The San Francisco call., 1909-06-07
APPFTITFS TROUBLE
STRANDED ACTORS
Former Members of Unhappy
Wilkerson Minstrels Apply
in Vain for Salaries
Theatrical Managers Asked to
Assist Players in Getting
Back to New York

Bob Harris and his wife. Bob VIII
son and his wife and Edward Castano,
unattached. are stranded in San Fran
cisco. The masculine members of the
quintet named belonged to the unhappy
Wilkerson minstrel and musical
comedy company, which had a brief and
somewhat fitful career at the American
theater
Harris and Wilson and Castano have
real grievance, and they also have
appetites. II is the latter circumstance
that finally drove them to Manager
Loverich of the Princess theater yes
terday afternoon with a request that
the theatrical managers association
take their case under advisement and
ease their otherwise toilsome way back
to New York.
LURED FROM METROPOLIS
The complainants were lured from
the eastern metropolis, they say, under
the impression that there was a twenty
weeks engagement awaiting them
mere. Wilkerson said so. Puerl Will
kerson signed the contract and A. OF
finger, with alleged partners backed
the paper with their combined inf1u-
ence and fortunes. Manager Abe Coh,l
let his theater to the invaders and the
minstrel season was on like a cloud in
the theatrical seasons sultry sky. The
JOB began April 25 and lasted just two
weeks and day. Then the cloud
burst and dropped, minstrels and mu-
slcal comedy folk all over the streets.
only one Of the minstrels landed on
his feet and got his money. That was
Matt Keefe. He beat everybody to
IT. as they say on the Rialto, and quit
before the storm broke. He was the
only minstrel, however, who got his
salary. The rest waited and sought
A. Ottinger, but Harris, Wilson and
Castanossay he is as difficult to find as
debtor on Saturday night.
FUNDS DWINDLED AWAY
Meanwhile such funds as the three
thespians possessed when they came
here dwindled away. Their watches
and their jewelry disappeared and only
mournful souvenirs decorated with
three balls and signed by uncle" re-
mafned of such finery as players are
popularly presumed to possess. Not a
cent did they get from Ottinger, they
say, and not cent are they likely to
get Ior their two weeks work. To
make the matter still more distressing,
their costumes-necessary for the mu-
slcal comedy in which they appeared
were paid for out of their own pockets,
and have, incidentally, gone the way
of all property of the impecunious.
Now the quintet has exhausted its
credit. Landlords clamor, and the end
has come. Hence the visit to Manager
Loyerich yesterday. The latter says 1t
is a shame and offers to head a sub
scription list. Harry Campbell says
he will follow, and other theatrical
mana gers will be asked to assist in
relieving what is really a serious need.
SHORT NOTICE AND NO SALARY
Some of the boys" says Wilson, who
was the stage manager of the musical
comedy show, were able to get out of
town because they could do single
turns Others found work here in the
city and managed to dig out, but we
who had wives with us and who were
dependent on the work which was Of
fered us, are stranded.
we have tried to see Ottinger and
get a partial settlement from him. but
so far we haven't been able to catch up
to him and he isn't looking for us. so
far as ] have been able to discover
We were supposed to have two weeks
notice. but instead of that we only got
a days. After coming all the way
from New York for the privilege of
playing here we have had our trip for
our pains and not a cent of salary"
Loverich says he is going to put the
matter up to the local theatrical man
ayers and see If something can not be
done to get the players back to New
York.
Tom Dillon just received another
SbiDment of gWell straw hats.