The San Francisco call., 1905-01-24
BACK FROM
AUSTRALIA
Funmakers With Dutch
Jokes Find Thickheaded
Auditors in the Antipodes
MAUD AMBER MAROONED
She Will Return and Tell
of Harry James, Who Has
Troubles Over the Women

Travel stained and tired but still in
company formation and riding every
foot of the way home ''The Travesty
Stars" the Kolb- Dill ll-Barnard-Amber
Blake combination that left here May
8, 1904, to conquer Australia, returned
here yesterday. passengers on the liner
Sonoma. That Is they are all here but
Blake and Amber. Blake is going to
conquer or die. and he stayed in Aus
tralia to fight the battle alone. Maude
Amber is coming on the next steamer.
She would have been on the Sonoma,
say those who returned yesterday, but
for the wicked Vaccinations of Harry
James, the manager of the outfit and
the only man, say the disappointed
troupers who profited by the visit to
the Antipodes.
Each of the twenty-five troupers
has the idea that but for the other
twenty-four he or she would have
knocked the Colonials silly" and
each of the former Fischerites landed
en- Pacific-street wharf with hammer
in hand.
If James didn't make money what
about that big diamond he didn't have
when we went away?"
I'VE had them lashed to the mast
and hollering for mercy when Corinne
Carkeek shot off her mouth about the
style of the Australian women. Then
the lights went OUT
I'VE made a mistake when we took
this bunch of chorus girls"
I'VE didn't have no features the
Australians could understand. II it
hadn't been for us girls the show
would have went to pieces the first
week.
There amt no Germans over there.
And so on. AS to what really hap
pened, it is hard to find out from the
troupers. who have not saved or are
not exhibiting the criticisms printed
in the Australian newspapers, and
all take solid comfort in the fact that
they rode home. And first class,
too"
And they didn't have to pay their
own fares either" volunteered James
TWO DARK MYSTERIES.
Two happenings of the home-com-
ing are shrouded in mystery-the
marooning of Miss Maud Amber and
Mrs. Harry James two black eyes.
Harry James is said to hold the key
of both mysteries.
AS the others tell of the Amber
episode the buxom one-time local ia
vorite was the victim of deep laid
scheme. James, they say, had reasons
for wanting to be in San Francisco
ahead of Amber. Before leaving Sgd
ney he brought suit against the fair
star for breach of contract, she and
Blake having left the company when
the ghost ceased to take its weekly
walk, about three weeks before the
end of their last Australian engage
ment. Amber was under bonds to ap-
near in court at a date subsequent to
the sailing of the Sonoma. The day
the Sonoma sailed James hid away on
board and did not show himself until
the liner was we'll out to sea.
Amber was on the wharf to bid the
homeward- bound troupers good-by. Il
think that little rat has jobbed me"
she said as the Sonoma slowly moved
from the wharf Hes on board. 1
KNOW, anu 10 6OlH6 ~ oeANrA AIS ~-~>~~
through a port and laugh at me in
few minutes. I'll be on the next boat,
anyhow. Good-by, girls! By-by, boys!
When Blake and Amber left the
company, Blake brought suit against
! James for unpaid salary. This suit
! James left in Sydney with Amber.
! James denies hiding away and de-
{ clares that the travesty stars and the
| ships officers are laboring under de-
! fusion when they suggest such a thing.
TWO BLACK EYES.
Then comes the black eye mystery.
First the story as told by the stars.
big and little, by the other passengers
and by members of the ships crew.
The attentions of James to Miss Vio-
let Arthur, dark eyed member Of the
! chorus. are said to have aroused the
! anger of Mrs James. On Saturday af-
ternoon Mrs. James is said to have dis
covered her spouse in Miss Arthur's
| stateroom. There was trouble and In
the thick of it James is said to have
struck his wife between the eyes,
blackening them both.
Nothing in it." says James. wife
hasn't a mark on her. Never struck
her in my life. Hardly know Miss Ar
thur. Dreaming, dreaming, everybody
on this boat is dreaming. If you don't
believe me ask my wife; she'll be down
in a minute"
why, the ideal" said Mrs. James in
the seclusion of her stateroom, where
she remained long after all other pas
sengers had disembarked. Mrs. James
was heavily veiled. but neither veil mol
the somber light of the darkened room
could hide the ugly evidence of vio-
| lent blow. Both evelids were discol-
cred and the bridge of the nose showed
red under the heavy veil.
"Mr. James did not hit me. I never
discuss my affairs with reporters
Please CO."
know nothing about it," said Miss
Violet Arthur.
The Amber mystery will be cleared
up February Is, when Miss Maud Am
ber arrives on the Ventura.
The other mystery rests as follows
Ship gossip and about twenty of the
Travesty stars say James blacked his
wife's eyes. James says he didn't and
that there Is no mark on Mrs. James
face. Mrs. James says James didn't
Mrs. James has two black eyes.
Stranded Vessel Moved.
BELLINGHAM. Wash. Jan. a.
The tug Tyee to-day succeeded II