The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-03

L. NJ. Crawford Finally AnnOun-
ces Purchase Of Theater.
Better Class of Attractions Now
BE Cared For.
PUBLIC WILL BE SAFE.
Mr.. Crawford Says That Present
Bookings
Can Be Changed With the Com
sent Of Companies!
PUBLIC WILL BE SAFE

1GNEId4 SAc4ES AOA L4AE purchase OF the
Grand opera house was closed this
morning and the property transferred
to The Amusement Syndicate of which
L. NJ. Crawford is the manager and the
moving spirit.
Negotiations have been in progress
for several years for the purchase of
the building but there have been nu-
merous obstacles which have stood in
the way of the completion of the deal.
In February. 1903. the trade was made
and alleged to have been executed<by
! J. r. Mulvane for the syndicate and E.
5. Quinton as attorney for Mary K.
Quinton, his wife. Mr.. Crawford and
J. r. Mulvane repudiated this contract
and the matter has been in court con-
unually ever since. In the district
court a decision adverse to the OlIfn-
tons was secured. The case was then
taken to the supreme court of the state
and the case renanded back for trial.
The case was set for trial at the
! present term of court and would have
been heard had not the Amusement
syndicate seen fit to fulan its old con-
/ tract The price paid for the Grand
/ was $4,000 besides mortgage Of
$4,000 which stands against the prop
/ erty, so that the price paid for the
property is really $4,000.
/ The story published in the State
| Journal, last Thursday to the erect
that the independent theater represen-
! tatiVes were figuring on the purchase
I of the Grand had much to do with the
sudden closing of the deal. Mr.. z. S.
4 Quinton said: MATTERS had gotten in
i such a condition that it was M to the
j Crawford syndicate to do something. I
saw the representatives of the inde-
! pendent people when they were in the
/ city last week and made them an Of
fer which was several thousand dollars
/ less than the price that the Grand
i brought and the matter was pending
when I received word from Mr.. Craw-
/ ford that he was willing to pay all of
/ the costs in our suits with interest from
the tina that the contract for deed
i was made, and take the house as he
i had agreed to do.
s'AEr. FIoyd, one II the representa-
tiyes Of the independent people, when
in the city last week, went to Mr..
Crawford and offered to lease the
Grand for ten years at a yearly rental
of 81 900 and pay four years rental in
advance. This with the fact that our
case was to come UP for retriaI soon
1 had something to do with the closing
i of the deal 1 suppose"
Mr.. Crawford Consulting With the
Syndicate!
Mr. Crawford was not inclined to
be at all communicative when seen
today. but said: Yes, it is true that
| the Amusement Syndicate has closed
as I am but one of the syndicate it is
| impossible for Tne to say what Will be
| done until l see and talk with the
other men 'ers of the company.
III is lea that the Crawford
viii be "A As a popular priC2 house
and that slte better attractions viii be
ven at the Grand. though this may
not be the case this season as the
companies are already booked and we
can not change them unless they con-
sent! ny idea is that the syndicate
win instruct me to make such tenn
pOr2ry repairs as viii be necc Niary
at the Grand so that it can be used
whenever it is possible to change the
bookings of the better companies. /
have no idea how much money will
be spent on the house as I have not
been inside of it for more than two
years and know but little Of the con-
ditions. I have no idea when the first
play viii be given there, but we ex-
pect to play Ben Hur there late in the
season, probably in March or April. /
cannot say for sure that the Grand
will be opened at all as far as regu-
lar attractions are concerned but as
far as I am concerned I want to sec
the Grand placed in perfect repair.
THE Grand is SO much larger that
we will be able to stage bigger pro-
ductions there than we can at the
Crawford and I want to give the thea
ter patrons of this city an opportunity
to see the biggest and best companies
that are on the road.
The purchase of the Grand opera
house by the Crawford syndicate will
make it necessary for the Independent
people to build an opera house if they
expect to get into Topeka. If the
Grand is opened. as Mr.. Crawford
says that he hopes that it will be, the
theater patrons of Topeka viii be per
mitted to witness some of the better
class of productions without the haunt
ing fear that every time they enter g
theater that they may be burned OF
trampled to death.
with the opening of the Grand the
i opportunities Of the theater-goers rise
1t is sincerely to be hoped that the con-
ditions which have prevailed in this
city for years viii now be changed.
The Grand is a large and comfort
able play house and several thousand
dollars We're spent IN repairs by Arthur
Kane two years ago When It was kepi
open for a. season. The house was par
TALLY rewired and considerable money
spent on interior decorations and CT
the stage. Since Kane went with the
7 Crawford syndicate the house has moi
been used and has been the home OF
bats and spiders and the decorations
are somewhat damaged by neglect. the
seats are broken. the scenery has beer
looted and the Whole tnlng IN a state
of decay that would ensue from a neg
Iected. idle building
Kane had a lease for ten years. He
ran independent for awhile, and ther
some years aso sold out to Crawford
who has paid the rent since and used
; the house for bill posting supplies, and
permitted no show to enter it. The
hght that the State Journal has waged
for years for better and safer theateI
than the Crawford has not been in vain
Let the curtain roll I'D and the play
begin at the earliest o2ortunity.
The Deeds Filed.
Two deeds were fled late this after
noon, conveying to the Amusement