The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-01-06
AUDIENCE
WAS ANGRY,
Wilmington Theatre Scene
of Much Disorder,


be played at the Wilmington Theatr,
by the Iluntlcy-1Iarris Stock Com
pany on Saturday night, but the SHOW
did not come off, and the result was !;
howling mob gatheredat 1hebox Office
to get their money back. The Office
| was closed and Treasurer ITcam had
disappeared. The crowd became very
angry at the Swindle- and had not a
squad of police been called in, would
have wrecked the hYse.
About the time fOF the curtain tu
90 up Constable Charles Green enter
ed the theatre from the rear. proceed
ed to the box Office and levied on the
receipts of the evening in the hands
of Treasurer lIcaln. The constable
was acting on four claims of salary by
Pierce Colts, Leonard Bowen, John
McElwec alD Samuel Bradfcld, who
have been employed as ushcrs.
Treasurer lIcarn of the theatre and
Manager Harris Of the stock company
were counting up receipts when the
constable appeared and made his levy
amounting to s34. Manager Harris
refused to 60 on with the show until
he was assured of his percentage. and
when he saw no chance of getting it
he announced to the audience that
there would be no show and that the
people could get back their money at
the box Office. While he was making
this announcement Constable Green
went off with the amount of the
claims held by him.
The crowd was disappointed and be-
came very angry. A rush was made
for the box office and loud demands
were made to return the money. ITcarn
however had already left forparts I'M
known and it would not have been
good for him to have made his ap-
pearancc as he would have been given
a deserved drubbing Manager IIar-
ris was hunted up and requested 10
redeem the tickets, bul he refused,
saying that his company had not re-
cciycd cent of the proceeds. Then
it was that the crowd became turbu-
lent and threatened to clcanthc house :
out.
Captain Black was called for and
he made his appearance with a squad
of officers before any damage wa,done. |
The crowd was slowly driven away.
The company has been playing TO
very poor houses all Of the week and
the audience on Saturday was the
largest that had attended any Of the
performances.
Manager Harris cf the stock com.
pany has made this statement: 1--WE
have lost about $500 on our engage
mcnt here, and did not get Il cent
Saturday night, 50 that of course We
did not feel like paying money to the
audience.
The bills for which the constable
levied were owed by the theatre. not
by us, but had our engagement been
we would rather have given
the people the money back out Of our
own pockets than to have them go
away without it. ! never before heard
Of a constable seizing money until a
show had begun, but this one took the
peoples money before the curtain had
been rung up.
The Wilmington Theatre seems to
be hOo-doocd. II has been run under
many different names. by good and !
poor managers, who after one season i
disappeared leaving many unpaid
bills.
The present managers took the
house knowing well the reputation it
had, thinking they could build it
up by giving only first class shows.
The first few weeks were not paying
ones, but racy show (Mammsclle
'Awkins) was engaged and thcmoncy
Iaked in on the the three days Of its
performance was sufficient to square
up many of the debts that hadalready
accrued
While this vulgar show wasa money
maker, it hurt the house as nothing
Else could, as many ladies who hadbe-
gun to patronizc 1t believing that
nothing but clean and respectable
shows would be given, ceased TO at.
end.
The city authorities should see that
proper fire escapes are placed on the
building, should fire occur during a
performance the patrons would be-
'anght like rats in trap and perish
)eforc they could make their escape
rom the upper floors.
Dubell the Halter
Go to Charles Il. Dubell for your hat
ND 'ORps OF MI STYLES No, 3 East Third st