New-York tribune., 1910-01-22
DRAMA
III. b. Warner an .S4ias Jimmy
VaIentine at WaUack's.

II the croOkS along the BOWery and the
detectives at Police Headquarters had been
present at Wallack's Theatre last night
they would have seen a drama full of in
terest for them from beginning to end
That speaks well for the realism OF Paul
Armstrong; new detective-t thief play.
Alias Jimmy Valentine" suggested by
o. Henry's short story. "A Retrieved Refor-
nation" For the audience that was there
it was a hot-breath piece from start TO
finish
The story has to do with the reformation
of Lee Randall, alias Jimmy Valentine
Oh. B. Warner), who was unjustIy SEN
fenced to long term in Sing Sing prison
for burglary. Through the influence of
Rose Lane Miss Laurette Taylor, whom
he protected from crook who tried to rob
her on a railroad train, he is pardoned By
the Governor of New York
After his release he Is tempted by his
former associates to enter the old life
again. but is saved by the girl whom he has
grown to love. He goes to Springfield.
Ohio to accept a position in the bank of
which Miss Lanes father (James Z. VII
SOM is president. In the course of time he
becomes trusted official in the institution.
One day he receives 2. telegram from a
New York detective who had sworn to
land him" for a break that he had
committed in Springfield, Mass, years be-
fore. He successfully. though falsely,
proves an alibi. but just as the detective
Is about TO leave the watchman rushes in
to say that the presidents little daughter
has been locked in the vault. In an excit-
ing scene in the dark Randall opens the
vault by the sense of "a bleeding nerve"
the detective all the while standing by. He
is about to be taken away when his sweet
heart pleads for his release. The detec-
t1ves heart is touched and he says: "I
guess she needs you more than Massachu-
setts does" And the happy couple close
the play in each others arms
The honors were carried off by Mr.. War
ner and Miss Laurette Taylor but the
entlre cast was exceptionally good. Mr..
Warmers development was not shown in
a series of speeches but by good acting.
AS the crook in stripes in the first act
in the warden's Office at Sing Sing he
was most convincing AS the man out of
all wavering between the old life and the
new he was equally good. And in the third
and fourth acts as the bank official and
lover, he was sincere and strong
Miss Laurette Taylor, who gave such a
beautiful performance in Mrs. Dakon's
Daughter recently at the Hackett Thea
ire, was equally charming in the part Of
Rose Lane She was natural she
would have been in life. Her art and youth
and beauty we're a delight to behold.
Doyle, the detective. acted as If he might
have come from Mulberry street or Penn
berton Square. He was at all times strong
and convincing. Harold Hartsel, as Han
dler, the warden at Sing Sing. satisfied the
visiting women of the Gate of Hope Soci-
ETY. that he was all that a warden should
not be. Edmund Elton. as Bill Avery, an
old offender: Edward Bayes. as "Blinky'
Davis. a forger. and Charles z. Graham,
as Dick the Rat a sneak thief, were
very realistic prisoners. Earl Brown. as
Red JocIyn, a ''yegg'' had much work TO
do, and did it well. as did Mr.. Elton as
Bill Avery, who, with Red Joclyn and
Jimmy Valentine. had reformed Frank
Kingdom, as Lieutenant Governor of New
York. was a convincing official Donald
Gallagher and Alma Sedley. as the little
brother and sister of Rose Lane. did their
boy and girl parts with extreme natural
ness and charm.
Mr. Armstrong has written a play that
takes fast hold of the attention early in
the first act and by logical sequences holds
1t throughout the play. The end of each
act is marked bv an effective climax.
Mr.. Armstrong. however, has created a
''veggman'' who can manipulate the COM
bination of modern bank safe by the
sense Of touch That was declared impos-
sibe at Police Headquarters last night.
One wonders what sort of a lock there was
in the authors Fourth National Bank at
Springfield