The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-15
IN HARD LINES.
Boston Bijou Opera Company
Strands Here.
Many Members Left Without
Any Money.
TWO GIRLS In TOPEKA.
Subscriptions Raised to Send
Them to Boston.
Experiences Which Should Dis
courage Stage Struck Girls.
,WO GIRLS In TOPEKA.


courage Stage Struck Girls.
The Bi1ou opera company stranded in
topeka.
that closed its engagement in Topeka
at the Grand theater Saturday night
are enough to dampen the aTdor of the
average stage-struck girl If she could
and disappointment that has fallen to
two of the members Of the chorus OF
the Boston Bijou company.
Miss Minnie Guilford, of Boston.
Mass, of only six months experience in
the theatrical business. and Miss Lulu
Beaumont. of Allegheny, Pa. are the
luckless girls. They are stranded IN
Topeka and are completely without
money to pay their railroad fares to
their homes in the east The others had
money enough to reach Kansas City.
After playing a season Of forty weeks
in Boston the Boston Bijou opera COM
pany was taken to Denver for season
of summer opera at the Broadway the
alter. The show was owned by Colone1
Lane, the father Of the prima donna,
Clara Lane, and her husband, Mr. ]. K.
Murray. It was taken to Denver under
an agreement with Peter McCourt that
the travelling expenses should be guar
anteed in both directions. The COM
pany sang the older operas, such as
The Mikado,' Said Pasha,' ETC., for
the first few weeks at Denver and the
business was bad.
Mr.. McCourt then assumed the man
agement of the company and rehearSed
them for a number of the late operate
successes From that time on with
plenty of advertising the company made
money. However, the profits were hard
ly sufficient to retrieve the losses of the
first month. Mr.. McCourt. it is said,
felt his obligations ended after having
lost On the engagement, and the COM
pany was without transportation back
to Boston.
1t was then decided to make a tour
of the principal cities. After leaving
Denver, the company was booked for
four nights at Colorado Springs. The
Elks' carnival was the main attraction
there and the show did no business.
The next night at Pueblo big society
event to which nearly everyone went
ting a house and SO 1t has been ever
since the company left Denver. The
company did better business In Topeka
than in any other town and Topeka was
only scantily billed for the show and
had the state fair in opposition. Nearly
$1,000 was sunk on the two weeks trip
between Denver and Topeka and prac-
tically no salaries were paid during the
in Topeka say that most OF the girls
had to pay their board bills along the
way from money they had saved, and
when they reached Topeka nearly ev-
out money, and the principals could not
boast owning vast amounts of money.
The company was therefore in hard
lines when it reached Topeka and it was
after the close of the Topeka engage
ment- The players were all without
means to reach their homes in the east.
and practically every member Of the
| company lives in the east
Saturday afternoon only few Of the
players knew what they would do. At
the night performance, hotelkeepers and
laundrymen lowered around the box
| Office to get a settlement of their bills.
All the bills were finally adjusted on
| per cent basis, and the creditors received
| the largest per cent of the amounts due
| them. The manager of the company
here. however. to buy railroad tickets
for the whole company to Kansas City.
| When train time came everyone was
ready to go but Miss Guilford. the girl
of but six months experience. She, with
her cbunn, Miss beaumont were room
ing at boarding house on Van Buren,
| street. Miss Beaumont has been in the
| business six seasons and a little trou-
BILE Of this kind did not disturb her. But
| Miss Guilford was Inexperienced and
| she was the only one of the company
| who was unable to get her trunk from
the boarding house. The landlady of the
rooming house refused to let tina trunk
| go until a bill of SO was settled.
Miss Beaumont went to the train but
| afterwards decided to stay with her
| more unfortunate chum. They went
| back to the National hotel where they
made known their dilemma and today
| subscriptions lists are being made out
among the Elks and the employees OF
the Santa Fe general offices, to help the
| girls get home. The remainder of the
players in the company went to Kansas
City where they hope to get places in
| the Orpheon circuit or In ither COM
panJes.
The two girls who are left in Topeka
say that some of the principals in the
company have back salary due them to
the amount $500 and $500 each.
The story is told that George Shields
| and his wife Hattie Bell I.add receipt
ed their bill against the company for
| something over $500 for their release
from the Saturday afternoon and even
| ing performances of the company here
They left Topeka for New York Friday
night.
George Tallman. the tenor. and his
wife Amy Remley have also gone to
| New York.
Some of the chorus girls and others Of
the company had opportunities to join 9th.
| er companies had they been able to get
back to New York However, as it is
| they. are now at Kansas City trying to get
on the Orpheum circuit or Join some OF
| the western shows
The musical director, Mr.. Max Winnie, II
is said. had claim Of $500 for back sal
| airy.
Miss Irene Perry. who won so much at.
tention by her dancing in the performance
| of THE Gaiety Girl here Friday night
will probably make tour OF the Orpheun
| circuit.
Miss Margaret Robinson. who played a