The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-25
Nine. anauschek Remembered
by 3 Few.
Queen of Tragedy Almost For.
gotten by Public.
DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
One Player Lauds Her Name
and Memory.
Another Says She Was Mean
Through and Through.


When it was announced recently
that Nine. Janauschek had applied Tor
admission to the actors home on sta
ten island there was likely more than
one of the older playgoers VINO Went
scurrying back in his memory for
recollections Of the tragedy queen
whose reign was noteworthy says
writer in the Chicago Inter-Ocean-
Nine. Janauschek has heen for some
years past extremely poor and help
less invalid, practically forgotten by
the public.
A week ago, says a, western writer,
when one of the Orpheum imperson-
ators announced that he would next
sseive q. representation of Nine. Janau-
schek'' more than one in the audi
ence whispered. "Janauschek? Who
is she? 2"
And a young woman who read re-
Gently the announcement with which
this article opens looked up from her
"Who is she, aunty?" she asked of
a stately woman by her side
mean was she anything great? ?"
''She was the greatest actress ever
saw" replied the stately, gray-hatred,
elderly woman. She spoke shortly, as
If the task of detailing that greatness
what actress nowadays was she
llike?" persisted the girl in her pretty
audacity.
None" replied "aunty.''
Did the large crowds go to see
"The theater was always packed. .
"She must have made money
"She was blazing with jewels when
'why is She SO dreadfuny poor
now?"
why2 Why? Why?
1t was on leaving the Orpheum the
alter the very night of the persona
ton that I talked about Janauschek
with a man who had been In the audi
ence and who once was her leading
man. His voice shook when he spoke
of her. He traced her name in the
air with his foreinger.
THAT was all the advertising we
needed" he said. Just that name on
a plain 'three-sheet.' Night after
night the theaters were full to the
doors. The poster stands of today
would have been absurd. The crowds
focked to see her at the mention of
her name. She was great artist,
a great soul, a great woman
Tvs she a happy woman"
She had many experiences The
first season I was with her she wore
decorations bestowed on her by half
the crowned heads OF Europe She
owned what was then the largest dia-
mond in America.
And she could act
'fShe could act as could none of the
others Her voice was like some
deep-toned organ. There were a thou
sand and lights and shades in it, but
always it was Janauschek's organ
voice.
Did you ever see her?" he inquired.
"Only as Mother Rosenbaum in
The Great Diamond Robbery
Even in that she was unsurpassed.
And she was the best good fellow of
them all. I never knew anything to
Often Ei
on the baggage at a station and chat
and laugh with the crowd. All her
people loved her.
She was a great woman as we'll as
a great actress" were his last words
as we parted. Poor Janauschek!''
Poor Janauschek! A quarter of a
million in diamonds! Decrepit, aged,
poverty stricken! Why?
Yesterday asked another actor
about her He had once, he said,
played small parts in her company.
she was the meanest woman that
ever lived" he said. ''She made more
money than any of them. Why didn't
she save it?
Perhaps she was generous"
Perhaps she was-of her money.
She certainly wasn't generous to her
felloW-artists. No one in her COM
pany ever had the slightest opportu-
nifty If she could take it away from
him"
They say she was not really a hap
''She always wanted the moon. The
moon was always men. She ran away
from Europe with her brother-in-law.
That was why she came to this coun-
try, so he could tour with her"
Where are her jeweIs?"
Pawned-sold- They went little by
little each year Unscrupulous man
ayers got most of her wealth.
But she was a great actress
She was the greatest actress I ever
saw. In any one else her broken Eng
ush would have been funny.
The night I heard her declaim THE
path to glory leads through blut' she
was so great that not a soul in the
audience laughed She played Mary
Stuart, Meg Merriles, Lady Macbeth
Brunhiide, and in Bleak House, In
Bleak House she always played the
tFehch maid, as well as Lady Dead
lock. 1t was wonderful how she could
change from the fiery FrenchWouar
to the stately Lady Deadlock. once
one OF the women in her COMPANY
was given small part which had
one good scene in it at the end of an
act. When the time came for the eli
max to be effective Janauscheb svept
down stage and across No one ever
knew her to give an actress a., on
portunity If she could help it she
was mean that way through and
through"
Those are the only ones whom I
nave found able to speak of Janau-
schek from personal knowledge. and
WnH RRHn~ @m