The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-17
THE MANSFIELD MYSTERY.
The Noted Actor Has Had Thirty
Quarrels in Two Years.

One Of the fnsoluble mysteries Of the
generation is the persistent and con~
ttnuous longevity of the actor. Richard
Mansfield.
The explanation that he confines his
rudenesses chiefly to women and de-
pendents has a certain meretricious
glitter, but it win not bear serious
scrutiny. It is true that he quarrels
chiefly with members of his company
and that his worst exhibitions of arro-
gance are at the expense of obscure
subordinates. A careful examination
of the record abundantly confirm this
view of the matter. 1t cannot be
gainsaid that he busters most loudly
when there is a woman in question
and that he is aggressive in proper
ton with the poverty and helplessness
I of the underling upon whom he vents
his wrath. But. even allowing for all
that, the fact that nobody has yet
broken his neck is and viii always re-
main in the front rank of modern prob
lens.
In the summer of 1886. when Richard
Mansfield made his first independent
venture, bringing out Prince KARI at
the Madison Square theater, New York,
he was as modest and genial a fellow
as one would wish to meet. a host of
friends and Well-Wishers stood behind
him. Late at night, after the plays
had closed, a party of choice spirits
would assemble at the Carlton club, in
Twenty fifth street, just back of the
IlOAIIlidI I1DuS6s anu AaHSltElQ was
then conspicuous for courtesy and bon
homie. He was kind, amiable, merry,
q good story teller, polite listener
altogether most attractive and in
was successful He achieved both
fame and fortune. And at the close of
the enga cement the companions who
had followed him throughout his enter
prise rendered their friend and prOtege
a midnight banquet which will be long
remembered by all whose fortune it
was to participate The late Tom
Ochiltree was the presiding genius, as
he was the original inspiration. of the
festivities George Sheridan, the great
est raconteur of his day. after Jack
Wharton; Henry Irving. Nat Goodwin,
John ChamDerlin, and some fifteen or
twenty others Bohernians all-conl-
posed the party assembled to celebrate
Mansfield's triumph and to wish him
well in the new career then opening
before him. 1t was a famous occasion,
as all the surviving participants viii
enthusiastically certify
In less than N~7tWo years, however.
Mansfield had alienated all OF his old
friends.
The record of his quarrels. his law
suits his treatment of humble under
strappers-tfis record has just been
outlined by the New York World, and
1t makes & showing of which i dozen
men might be ashamed. But the nys
tery is not so much in what Mansfield
has done to make himself odious; the
mystery as already said. is that no
one has vet taken hold of him and
broken every bone in his anatomy.
Maurice Barrymore once made an over
ture in that direction, but Richards
temper, somehow or other, was under
excellent control, and nothing came Of
it. That delightful artist and litera-
teur. Mr.. Hopl1inson Smith, also gave
>the tragedian two or three openings,
but the latter haughtily remained out
side. And there have been others.
But the mystery remains. In the
Worlds summary it is found that
Mansfield has had more than thirty
quarrels. encounters, etc, within two
years, and as we consider their nature,
the mystery gets deeper and deeper.