The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-04
NO HOPPER, NO PERFORMANCE
MURRAY HILL FIREPROOFING
DOESN'T NUDGE COPS.
scenery OF Captain Darlington" Fire
proof Already, Managers sAy-super-
tntendent Ordered House Closed and
Vanlshed-BiE Crowd Very Angry.

tntendent Ordered House Closed and
VAnished-BIE Crowd Very Angry.
After an inspection at 4 O'Clock Of the
scenery used in the play, Captain Barring
ton In which William Bramwell appeared
at the matinee performance at the Murray
! Hill Theatre yesterday afternoon, Scenery
Inspector Charles Blackledge Of the Build
| ing Department notified Supt Hopper that
the scenery was not fireproof. Supt.
| Hopper communicated with Police Com
missioner McAdoo. Mr.. McAdoo passed
the word along 70 Police Inspector Walsh
| and Capt Shire Of the East Thirty-fifth
street station. These two went 70 Oh
theatre at $50 O'Clock 10 see that the doors
J were not opened for the evening perform
anoe.
William Bramwell was leading man 10
! Henry " Donnelly's Murray Hill stock
company for two years, and for that reason
the entire house bad been sold out for last
nights performance before the police ar
rived. When the hour for the performance
10 begin approached, Lexington aven ne
In the neghborhood Of Forty-second street
| held an excited crowd which was massed
| In the theatre lobby almost 70 the smother
! ing point and stretched from Fortieth
street for two solid blocks. growing livelier
every minute after s O'Clock.
| At $50 Mr.. Bramwell, oostumed as George
! Washington, mounted chair In the theatre
entrance and addressing the crowd In the
street and the lobby, said;
! am sorry that cannot repeat tonight
| the little speech made this afternoon
thanking my friends for a royal welcome
back to my old home, fhe Murray Hill
| Theatre.
! THE scenery and costumes in the play,
which are the identical equipment used by
| Charles Rlohman when Capt. Darlington
was first played at the Manhattan Theatre
q year ago, have been examined and have
stood the freproof test in the leading
| Eastern cities in the last few weeks. This
afternoon an inspector from the Building
| Department inspected all our scenery
| and advised Mr.. Proctor Of my stan and
| Mr. Stewart, acting manager Of the theatre,
that while it needed fireproohng the man
! agement would be given twenty-four hours
/ time 70 do it in.
Notwithstanding that, the management
sent for barrel Of freproofng solution,
and within half an hour had twenty men at
work, plastering the scenery with 1t. At
! $50 O'Clock the job was done, and every
stick and sheet Of cloth was non-inhammAbe.
The rank injustice Of the whole thing
lies in the fact that since the Job has been
completed we have had a dozen men
searching all over town for Supt. Hopper,
and haven't been able to find him In any
OF his old haunts. Since we need his consent
before the police will withdraw, We must
! disappoint you tonight. Matters will be
arranged early tomorrow, and the play
! given tomorrow night without fail
The crowd in the theatre lobby dispersed
as soon as an exchange Of tickets had been
made, but not before a good many loud
and heated opinions Of Supt. Hopper and
the police had been expressed.
William I. Keogh manager Of the Murray
Hill Theatre, said that the action OF Supt.
Hopper, in view Of the long established
rule Of giving theatrical companies twenty
four hours leeway for doing any neces-
sary hreproohng, was extremely radical
and unjust and seemed TO proceed from
desire 10 work an injury TO the theatrical
business.
AT O'clock" said Mr.. Keogh, Il tele-
phoned 70 the Herald Square Theatre,
where Inspector Backledge is employed
nights as a scene shifter, asking him to
come over and reinspect the scenery and
give us permission 10 open tonight. He
replied that he could not do 50 without
Supt Hopper's personal order. Now I've
done everything under the sun 10 find
Hopper, but IL seems as II he disappeared
from his accustomed hang-outs that there
mi ght be no chance Of our opening to-
night
Henri Gressit. manager for Mr. Bran
well, told Police Inspector Walsh that he
would throw all his own scenery out into
the street and use the Murray Hin scenery,
IL nothing else could be done. Inspector
Walsh said that nothing but a permit from
Supt, Hopper could drive him out Of pos
session.
I'D take Of my coat and help you carry
the scenery out myself II you could get
MIR. Hopper's permission said the in
spectOr.
Martin Mas Of the Mas Fireproofng
Company, who inspected the work on the
capt. Darlington scenery, yesterday after
noon, sent out couple Of messengers to
assist in locating Hopper, but when he gave
I'D, az $50 O'Clock. Manager Gressit said be
guessed II was all OF.
This Is the third time in ten years that
/ have failed 20 give a scheduled perform
ance. and II has happened twice this season.
In Augusta, Ca, a few weeks ago, we lost
our car with every bit Of scenery and cos
TUNES. and, being a military play, we were
helpless Two years ago played 'Zaza-
In St. Louis with Eugene Blair without
costuming or scenery, and I'm not afraid
10 tackle Capt. Darlington tonight
with stock scenery, II could get permission.
have a certificate at my hotel showing that
the Capt Darlington scenery passed
muster In the Lafayette Square Theatre,
Washington. last week. For that reason
cannot understand why II won't do here"
SAVED ALL THE BOYS BUT ONE. !