New-York tribune., 1908-01-27
FRI4RS DINE 4ND L4CGH
augustus Thomas Propoands the
Theory of the Big Drum.

Ar,rr,str,s Thomas IS a firm believer in the po
tpncy Of the big drum There's nothing Ike morse
10 draw the crowds he told nearly two hundred
E-4ars Al The Hotel Astor on Friday night. where
they gave dinner in his honor. He recalled MS
father adruonishing him day 10 copy the bust
ness methods Of elderly, white haired gentle
man
THAT man he said was William G. Smythe.
He Is now with Belasco I did copy his methods
and soon became press agent myself Ny nrst
attraction was thought interpreter. You have all
heard OF Washington Irving Bishop. Wei BIshop
hired ne 10 90 ahead Of hin-to prepare the way
for his coming. His first stand was Minneapolis
With the help Of $40 borrowed from Jack Richie
I reached that city q Thursday 1 found there
was d big attraction ahead OF me-a hanging All
the afternoon papers were filed with descriptions
Of the Barrett brothers and their deeds Ihey
were 10 be hanged the following Monday. There
was 10 time 10 be lost thought # I could tail
on 10 that attraction my end was accomplished. l
conceived the idea Of Bishop postponlng that hang-
ing visited several city editors Of the afternoon
dailies. explained that Mr.. Bishop was thought
reader o@ great power-a man of such influence
that ne rarely failed IN his readings i toid me
editors that Bishop had written letter TO the Gov
err7or Of Minnesota requesting him to postpone the
hanging until he arrived. Bishop. l argued, would
satisfy the world as 10 the Elilt OF innocence OF
the alleged criminals.
The city editors agreed that my announcement
looked like news. l thought so, too. Then they
demanded d copy Of the letter. had not even
ID
could give the substance of IT. That afternoon sew
ersl papers carried fourteenlIne '-ead telling of
Hope for the Barrett Brothers Then visited
N. brothers They were willing 10 wait, and as
s1l~ed me IN the kindiest language that they O ne
glad to have Washington Irving Bishop read their
thoughts. They were hanged, however, the Gov
ernOr refusing a postponemenJ.
A. this point MI Thomas became more serious
and re,eaI led 70 his auditors that he firmly believed
the power Of Bishop
Il had great faith in Bishop ne said. for he
had wonderful insight into the human mind
That is Why : went 10 extremes IN making him
known
IN the course Of his remarks he told this story;
a few days ago 1 met sydney Rosenfeid II
Broadway. Good afternoon, Sydney, said /
Hello Thomas, how's The Witching Hour
he asked. I said il was striking regularly. Good.
sydney exclaimed. Then he told ne this: Thomas
met a young woman the other day She said she
was once d stencgrapher for me. couldn recaH
IT, but became interested when she said she had
INST been II q matinee Of THE WitChing Hour.
...Isn'r il just rernarkabie.'' she drawled- 7
was lust thinking Of you Mr. Rosenfed. and now
we've met for the first time in years. just saw
. The Wi1chng Hour and from this day on, Mr.
( Resented I an d trm believer in osteopathy.
Amt you?' 80
Senator Stone was one OF the chief speakers at
the dinner He told OF the esteem in which Nj.
Thomas was held N 81. Louis. s.. Joe" and else
where n old Missouri. ana closed his euicgy ny
-,7-. .rl.fv,r- that Augustus Thomas would still
greater things Wells Hawks toaStmaster-
The guests included Victor Herbert, Erwin Ward
man Leslie Harris J L c. Clarke. Lew Fields.
Donald Brian. John Sherwin Crosby, George ".
Ssrnr7fs Victor Moore. Z. r. Lawshe, Harrison
Fisher Louis NethersoIe :. :. ShUbert and Frank
+ keenan,.