The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-17
STAR GOES DOWN
Topeka Has One Less Eaude-
vile Theatre.
Box Office Receipts Were At
tached Last Night.
THE PLANO is SOLD.
Only Small Sums Due the
Performers.
Gilbert MOrice, Owner, Cannot
Be Found.
THE PLANO is SOLD.

The Star Vaudeville theater at 418
Kansas avenue, closed its doors after
the last performance Saturday night,
and in all probabilities it win never be
opened again as a theater, though Man
ager Gilbert v 0Iorice could not be
found to verify the report. At the con-
clusion of the second performance Mar
shall A. z. EVintrode arA a deputy from
the city court attached the receipts at
the box Office, to satisfy a small bill
owed to II. N. Wolff the tailor.
Fannie Chenowith is the only employe
about the theater who is not out one
or more weeks salaries. She has taken
tickets at the Office for some time past
and she must have heard noise like
an officer approaching for when Capt.
Wintrode opened the cash drawer he
found but one dollar and ninety cents
and that in nickels and dimes. He was
at a loss to account for the small re-
ceipts, particularly as the house was
we'll filed and insisted upon the lady
turning over receipts which he had ev-
cry reason to believe that had been ia
ken in at the first show. This she re-
fused to do and by retaining them she
feels that she has at least saved a por-
ton of the salary which is due her
Down stairs the scene was anything
but a gay one. The performers were
sitting around the stove which furnish
es heat to the dressing room and dis
eussing the probabilities of "the ghost
walking" All of those on last weeks
programme are behind The weeks sal
airy and some Of them more than that.
they became suspicious Saturday af-
ternoon and most of them went to the
box office and made an attempt to draw
q portion of their salary which has
Deen customary in the past when they
wish for spending money and for the
1lrst time In the history OF the theater.
me performers were told that there was
no money with which to pay them.
The piano which was sold early in
the Gay to the order of Eagles was
attached by creditors late Saturday
night The performers who were sir
ting around waiting for the appear
ancs OF the manager seemed to have
a great deal of faitn that he would
settle with them in full for their salar-
les AS nearly as can be learned from
Ihe performers on last weeks bill, no
stllan geuenIS have been made for a
snow next week. Miss Frances Simp-
SON, the illustrated song singer and
her sister leave next week for Gales
burg, I'LL. where they have an engage
ment with a stock company. The re-
mainder of the company are without
definite plans although some of them
are booked for next week
me star theater was opened last
winter by Click & Sullivan, and met
with Indifferent success. Manaeer
Morice secured control of the property
at the close Of the season and spent
several thousand dollars in lowering
the floor and rebuilding the stage. The
theater was opened this season the
tenth of September and has remained
open since, giving from one to four
performances each day. The efforts
Of Manager MOrice to turn the theater
INTO money-making proposition have
proven ia vain and the little house has
been losing venture There are sew
eral reasons for this. In the first place
the location is poor for a house of its
kind and the management has had the
theater trust opposing them as they
are not in the combine.
Since he has been in charge of the
star theater Mr. MOrice has made
many warm friends who regret that
circumstances have made It necessary
for him to close the house.