Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-01
ADJUSTMENTS.
"Ths Witehins Hour One Of Strong
est Dramas Ever Seen Here.


Augustus Thomas drama, The
Witching Hour" which has been wide
ly discussed by dramatic critics since
it's first New York run, was seen for
the first time here last night, and
proved a delightful treat to a large
audience. With the fall Of the curtain
on the final act the season was brought
to a close, and the spectators were
unanimous in their verdict that no
more pleasing selection could have
been made for triumphal adieu.
'eThe Witching Hour In many ways
is strange and somewhat uncanny. The
st. Louis newspaper man, whose fer
tile brain conceived the carefully drawn
plot, has woven many different
branches of psychic phenomena into
the story, and made them basis for
thought and imagination. Not only Is
telepathy given prominent place in
the fibre of the play, but Christian
Science, hypnosis, and spiritualism
enter for their share.
Mr.. Thomas presents the assertion,
as central theme around which he
builds his plot, that thought is dy-
namic that each Is deed, and that
strong man, with normal mental ac-
tivities may, by the proper exercise, be
made to dominate over the minds and
actions of others.
The scene of the play is laid in
Louisville, KY and Washington, D. G.
The central character is Jack Brook
field, a gambler, who, despite his pro-
fession, is looked upon as thoroughly
Square" in all his dealings, and pos
sessing a code of morals that, while
somewhat elastic, might be patterned
after by the more pretentious. Brook
field has become wealthy at the card
table. AT 20 he had loved, bat the girl
refused him because Of his profession.
Twenty-Five years later he renews his
love to the same woman, now a widow
with a son of 20.
But the same antipathy toward gam
bling is held by Helen Whipple, who so
expresses herself. The love scene is in
terrupted by the arrival of Judge
Prentice to look at an old Corot that
is in Brookfeld's collection. The Judge
answers questions that Brooktield is
in the very act of asking. This inter-
ests Brookfield, who probes into the
subject of telepathy. The act Is
brought to close by the murder OF
Tom Denning by Young Whipple, who
has an insane aversion to a cats eye
pin which the drunken man faunts be-
fore him.
The second act takes the audience to
Washington, where young Whipple's
case is before the supreme court on a
constitutional point, after the young
man has been convicted Of murder.
The library of Judge Prentice is
shown, when Brookf1eld and his old
sweetheart, the mother Of the young
man convicted of murder, and Brook
fields niece, the fiance of the boy,
visit the Judge. Mrs. Whipple shows
the judge an old letter referring to a
duel he had fought thirty years before
for his old sweetheart, Mrs Whipple's
mother. The starting point in this case
was cats eye pin, to which Mar
garet Price, Clay Whipple's grand
mother, had the same aversion.
The third acts goes back to Louis
VILE The second trial Of young Whip
pie has just been finished. Judge Prem
tfce has given important testimony,
and the jury is out. The prosecuting
attorney has been extremely bitter
against the boy, because he too was in
love with Viola Campbell, the prison
er's affianced. Brookfield, thoroughly
convinced that with his powers OF
mind reading, there Is no such thing
for square game" gives up his pro-
fession. Sitting alone in his room he
is trying, by concentration Of thought,
to influence one juror whom he con-
siders susceptible to his power
Of thought Under the sugges-
ton of Judge Prentice Brook
field has published broadcast in
the newspapers the fact that the pros
ecuting attorney was responsible for
the killing Of Scovel. the governor
elect of Kentucky. Brookfield argues
that If 100000 people know and believe
Hardmuth to be guilty of the crime,
these 100000 minds can not help but
transmit the thought to the minds OF
the twelve who are in the jury room.