The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16
A CASE in VAUDEVILLE
EDGAR A. MARTIN SAYS - BRIDE
GROOM's REvERIE- is HIS.
The Misses Gilmore Say No, and, Fur
Because He Was Too Heavy"

Edgar Allyn Martin. a son of John Henry
Martin, formerly of this city, filed suit in
the United States Court yesterday against
Drucie Gilmore Sykes. Carrie Gilmore
Clark, II. S. Sykes. Anderson & Ziegler
and J. Rush Bronson for $4,000. Martin is
an actor and is now a member Of COM
pany playing Belasco's THE Heart of
Maryland" The two women defendants
are the Gilmore sisters, and last week they
presented a sketch called "A Bridegroom's
Revere" in the bill of vaudeville at the
Grand Opera House. Anderson & Ziegler
lease the theater from Dickson d Talbot,
it's owners Mr.. Bronson is the manager
of the house.
Martin says he is the author of "A Bride
grooms Reverie" and that he holds a
copyright on it. Attached to his bill of
complaint is manuscript of the sketch.
He does not ask for a restraining order,
which would necessitate his giving bond
Immediately, but for a permanent injunc-
ton and damages. The defendants have
until April to file their answers. Martin
alleges that he is not only injured finan-
cially by being deprived of his property,
but also that his professional reputation is
being hurt by Walter Caryll having a part
in the sketch and being represented in the
lobby of the theater by Martins photo
graph. The inference is that Martin con-
siderS himself well known that the pub
lie, seeing his picture in the lobby, goes
inside the theater and is shocked TO find
Martin acting so badly. Caryll was not
asked yesterday whether he believed him
self a better worse actor than Martin,
but the Misses Gilmore did not hesitate to
say that Martin was impossible in the
sketch and they had dismissed him.
MARTIN WAS TOO HEAVY"
'It was this way" said one of the sis
ters, speaking for both, 81 wrote the sketch
and we engaged Mr. Martin for the part of
the bridegroom. We rehearsed the sketch
for six weeks in Chicago, and then put it
at at theater that the officers of the
Western Vaudeville Association might see
it. These gentlemen accepted the SKETCH
but they said they would not book it with
Mr.. Martin in the part of the bridegroom.
They said he was too heavy. Why, he
read the part like Sir Henry Irving acting
The Bells when, as you know, the lines
are light and merely introduce the pic
lures of the various sweethearts. From
the way Mr.. Martin acted one would inn
agine he was about to murder all the
sweethearts Nevertheless, we were very
sorry to have to let Mr.. Martin go. We
couldn't do otherwise however, because
the managers wouldn't book us with him in
the part. and we had invested a great deal
of money in the venture.
Imagine our surprise, when we told
MT. Mdrlln the managers would not let us
keep him, when he said: You can't stir a
step without me, because L have a copy
right on the act And so he had. We
copyrighted it three DAYS after he had He
filed a suit against us last fall in the
United States court here, but it was with
drawn. We will come back to this city in
April for the hearing of the suit, and by
that time we will have affidavits from the
managers of Chicago that the sketch is
ours"
VALUE OF VAUDEVILLE SKETCHES.
Martins valuation of 1.-THE Bridegroom's
Reverie''-S1O, OO0-is rather high in compari-
son with the rates now prevailing on the
vaudeville sketch market If his price pre-
vailed there would be no one left to write
romantic novels, because the literati would
be exclusively devoted to the composition
of playlets. In New York there are many
writers glad to accept commissions of the
kind at prices ranging from SIS to $3.50 a
sketch. Still, there always is a demand
for good vaudeville sketches and no one
but the writer is capable of appraiSing the
value of his own ideas. THE Bridegroom
Reverie'' made a pleasing impression last
week at the Grand The bridegroom had
all the lines and the Misses Gilmore sing
in different costumes in frame above the
fireplace.
Martins career as an actor has not been
prominent nor has he escaped the usual
Thespian Vicissitudes One of the Misses
Gilmore said that Martin was guilty of
the misdemeanor of ingratitude They paid
his board and for his cigars the six weeks
he was in Chicago, she said, and when they
dismissed him from their little company
they did not ask him to repay them Even
his dress suit case was in pawn. Miss Gill
more averred.
The Misses Gilmore formerly lived in
this city and have friends and relatives
here. Their position on the vaudeville stage
is assured. Their father was the proprie-
tor of the old Zoo, and now lives in Chi
cage.
Martins father was a theatrical mana
ger for many years. He is now in the en-
plOy of Colonel William f. Cody (Buffalo
BID at the Cody ranch in the West.