The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-08-23
THE NIGHT RIDER,

~ IFlE atNlA1t1 ntDEHt
Hugh Reticken, who plays the role
of Ben Stevens, candidate for distric,
attorney in the sensational political
!. melodrama, "The Night Rider, which
Twin be produced at the Grand on Fri
Iday night was himself a victim Of the
THE might riders, who swept through
1.-THE Burley tobacco districts In Ken
lucky and wrought havoc and ruin
witch gun and torch. The tobacco
farm bequeather to him by his grand.
father was devastated and he was
forced to Zee the region to save his
Inte.
Soon after he was graduated from
college, where he was a pronounced
success in amateur theatricals he
supported Richard Mansfield, and was
Erapidls forging to the front when bis
grandfather died, leaving him an ex-
tensive tobacco farm in Kentucky.
mr. Retlcken straightway forsook
promising histrlonlc career to try bis
Iluck at raising tobacco. He prosper.
ed until the night riders inaugurated
their reign Of terror tlp the 1! Burnley
section, destroying crops, burning
houses, and even fesOrttng 10 muir;
der.
Like others WHO had the courage
to defy the Night Riders M. Reflex.
en- found himself 4 victim Of their
wrath. Returning from town one
night he found his farm AZ ftiin. His
valuable tobacco crops had been de.
stroyed, his house and barn were
smouldering ashes, and but for a
hasty fight from the region he would
have met with death. A timely warn
ing that his life was in peril enabled
him to battle the night riders, and he
made good his escape to a cooler and
safer cline.
Returning. to New York, he SUP
ported Hortense Nelson, in "a Dolls
House" and Ghosts Having hsa
actual experience with the night rid.
ers in the Burnley tobacco district Of
Kentucky, wherein the scenes Of the
play are laid, Mr.. Rstickeh Is admir-.
ably adapted for an important role in
a company enactlng the stirring
scenes that racterIsed the depreda!
tions Of the. night riders.
Mr.. Retlcken has seen white wo'
men scourged by the night riders,
and he Is elated at appearing In a play
that exposes the desptcable methods,
and cruel practices that characterized
one Of the worst bands . fterrorists
that ever Infested the country.
aTHE sWEETEsT GIRL IN PARIS y
Harry Askin employed the services
of two expert stagsptoducers for
cThe Sweetest Girl in Paris which
ran for three hundred performances
at the Lasalle Opera House, Chicago,
last season, and which viii appear ct
the grand with the original cast and
production headed by TFlxie Frtganza''
The dramatic and humorous features
OF the book were entrusted TO Frank
Keenan,, the noted actor and for sey.
eral seasons a prominent David Bel
asco star, while the song and dancing
numbers we're put on.by Gus sohlke,
who in 4The Sweetest Girl in Paris
has surpassed his own previous best
work, |. &, the "Yama.Y ama9 dance
and other numbers In '''fhe Three
Twins" This very expensive and
dualproduSershtp Is believed 10 have
not a little with the Syclcnic success
which the3production registered A. 5thss|
Windy city, and now taat the orig;
But one little scene there was that
made men look at eacHsother half n
wonder. That was when Benjamin
owen, anuncle OF the murdered wife
Of eBattis, entered tie coart Sooms adj
had q seat directly behind The %.
ciised MIN owen silently extend.
ed d hand in greeting % tie elder
Reattts but tie alieged .mnrdereds bel