The Topeka state journal., 1911-04-18
Washburn Graduate Wins Free
dom by Proving Ability.
Police Judge Moved by PathOs
From OthellO.
DIRTY HOBO AN ACTOR
Laughter Stopped When He Re-
peats Hamlet's SOliIOQuy.
TOpekan Played With Mansfield,
CrOsman and Stuart.

Kansas City, Mo-, April 1s.-Iago. in
q police court.
Hamlet charged with vagrancy.
Cyrano de Bergerac, a prisoner for
sleeping in a barn.
Select company, this that appeared
before Judge E. F. Halstead in the
south municipal court, select yet down
and out withal; poorly clad and reek-
ing with the fumes of whisky.
The mornings docket was almost
concluded when two policemen entered
leading a shabbily dressed, gray-ha1red
man with several days growth OF
beard upon his face. his finger nails in
deep mourning. The rusty clothes
which had once been black had not
seen the pressing iron for months the
linen was soiIed, the shoes were worn,
the gray hair matted and unkempt
Dissipation marked the mans face, but
the eyes were strong and lustrous be-
tween their puffed and swollen lids.
''Vagrancy, your honor" one OF the
policemen said, laconicany. we 1ouhu
him sleeping in barn.
whats your name?" Judge Halstead
asked.
"O'Brien." replied the prisoner. "Har-
vously He was evidently in bad
state.
He Was an Actor.
whats your business?"
Il am-that is. l have been-an ac-
tor"
litter ran around the court room
when thG man added that he hao
played with Mansfield, with Henrietta
Crosman, with John Griffith; that ne
had played Romeo to May Stuarts
Juliet.
The litter is because they all say
that the namphatts They have oeen
playing with Mansfield since Booth
and Barrett have been so long dead.
The prisoner understood and he re
scented it. He lifted his head proudly.
Il say 1 am an actor" he retorted:
"Would you know when lines are well
read If you heard them?
IT am willing to ascertain whether
or not I can" Judge Halstead replled
dryly. DO you want to try me out!
With a proud gesture that i'll as
sorted with his dingy attire the man
drew himself up to his full height
Then he began to recite the famous
soliloquy from Hamlet"
At the first words, the laughter
died. People who expected to be
amused forgot the fun as they craned
their necks forward to catch better
glimpse of the speaker The judge
turned in his chair with a look of sur
prise. The lawyers became intensely
Interested.
To sleep? Perchance to dream!
Ay. there's the rub!''
Mansfield himself never produced
finer effect with the lines. O'Brien
had proved his case.
But the prisoner did not stop there
His fine, resonant voice changed into
the words of Cyrano. as he staggered
through a scene. The speaker forgot
the courtroom and the judge. His
eyes flashed. His bearing became a
strut as he walked up and down be-
fore the desk. And when he had fin
1shed a spontaneous burst of applause
greeted the effort.
His ElOquence Won.
In spite of themselves men felt
their eyes filled with tears, as the
derelict, with infinite pathos, repeated
the words from Othello:
',Who steals my purse steals trash,
'Tis something; nothing. Twas mine;
tis his
And has been slave to thousands
But he who filches from me my good
name
Robs me of that which not enriches
him.
But makes me poor indeed"
THE prisoner is discharged" Judge
Halstead said huskily.
There was a clapping of hands and
somebody passed a hat for a small
collection.
O'Brien's stage name was Bertrand
He was educated at Washburn college.
in Topeka. Many years ago he went
TO Boston and became a member of
the Boston Museum Stock company.
Mansfield found him there