The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-29
doned the theatrical profession for


the peaceful pursuit of farming.
These two men, VINO sang their
way into the hearts OF many thou
sands and who made the name Of
their troupe household wore
throughout the Union, some years
ago gave up the art they cherished
and went back to nature. They
bought fruit ranch near Medford
oregon, and reports that have reach
ed st. Peter indicate that they are
winning success on the Poetic slope
In the tradition Of stageland there
are few tales more romantic thar
that which treats of the Andrews
Reared on a farm near Ottawa, only
a few miles from this city, they haG
absolutely no training for their pro
fession. Their father was Metho
dist minister, and it is doubtful
whether any of the five brothers
ever received an expert lesson in
music, all were endowed with beau.
tiful voices, and their natural adapt
ability enabled them to win a place
among the greatest of singers. One
of their number, Ed. Andrews, was
for years regarded as Il foremost
American comedian.
Many are the tales that are told
Of the pranks of their boyhood, and
some OF their escapades have be
come proverbial. One of these illus.
trates their genius in makeup. Time
hanging heavily on their hands one
season, the Andrews boys prepared
Il CHASTITY disguise and by bringing
into requisition the saddle horse OF
their circuit-riding father. they
evolved a headless horseman. More
than one traveller on some lonely
country road was badly frightened
by having the phantom rider dash
down upon him, and it was an awful
winter for the superstitious. Time
and again traps were laid for the
apparition, but so successfully was
the hoax managed that it was no,
until years later that its authorship
was suspected. -. ...
The first theatrical venture of q
member of the Andrews family was
made by. Charles. Andrews. .Asso
ciated with him, was our own Henry
Mol. now Judge of probate Of Nicol.
let county. During the last, year OF
the Civil war Andrews wrote a
sketch which he called, "The Re
cruiting Officer he appearing in the
title, role. Judge AIoll took the char
acter of a green Dntchman anxious
to enlist, in the, army, but now de
MES that he ever possessed histriopi'
ability. One OF the partners owned
a horse and the other a carriage, and
for three years they gave thnir play
at, all the school entertainments il
Nicollet and LIE .Sueur, counties. m
Then Arthur French of Lake En-
lily laid the foundation for the An
drews troupe by organizing the An
drews Family Swiss Bell Ringers
This aggregation of artists was com
posed of viii, Oliver, Ed. and
George Andrews, and in their gaud
ily.painted tallyho they Travelled
over the states of Minnesota, Iowa
and Wisconsin. Oliver Andrews
soon tired of the life, and after leav
ing the troupe became distrIct
Judge in South Dakota, but he was
replaced by Charles Andrews who
gave up the practice of law to re
turn to the state
For four or five years they ap
peared as the Swiss bell ringers
and the success they achieved lee
the brothers to form the Andrews
Opera company. 1t prospered from
the outset, and it was not long be
fore the singers owned their private
car and were carrying an assortment
OF stage paraphernalia. With rep
ertOire which included "Pinafore,
ERA Diavola," "The Chimes of Nor
mandy" La Mascotte," and other
popular light operas. they visited al
parts of the United States and fol
more than 4 quarter of n century
their company never missed a sea
son.
Then the decline began, and il
fortune followed them like a Mem
esis. First Charles Andrews wa:
accidentally killed in the railwa,
yards at Elgin, H., and few year.
later Mrs. Ed. Andrews was burned
TO death in wreck in the Northern
Pacific. Following these tragedie!
came scant houses in towns where
they had been wont to play to full
benches.
In an effort to reeoup, they plan
Itu I'll SlSdutlC dIuuSeIleul enter
prise. Selecting Waterville as thei
base, they erected a magnificent no
| tel and began exploiting Lake TIE
tonka as a summer resort. Cele
brated Chautauqua speakers wer,
engaged and the opera compan,
gave performances in special,
constructed theatre, but the public
neglected to attend and when tn,
theatre closed fortune was swep
! away.
| A few years ago the Andrews Or
/ era company passed out of exist
ence. Will and George Andrews ls
tired after having spent forty year
on the stage, and the next season
Ed. Andrews followed their example
The old favorite invested his saw
ings in the Oregon homestead, where
he and his brother propose spendin;
their declining years. They Civ,
personal supervisor to the work OF