The San Francisco call., 1909-06-02
SINGED ANGEL
GAVE ORDERS TO
ALICE NIELSEN
Thomas h. Williams Told His
Prima Donna TO Obey Rules
or Get Fired"
Margaret AngIin Offered to Give
Up Two-thirds of Her
Vaudeville Salary
Margsrct Angiin and fbe Open Purse; ;
Alice Nielsen of the Big Head;


Alice Nielsen of the Big Head;
Frank l.. PerIey of the Bad Namei
Eugene CovIes, who wanted a Three
sheet Poster.
All those characters and others fit
ted before the minimum audience in
United States Commissioner Heacock'
courtroom yesterday morning at the
second day OF the hearing of Thomas
r. Williams testimony in the suit
brought by Williams against Frank L.
PerIey. the theatrical manager who cir
culated in the mundane sphere while
the racetrackman was angel" TO Miss
Alice Nielsen
But the small gathering did not dis
may Williams. According TO his testi-
mony he is rather used to small
houses-st least. he sunk between
$4,000 and 100000 on shows that did
not draw much better than his law
st does.
williams testimony yesterday GOV
cred the period OF time from just pre-
vious 10 the disruption of the Alice
Nielsen opera company 10 the final
break up with Perley. He told how
he had st one time 10 tell the recalci-
trsnt Alice that she had TO obey the
rules of the company just as if she
We're = chorus girl. or get fred.
GENEROUS MARGARET ANGLIN
He also. told OF the generous Mar
garst Anglin. who. after her engage
.ment under Williams and Perley had
failed here, offered 10 pay them $1,000
weekly out of a 81 500 salary in vaude-
kiile as restitution for an unsuccess-
.-ful season. for which she partly blamed
herself.
But Williams testified that he did
not take the money. 4 said there
was no use crying over spilled milk.
Perley's attitude. however. disguised
me, said Williams.
only Commissioner Iieacock. the
court stenographer Williams and his
attorney, Henry Ach. f2erley's attorney.
Charles A. Lee. and a detachment of
newspapermen witnessed the mild ex-
element OF Williams on the stand. So
tame were the proceedings at times
that even Commissioner Heacock left
the room and let them go on auto
maticallg.
Williams admitted al the start that
ne was the sole proprietor OF the
Alice Nielsen opera company. In re-
ply to questions Williams said that
he first knew Of friction in the COM
papy in December, 1900.
MISS NIELSEN,S BIG HEAD
The principal trouble said VIII
liams ungaHantly. was that Miss Mel
sen got the big head. She thought
the comedians were interfering with
her work.
T don't want to sit here" com
= aimed Ach, and hear Of the quar-
rels between Miss Nielsen and Eugene
Cowles. as TO whether he should have
three sheet or two sheet posters ad-
Vertising his name. or what time they
should show up for rehearsals'
Tell the conversation between your
" and Miss Nielsen" suggested Lee.
"PerIey told nae of the differences
between Miss Nielsen and three or four
comedians. who, she said, were inter
fering with her work, taking her gags.
while she was supposed TO be in front.
J said 10 her: You must remember YOU
have TO obey the rules of the company
the same as q chorus girl, or you'll
get discharged That night 1 told her
that she'd have 10 make up her mind
whether she would obey the rules of
the company or not. and il she would
not I'd tell Perley to put on her un-
derstudy.'
Williams said that later. at his home.
where Miss Nielsen, Perley and he were
dining. he Informed her that he would
withdraw his support from the COM
pany-
Later in the examination Lee put
the direct question: II take il that
YOU are not now in the theatrical busi-
ness2"
NO" replied Williams. earnestly.
ON the score that burnt child
breads the fire" suggested Ach
No. / have too many other things
to attend TO.
Miss Margaret AngIin was the star
who followed Miss Nielsen under Will
lisms' angelic wings. She played an
here One of the plays put on was
The Eternal Feminine" which did
not take. 1T was too artistic" ex-
planned the experienced and singed
angel" yesterday 1T didn't draw to
the gallery" It was followed by
"Zirs. After the failure of the first
named piece Miss Anglin said to Will
be a winner. II not I have an offer
for 20 weeks in vaudeville at $500
week. II this doesn't win out I'll
bake it and give you $1,000 q week
Aac III keep $500 for myself"
Millionaire Williams did not accept
Miss Anglin's bounty.
williams gave his antagonist in the
suit q very bad name. He testified,
for the purpose Of Identification, that
whom the appellate court of New York
had, in substance, termed black
mailer" Williams said that he wrote
TO Perley that he'd see the day when
he would regret that "he had repudi-
ated his just debts"
AFTER COMPANY DIsBANDED
The contention OF Williams in the
suit is that the $4,000 debt contracted
by Perley was for money advanced by
Williams subsequent to the disbanding
OF the Nielsen company. and when
Williams and Perley were in full part
nership in presenting Margaret Anglin
IN The Billionaire." when Knight
hood Was in Flower and other plays.
Several letters and kilograms were
offered ia evidence. In one from Will
lisms 10 Perley the angel demanded
that Perley send his note for half of
the losses sustained by the produc-
tionS An answer was produced in
which Perley answered, My dear
Tom. 10 say that he was not liable
for losses.
Ach had Attorney Lee take the stand
and testify TO the fact that Perley