Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-31

New York jan IS, l9O3,-Here are
tales Of woe instead OF entertainment
No new plays in all the town this
week. In place Of novelty tragedy;
Romeo and Juliet and Ghosts
The Shakespeare play striving to re-
produce the primitive conditions Of the
theatre in shakespeares time;-The
Isben play by that earnest seeker after
the impossible, Mary Shaw. Mean
while, the Swan of Avon lately honor
ed at the Garden and Herald Square
is abandoned Mr. sothern has shelv-
ed Hamlet to revive McCarthy's
III / were King" Richard Mansfield,
no longer Marcus Brutus has become
Shylock in the courts, where he is be-
ing examined in legal proceedings insi-
tuted by the Representatives OF Ed
mond Rostand to determine the royal
ties of "Cyrane de Bergerac' This
action seems unjust. Rostand thought
so little Of his play that he refused to
copyright It, The big nosed hero was
free for anybody's taking and he was
taken by Augustin Daly and other
managers, although Mr.. Mansfield had
made arrangements with the author for
the original version Happily, all these
impetuous spirits failed, especially
DAILY, who mutilated the play scandal
ously by cutting down the part OF Cy-
rano and building up the role Of RoX-
ane to suit Miss Rehan. Mansfield
paid royalties to the author religiously
until he found that Rostand would not
contribute a dollar to lawyers fees for
the purpose Of protecting his drama.
Furthermore, Mansfield had 60 under
take all the expenses OF defending the
suit for plagiarism brought against
Rostand by Samuel Gross OF Chicago.
In these circumstances. il seems lllogl-
cal and absurd that the author should
sue the actor Tor royalties However
Richard Mansfield is as crafty as he Is
clever. In a preliminary hearing Of the
suit last week Mr.. Mansfield testified
that he was mere employe Of the
Richard Mansfield Corporations" that
Ne owns only ~ shares OF the stock OF
that company. that his wife is the
president. secretary. cashier, bookkeep-
or and board OF directors OF it; and
that he works only for his board and
lodging. His spouse, originally young
Buffalo matron. was divorced. and a
member OF his company married our
fire-eater eight or ten years ago.
She was known on the stage as Bea-
trice Cameron and was an actress OF tai
ent No woman Of less diplomacy could
keep Richard Mansfield peaceabe, and
she has been an excellent wife 10 him,
In his evidence Mr.. Mansfield declared
that beyond investing all the receipts
OF the company. her principal duty
was 10 act rs advisory counsel. Our
actor Is an honest man and he spoke
the truth. Mrs Mansfield has n level
head and she rot only selects her hus-
bands plays. but sUperyses their pro-
duction and guides hls conduct In ev-
erything. Rostand, who has already
been unconimony well treated In the
matter o. "Cyrano." can extract no
money from Mrs. Mansfield. She holds
the purse strings and has jaw as firm
as the fist Of fate.
ADA REHAN's MTsFORTUNEs,
More woe. Ada Rehans fortunes
have reached such a melancholy state
thar she Is compelled TO sell her SOU
venirs OF Augus,ln Daily. The Mans
field business Is comic but this Is
tragic Miss Rehan's social as wei! as
artistic life was bound up IN Mr.. DAILY. !
He was devoted to her, she 20 him. He /
found her O raw-boued uncou.h Irish |
girl and made her the most celebrated |
and popular actress IN America. They |
were Ike slamese Twins, the actress |
and her manager and everywhere that /
Ada went Gus was sure to go. He /
guarded her like the apple OF his eye |
lie was perpetually Jealous OF her /
size was Tr.'by he Svecgali. On one /
occa sion Jerome X jerome wrote 20 /
your correspondent saying. "i want |
sketch Of the personality OF Miss Re-
han ,or The ldl4- You know her. !
send II 70 me" This letter was seat /
10 the actress and an appointment was
made. August.n Daly was al the door.
Certainly not" said he, you cac't
ita Miss Rehan. You can see me-"
But. Mr.. Daily. although YOU are a
very charming, interesting man. jes-
'me does not waai 20 sketch you
anne 70 see Miss Rehan and ! must
zee Mis- Rehan" DAILY looked AZ this
wrathfllly. you talk sb-
urdly." he growied you o. al people
hould know that there r. nothing that
Hiss Rehar knows that don't know
You can Interview ne az much as you
Ike But there Is one thing sure: you
annot Interview her" SO under these
orange and unwelcome conditions the
ketch was written. but before its pub
icatior Dalv insisted on Jerome seri.
ne proof sheets from London for IN.
ncctlon We never let Miss Rehan out
Il his sight after disastrous expert
nee she had during her nrst visit