Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-09-07
SHE HAD pretty
LITTLE GUN But.
n LOOKED MIGHTY SORRY TO
THE VAUDEVILLE MAN.
50 he Laid HOLD on IT
A Near Tragedy in Real Life Narrow
ly Aycrtcd Back of Curtain at
Co2y Thcatcr Yesterday.

A scene behind the scenes" that
saVored Of the extreme melo-dramat-
ic, and with only vaudeville team
as an audience, was enacted back of
| the wings at the stage of the CoZy
Theater, a Third street picture show
| house just after the close of the
afternoon performance yesterday
Had 1t not been for the nerve and
presence of mind of John II. Mans
field a "vaudeNillian, a tragedy
would probably have occurred when a
well dressed, stunning appearing wo-
man, whose name is said to be Mrs.
Marion Adair, residence saltwater,
| okla, stuck the nickle plated barrel
of a small calibre revolver in Mans
fields face, the two witnesses of the
drama in real life, "A man and a wo-
man artist who had just finished
| their act. thought something drastic
was going to happen.
According to the story told by
Mansfield and partially corroborated
by the manager and ticket-seller Of
the theater, the woman, thought to be
Mrs. Adair of saltwater walked up
to the ticket office of the theater just
as the last reel of the afternoon was
being flashed on the screen inside.
Gould you tell me If Mr.. Mans
field, who opens an engagement here
tomorrow, has arrived in town YETI"
the woman asked Mrs. Hedges, the
ticket seller. The strange woman
was advised that Mr.. Mansfield had
come in on an afternoon train from
Muskogee and that he was back of
the stage conversing with the vaude-
VILE team, which was to close its en-
gagement last night. Without a word,
the nobility dressed woman walked
through the door of the theater and
through the rear entrar(N of the
stage. Mansfield was sitting on
trunk talking with the man and wo-
man who had Just closed their "act"
and were still in stage dress Mans
fields back was turned to the door,
but as Mrs. Adar entered, he turned
about and faced her. Quickly the
woman opened one of the late stvle
bags which hung from her left
shoulder and jerked out a revolver.
Pointing 1t at Mansfield, she is said to
have remarked:
you come with me now, or I'll
blow your brains out"
She had determined look in her
eye.
With the calmness of the trained
actor, Mansfield smilingly replied:
"Why certainly, anything YOU WISH
and started as though to escort Mrs.
Adair from the stage The woman
was thrown off her guard for mo-
ment and Mansfield grabbed the hand
In which she was holding the gun.
The two struggled for n moment and
the commotion attracted the atten-
ton of Manager Smith Of the theater
who was in another part of the play
house. Manager Smith rushed back
to the stage just in time to see Mans
field wrench the gun from the wo-
mans hand. An usher, who had ap-
peared on the scene. was dispatched
for policeman, but Mansfield called
him back, stating that he did not
care to get the case into the police
court, as 1t might reach the ears of
his wife, who was in Muskogee finish
ing the couples engagement at
picture house there. Mrs. Mansfield
will arrive in Tulsa today.
Mansfield told the woman that II
she would promise faithfully to leave
town on the next train. he would not
have her arrested. She acduiesed TO
this agreement, and left the theater.
Nothing has been seen of her since.
Regarding the occurrence. Mansfield
afterward said:
This woman. VINO Is married. and
understand wealthy, lives at Still
water Okla. My wife and were
playing an engagement at saltwater
last week and this Mrs. Adalr sat In
an audience during one of our per.
formances. After the show she sent
me a note requesting me to meet her
that night at her home. / did not
answer the note. and did not show
1t TO my wife. fearing that II might
cause unnecessary trouble. Every day
we were in the town ] received from
one to half dozen notes from the
woman, none of which | paid any at
tention to. The last one bore the
startling information that she would
get me III hne nau 10 IOllOW me 10 the
ends Of the world
We went from Saltwater to Mus
kogee and when we left the town
/ supposed the matter was over. But
yesterday | saw her on the streets
at Muskogee and lodged her. l sup
posed she had come there to continue
her rather unusual couriship, and
made preparations to leave the town.
although my engagement there did
not end until Wednesday night.
made the excuse to my wife that |
was going TO Tulsa TO prepare the
wardrobe for a new act we intended
introducing there, and left her to fin
lsh the engagement with Single act.
l arrived in Tulsa in the afternoon.
and went straight TO the theater
where we were to play. This Still
water party must have come UP on
the same train with me. for / had
not been at the theater more than
thirty minutes when she appeared.
am sure she has left town. for know
It would be mighty bad for her In
Saltwater II II got out that she was
arrested here in Tulsa for a stunt OF
this kind. I intend TO tell my wife
all about the affair when she arrives