughout the civ
lized world, which refused to take it
yeriously The entire matter of the
claim of Samuel E. Gross, of Chicago,
seemed droll. and many persons con-
strued the action taken in the United
States Court as a bid for advertising, a
diyerting bit to read aloud over the
breakfast table with appropriate COM
ments NJ. Rostand a plagiarist, by all
the Gods of Olympia! On what grounds
pray? Because he had taken a histori-
cal character as history portrays him,
with a big nose and because he had in
troduced a balcony scene into his poetic
drama A convincing argument, for
pooth! Did Mr.. Gross invent either big
noses or balconies, or is there any rea-
son why he should be permitted to mon
opolize either OF both for stage purposes?
The very idea ticl1led the risibilities Of a
public that had never heard of Mr.. Gross
and that learned of his comedy. THE
Merchant Prince of Cornville." for the
6rst time.
There was a radical change In the pop
ular mind when the news flashed over the
wire that Judge Kohlsaat had granted
an injunction on Mr.. Gross prayer pre-
sumably deciding that NJ. Rostand' 9
masterpiece, "Cyrano de Bergerac," adj
mittedly a creation of genius, was pla-
yiarism of an unknown American come
dy. A wall of indignation went up in
France and the Societie des Auteurs
Dramatiques, for which l am counsel in
the United States, was up In arms in an
Instant. The cry was that an injustice
had been done and that the learned Judge
of lie fy
norance of foreign literature. On the
face of things. these structures were de-
.eryed. providing the case had been tried
on it's merits. as thu public had right
to assumS and that the judgment re-
suited from a careful consideration OF
moth sides A little investigation will de-
noustrate that all the judgment proves
ls-Richard Manshelds duplicity
There are men connected with the the
atres who do not regard the playhouse
wholly as a machine for coming wealth;
and there are men and women who have
for the stage. the honor of its play
wriRhts and the fame of It's actors, a
feeling such as Is worthy of those who
love the dramatic art. To them the de-
which would OIL its face convict Rostand
NJ piracy, is astounding-Thsy have ac-
capted Rostand as q poet and as play
Urirb. with admir- alton X not with rev.
france and now to find that he Is adj
Judged a literary thief Is beyond their
comprehension.
1t sas been he impression that Mr..
GROSS suffered from a vanity common
.nonr would DO writers for the stage,
ana that he deceived himself into believ-
ing Rostand had pirated has play. but
.aat a legal tribunal would nnd sufficient
svdsncs to give q Judgment N favor of
Mr.. Cross was mover deemed possible
And the Injunction granted by Judge
xohtuaat gives rise to a misunderstood
ing of the actual facts in regard to
rosta nd's authorship of Cyrano. AS a
mater Of fact the suit oil Mr.. Gross
was not Of itself u serious incident 1t
v,as directed against Mr.. Mansfield. and
h,a manager, A. NJ. Palmer; NJ. Rostand
~ss not sven named as a defendant
Now TO return to Mr.. Mansfield,
"Amertca's foremost actor" as he deems
bim.elf. He has merely deneaned him
xeIf TO q degree unworthy Of any man
who pretsnds to the Amer aspirations.
This man who 10 ever unbending in his
gnIty. IA trying TO evade the payment
as q just claim By q most remarkable