The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-27
new SYNDICATE
PUTS Wells OUT
so-Callcd Independents Expel
Him and May Cancel At
fractions at Academy.
CLAIM HE BROKE BYLAWS
Leader for Open Door Theatre
Policy Deserted When Fight
Had Been Won.

At special meeting Of d.
rectors of the National Thea
tire Owners Association, held
In New York yesterday, Jake
Wells, president Of the Leath Circuit.
was dropped from membership and dis
possessed Of the franchises he hsld for
the towns he represents This action
was brought about through the al
legged violation of ono OF the bylaws,
which was put in after Mr.. Wells had
announced publicly that his theatres
would maintain the open door and
book meritorious attractions regard
less of whose shop from which they
might come.
The effect of this dismissal Of Mr..
Wells may have far-reaching effect
in Richmond. Already number OF
excellent attractions have been booked
for the Academy through syndicate
and Independent houses. The first In
dependent production is booked to ap-
pear at the Academy Of Music on Sep
tember s. In all contracts a company,
to cancel. must do so two weeks before
the date specified. 'Lulu's Husband"
which Is to come here on September 5,
has not been Cancelled. and 1t must be
presented unless the producers violate
the contract It will BIO some days be-
fore the exact situation will be made
clear.
Wells's Hard Fight.
whether or not the Academy has an
other long season of dark nights, MIR.
Wells's record shows that he has been
clean and consistent in fighting for
the open door in Richmond. He was
the first to attack the syndicate at
great financial risk; around his oppo-
sition there developed an independent
movement.
And then when the syndicate, with
Its back against the wall, gave In.
permitting Mr.. Wells to book where he
pleased. which appeared to be the
great victory for which all We're fight
ing, the independents, led by thu Shu-
bcrts, suddenly announced that Wells
and the others had to take independent
attractions alone. and declaring that
If they undertook to book all. the in
dependents would shut down like 4
wise In a word, the Independents,
lighting ostenslbly for the open door,
refused to give 1t when Wells and
few others obtained it, and then Gre
ated another syndicate far moro die
tatorial than the first.
Claims He Broke 1T.
The bylaw which it is claimed Mr.
Wells violated is as follows:
Every member of this association Is
required to book or engage theatrical
companies or attractions and to make
contracts therefor only with the pro-
ducing managers owning such attrac-
tons. or with the accredited represen
tatives of such producing manager,
provided he shall not represent more
than two producing managers Every
producing manager who operates
through q representative shall be re-
ouired TO notify the secretary of the
association in writing Of the appoint
ment of such representative"
In his statement published in The
Times-Dispatch early in July, Mr..
Wells showed that the houses in the
Leath circuit would book regardless of
indep endents or syndicates. Subse-
auently, the section Of the by-laws
quoted above was inserted, the claim
being made that it was not put there
until after Mr.. Wells had spoken.
II the independent franchise is to be
surrendered in Richmond, 1t would ap-
pear that many attractions already
booked will be Cancelled, the same rule
applying to other cities in the South
where Mr.. Wells is operating theatres.