The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-23
Says J. K. Emmett
 Never Heard Song,
 ''SIeep Baby SIeep'
Johnny Curran of "The Terrible Judge" Team Sang it First in Minstrel Show in
 Chicago
Emmett's Lullaby is Different and a Sweeter SOng-An Old Timers "Reminiscences

Inner KemlnlSC CenceS
 "J. K. Emmett never sang nor ever heard that lullaby song, Sleep, Baby, Sleep, which many yodlers are sing ing now and which is credited to him on theatre programs, in stage an- and often times in the 
 This statement was made yesterday to Farmer reporter by John P. Cur ran of the team of Ward and Curran, appearing this week in the sketch s'The Terrible Judge in "Old Timers Week. at Polls theatre.
 MT. Curran was in reminiscent mood when the reporter saw him last night at the Atlas Hotel. It was in 1886 that MT. Curran paid his first visit to Bridgeport, singing the lullaby song, Sleep, Baby, Sleep, with Hav- erly's minstrels.
 '4The song Sleep, Baby, Sleep, was sung for the first time on any stage by myself in 1885 when appeared in Chicago with the Haverly's minstrels, . said MT. Curran, "A man named Jack Hanley wrote the song. A friend of mine told me about it and said he thought it would fit me. l IIoOo Iuc IISl pIOlcSSIOudl OTCuSS(Ad tiOn and sang the song for the first time. It was a hit from the start.
 "J. K. Emmett never sang nor heard that song He had a lullaby song which is known as Emmett's lullaby. It begins Go to Sleep My Lena As numbers the songs do not compare at all. for Emmett's lullaby is far superior to the other song. l have been on bills where professionals have used Hanley's song with the idea that they were singing E1mmett's 1ul- laby. I have also heard Hanley's song spoken of and printed in the newspa- pers as Ernmett's lullaby. The yodle and the similarity of words has brought about this confusion of the songs.
 "The Hanley song was dedicated to his little child. Until the present time I have never attempted to cor rect the impression which confuses it with Emmett's lullaby, but as I first sang the Hanley song think 1t is time that this apparently natural mis- take was set right with the public"
 MT. Curran was born in St. Louis and lived there until he was g years old He was the organizer and leader of a fife and drum band and he or ganized a fife and drum band among the quarrymen at Quincy, III. As a boy MT. Curran worked for his broth CT in job printing office adjoining a theatre in St. Louis e
 When J. K. Emmett played this theatre one of the printers showed him how it was possible to slip from, the printing office into the gallery of the theatre before the audience had as- sembled, and each night of the famous yodler's engagement MT. Curran with his hands and face still smeared with printers ink, occupied a place in the Ha int hn fhoo ty.o soon after o'clock and kept we'll out of sight until enough of the audience had filed in to make his presence un- to the attaches of the thea tre.
 It was Emmett's lullaby song that brought the Curran boy to the thea tre every night, and he never forgot the sweet verses. Continuing his "reminiscences of other days, MT. Cur ran told the reporter how he came to break into the show business. The people of St. Louis were like a great big family in those days, and Johnnie Curran was known to most everyone.
 "I sang for parties, smokers and so- but never received any money. A fellow named Jimmy Morrissey who worked with me in the printing office was to do an Irish turn and if he made good I was to start profes- sional career. I bought the corduroy pants he wore and helped get the cos tune together for his act. He was a failnre and he is working in the print ing office yet.
 sThe people of St. Louis gave me a benefit finally, and they raised $700. I was then instructed to take the money and go to New York to look for a engagement. George Mo- father of George McManus, the author of The Newlyweds', advis ed me to stay in St. Louis and try to get on with some troupe that came along.
 " Tn New York there are thousands like you,' he said, and you will be lost in the shuffle and never heard of. Tn St. Louis you stand out alone and you stand a chance of getting an en- gagement.'
 Barlow and Wilson's minstrels came along and then struck the manager for a chance to go on. He heard me sing and then told me there was no chance with him, but next season he was taking out a company of his own and he would give me an engage ment. His name was Cal Wagner.
 Next season I signed with the Happy Cal Wagner minstrels. I con- tracted to sing ballads in the first part, do a speciality in the olio, play in the sketches, play first alto in the band and collect Autographs, all Tor the munificent sum of $6 per week and my board. I had a contract for three years and on the third season my sal ary was to be $15. I worked for five weeks and by that time I was wise and I struck for $15, the salary agreed on for the third year, and threatened to leave the show if I was not ad- vanced to that figure.
 "The manager agreed, but from that time on I never saw a cent of real although previously I had been getting the $6 agreed on. I staid with the show till the end of the sea- son for the experience. I found there were other minstrel shows which paid salaries and I had engagements with all the best organizations of those days.
 After my appearance in Bridgeport with Haverly,s minstrels I played oth- er dates at the same theatre with farce comedies. I remember playing here with The Dazzler', "A Straight Tip, and with Lottie Collins in a piece called The Devil Bird.'
 MT. Ward, my present partner, and have been together for twenty-five years. Bridgeport people have always been very kind to us and we have many friends here.'
 
 vENESS SWORN IN.
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