The Washington times., 1907-02-03

at the Hudson Theater. on February Il.
Last week Royle got a temporary in
junction forbidlng Mrs. Carter pro-
ducing the play This week the injunc-
ton was made permanent. II was stated
| in court that more than $4,000 had al
ready ben spent on the production. ana
Justice Leaventritt gave an early de-
cision. in hopes the parties concerned
might get together and patch up their
difficulties. They probably will; but
Gle viii not get 10 the Hudson on
February IL The HypOcrites" will stay
there until February .. anyhow
Royle complained that his play had
been changed beyond recognition.
she changed everything Aut the name
Of the play. and that didn't suit her" he
is quoted as saying. Il named the lead
ing male character Francois. She had
TO speak the name frequently In the lines
as ] wrote them. and she thought Dion
slipped from the tongue with a better
dramatic effect. I didn't object 20 that
A few dsvs later she figured that Maur-
ice soun led more manly and euphonious
The poor chaps name remained Maurice
the last time visited a rehearsal
Royle entered into a contract with
Charles 3. Dillingham;. Mrs. Carter's
present manager. 20 write a play for
mis- new star using certain incidents in
| Clara Morris old play. ''L'Article 4. 90
as a basis Tor the plot. The play was
completed and accepted by Dillingham;,
Mrs. Carter, and her sage manager,
Fred Latham. according 10 Royie. Later
when he vent 10 see one OF the rehears-
ais, R0yle found that the action aud dia-
logue had been rewritten and reaFranged
in every act bat the first. which he him.
self had rewritten. as he declares, TO suit
the ''whims and caprices" Of the actress
One clause In the contract with Dill
iingham stated that any revision OF the
play must be made only with the au-
thor's consent. To avoid trouble Royie
asked for the return Of his play, and
made a tender OF the S1.G0 advance
royalty he had received. II was refused
and the author then sued for a perma-
nent Injunction restraining the produc-
tion OF his piece
AT the hearing e. was evident that
while Mr.. Royle's action was against
Dillingham;. his grievance really con-
Germs no one but the former Belasco
star. lie calls the piece. as il is being
TeheaTsed, a "CsTteFized version" The
complaint alleges that tho author made
many minor changes OF a 'captiOus and
capricious character" 10 suit Mrs. car
ter. but that her sole idea appeared 20
be 90 exploit herself at the expense Of
the play. and that she demanded
speeches with ludicrous results from the
other characters II she liked the sound
Of the lines.
The complaint, With correspondence at
Jached. also reveals what has long been
whispered along the RialtO-that Dill
lingham and his new star are not on
the most amiable terms. Manager and
playwright threshed the situation out,
the complaint cites, and agreed 20 send
Mrs CarteF-a letter telling her that
further interference would not be toler-
ated The letter was written Jointly.
but next day Mr.. ROyle learned that il
had not been sent 10 the actress. and
the complaint states; The defendant
did not have sufficient courage 20 send
the communication % Mrs. Carter" In
another portion OF the affidavit Royle
afItrms that IN conversation with Dill
bingham and Latham, both OF them had
said, Mrs. Carter is impossible
It IS on the grounds that his standing
as a literary man would be impaired
that the Injunction Is asked.
But il Is rot precisely on that ground
that the injunction was granted. The
decision says:
Whether or not the radical changes
are the result Of caprice or vanity, or
are a benefit 10 the play Is not open for
discussion. Under the contract made
between the parties the plaintiff has not
parted with his property. but has in ef-
feet merely given a license 20 produce
Il. He has retained the right 10 super
wise the selection OF actors and the gen.
eral production"
Nesta Victoria Is back with a new
song that promises 90 be an even bigger
hit than her famous Waiting at the
Church II is called Poor John" and
tells the story OF a girl who meets a
nice chap named John. who courts her
and makes life one long dream OF Joy
until one fatal arte rnoOn. when mat
tiers have progressed 10 a satisfactory
stage, and he takes her to visit his
mother. The old woman looks her over.
examines her wardrobe and sums I'D
her opinion in the words Poor john
The lines are eleyerly written and the
refrain Of the chorus is 50 catchy that
after hearing 1t once the entire audience /