East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-02-16
ATHENA SAFE DEf|ES
TRICK PERFORMER
VAUDEVILLE ARTIST MEETS
WATERLOO; MARSHAL WISER
Difficulties Encountered in Milton
Causes Disruption of Troupe in
Athena-Ncw Partnership Formed.
Especial Correspondenee.N

Athena, Ore, Feb. 15.--City Mar
shal William J. Gholson is now $50
wiser, and has just finished his first
experience in the show business. The
troupe. of actors of which Henry the
Jail Breaker was the leading charac-
ter, have found this city to be a very
sour lemon and Marshal Gholson has
found out after losing about $40 that
of a sour lemon himself
The show company, composed of
four men and one lady, was billed
to show here Monday night, hich
they did, but while things were pro-
crossing nicely with them, Il suit was
filed against Henry the Jail Breaker
to recover some money which he
owed the Milton people for board and
printing, etc, and when the show was
| over they learned that all of their
stuff, including the box office receipts,
We're attached.
From all reports it appears that
part Of the company We're over in
Milton for several days and while
there incurred debts amounting to
$40, which they failed to pay. Hence
| the civil action was filed against
them. The show company found a,
useless to try to get their money or
goods back without paying the bills
and as they did not nave any money
to get out of town, they have been
here since Monday.
Marshal us Partner.
After the financial difficulties came
| nnnn Mr. HAnrN ba
dissolved partnership with the other
company and took over as his part
ner Marshal Gholson. Owing to the
fact that Mr.. Henry was able to take
off the handouts belonging to the
marshal and also to the fact that he
was able to get out of an iron cage
which was locked up all around with
all kinds of locks and padlocks and
chains, he was able to apparently
hypnotic the city marshal and had
him listening to his every whim.
Mr.. Henry inspired so much con-
fidence in Mr.. Gholson as to the jail
breakers ability to open locks, safes,
vaults, etc, that II. H. Hill, the jew
eler, made the remark that he would
put $40 in his own safe with any
man and leave it to the Jail breaker
to open. The city marshal did not
hesitate a moment to take up the wa
ger,
The $40 was then put in the san
and it was agreed to give the famOu:
magician six hours time to get tn,
money out, wherein he and the mar
shall would divide the profits
Promptly at 1905 this afternoon Hen
" the Wonder began his battl,
against the complicated combination
lock on the jewelers. safe. The af
fair caused not a little eXcitemen
among the citizens of the city ana al
afternoon the street in front of Byron
~ Hawks drug store where the SAT,
was located, was crowded with peo
pie eager to see the result.
As the time wore on and the SAT-
was not yet open, the excitement be
came intense and the sweat begal
to come a little on the marshal
brow.
At $50 things were at whit
heat. Marshal Gholson's face wa
1 getting pretty long, and it was i'm
possible to get into the store or u
ana uOWH tlt SlIttl III lIOlN VI III
store where the Jail breaker wa
working at the safe.
Trick Performer COllapSeS.
The strain, however, proved to b
more than the principal himself coul
y stand, and just IL minutes before tn
> six hours were up Mr.. Henry co
i lapsed and tainted dead away. A
= though Mr.. Gholson worked yer
D. hard to bring his "hope" back to sue
Z a condition that he could finish h
work, it was no use and the hour {
1905 passed and the safe was sti
locked.
. The CONSERVATION that reigne
% over the crowd that had gathered wa
/, very great for a great many, lih
- Marshal Gholson, had held implic
= confidence in the ability of the ma
- to open the safe, and they had pl
up money to back their confidenc
:, There were some long faces amor
= the show company, also, for II
- money that would have been derive
from the opening of the safe wou
have taken them out of the tow
which will always be remembered
y their minds as very sour lemon