Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-05
HABITS Of MANSFIELD.
.A t Il Frequently Discharged
Employees and Then Forgot all
About Having Done So
FAMOUS FOR HIS CHARITIES
Business Associate Of Great Traeedian
Recalls tho Many Persons He Aided
and Vast Number of Christmas
Checks He Sent out-Disliked Fast
Trains.

and Vast Number of Christmas
Checks He Sent out-DisIiked Fast
Trains.
Many stories were always current
about the late Richard Mansfield, the
famous actor, during his lifetime, but
many that were never told before
were repeated recently by men who
knew him and who wished to pay
their tribute to his memory, says the
New York Herald While all the world
had heard of his quick temper. few
knew of his deeds Of charity. and he
possessed many interesting peculiari-
ties aud eccentricities that were not
generally discussed until after his
death.
Small things would irritate him be-
You'd all reason, and he had way Of
discharging members Of his company
on very trivial grounds and Of paying
no attention usually when he saw
them about afterward. When he was
dealing in theaters with employees
over whom he had no direct control he
adopted the same arbitrary manner
and usually with the same result.
Since the construction Of the New
Amsterdam theatcr he had never APP
peared elsewhere In New York. The
men who worked in the house were in
structed that If Mr.. Mansfield told
them they were discharged they should
say nothing In reply and that they
were discharged-for the moment-and
should leave and then return to their
posts as soon rs he was out of the
way. He discharged various men there.
without authority, Of course. including
the carpenter and the electrician.
When he first appeared in the thea
ter he had dressing room some dis
lance above the stage. which he had to
reach by an elevator. After two or
three trips above he became very
much annoyed and sent an attendant
to find Mr.. Klaw, one Of the owners.
When Mr.. Klaw arrived Mr.. Mansfield,
who seemed very angry. turned upon
him and exclaimed:
your theater is very beautiful in
side. but it is like a miserable hotel,
and when come up here on the ele-
vator l feel like pressing the button
and ordering some ice water"
"Well. then, why don't you do it?"
replied Mr., Klaw. you would get
fine carbonated water"
The actors humor changed, and he
made no more complaints. Being his
own manager, he wished to have a
dressing room from which he could
command the stage. and one was built
especially for him. After he had
moved into 1t he noticed mechanic
who was skylarking. having nothing
to do at the moment. He rushed down
and cried:
"You are discharged. Go away and
never enter the theater again. | shall
inform Klaw & Erlanger tomorrow"
The man. who happened to be an
employee Of the Mansfield company
and not of klaw & Erlanger. obedient-
ly put on his hat and coat. went out
enc door, came In another. resumed
work, and that ended the episode.
I At the beginning Of the run of Ivan
the Terrible Mr.. Mansfield would not
take any curtain calls. The first night
audience kept on applauding for five
minutes, but he refused, to appear. At
the end of the play on the second
night Mr.. Mansfield concluded to say
a few words. AS he was advancing
the asbestus curtain was let down.
and he turned angrily on the stage
carpenter and said:
II shall not enter this theater again
until you have been discharged. You
must leave here now. shall report
your conduct to Klaw & Erlanger."
The stage carpenter accepted his dis
charge with good grace and continued
his work as usual IN his own COM
pany every employee was discharged
from time to time. One little fellow
who had been discharged probably
ninety times was recognized by Mr..
Mansfield one evening. The actor look
ed around Mt the others present and
said to his manager Ben Stevens:
"Dear me! l have discharged them
nil. but it does not seem to have any
effect"
Mr.. Mansfield had his own railroad
car, and whenever he travelled with
his company he had special train.
He insisted that the speed Of the train
should never exceed thirty-ive miles
an hour, and he contracted with the
railroads on that basis. He had In his
car an instrument for determining the
speed. and If lie found that the train
was exceeding the limit that he had
set he would tug the bell rope as a
signal to stop and would instruct the
conductor to see that the rate was
more moderate On his last trip from
Denver to San Francisco the train was
about eight hours late, but he persist
cd in maintaining the same speed.
1--WE will arrive at noon, which Will
be Just the right time" he said, and
he was right, as the clocks were just
striking u as he reached his destina-
ton.
Even when he was in the shadow OF
death he had special train. After
landing in Montreal he was anxious to
get farther south at once and asked
Mr.. Stevens to make the arrange
ments. After making inquiries the
manager reported that there were no
trains, rs 1t was Sunday.
1 "Well, then, buy me one" said MI
mansfield.
Mr.. Stevens "bought" the train, as di
rected.
xso a.A,,.~ - N(v AfoDcHo1d'1 "a,