Evening journal., 1911-09-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Social Call That Brought
Great Coed Fortune to
Lester WalIaCk
By Holland.

fortune in the development Of one of
the great express companies of the
United States bought in the early
ffties Of the last century a large tract
of land at what is now Long rranch,
n. j., and erected in the center of il
the most Expensive country home
which had, up to that time, been built
upon the Jersey coast. Indeed, John
Hoeys place at Long Branch became
one of the show places Of the United
States, so far as country homes were
concerned Many thousands of dol
lars were expended in landscape gar
dening; Hoey's entertainments there
were lavish, and he numbered among
his guests many times some Of the
country's leading men, both in finance
and in business, as well as in the pro-
| fessions.
And yet, after all. the greatest at
traction of John Hoeys place was
Mrs. John Hoey. She was a very
brilliant woman, very handsome, Of
large, but perfect figure and she num-
bered among her friends nearly all OF
those who had gained fame in the
United States as writer's and many Of
the leading lawyers and bankers Of
the East Before she married John
Hoey, as Mrs. Russell, she was es-
teemed the most brilliant and at
tractive of American actresses of her
time. She was what is sometimes
called the bright particular star Of
the stock company established by
William H. Burton at Burton's Theatre
in New York
John Hoey, according to common
reports, having visited the theatre one
evening and witnessed the acting OF
Mrs. Russell in a play in which she
had gained high reputotiOn, fell in
stantly in love with her. Through a
friend he secured an introduction,
and il was announced after a while
that the charming actress was TO
marry the rich John Hoey and to re-
tire to private life. A few years later
II was announced that Mrs. John Hoey
was to return to the stage; and ap-
pear upon It she did, as a member Of
the Wallack Stock Company, regain
ing her former triumphs.
On the authority of the late A. NJ.
Palmer, to whom Lester Wallack told
the anecdote when Palmer was be-
ginning his career as a theatrical
manager, the manner i'm which Mrs
John Hoey returned to the stage can
now be told
1T seems" said Mr.. Palmer to me,
that for some reason Laura Keene,
who was a member of Wallack's Stock
Company in the early fifties, departed
one day without notice. She simply
disappeared and left Lester Wallack,
so to speak, in the air. Later, Mr.
Wallack learned that she went to Bal
timOre, having received a tempting
offer 10 share in the management of
the Baltimore theatre.
Lester Wallack did not know for a
day or two where to turn for a sub
stitute for Laura Keene. 1t occurred
to him while he was in this dilemma
that he would make a social call upon
Mrs. John Hoey. and Mr.. Hoey as we'll
for he was an intimate friend of both
Mr. Hoey ws not at home when he
called, but Mrs Hoey received him
very graciously. After chatting for a
few moments she told AR Wallacs
that she had made up her mind TO re-
turn to the stage.
"Wallack was taken back for mo-
ment, but at last he ventured to ask
/ IfA II AAs AA0Na hAANM OA htA HAohn
and, IL he did, whether or not he ap-
proved of them.
'"Oh yes, he approves of them,
Mrs. Hoey said, provided ! join the
Wallack Stock Company and play
with nobody else. / suspect Mr.. Hoes
would like to see me again upon the
stage, provided / am amid congenial
surroundings
This is extraordinary Wallacl
replied. most extraordinary! Laurs
Keene has just left me-has -iven me
French leave-and l have been casting
about for three days to find some on,
to take her place. But | never shoulC
have dreamed that it would be my
good fortune to supplant Laura Keen'
with Mrs. John Hoey.'
Then and there the whole matter
of Mrs. John Hoey again becoming {
member of Wallack's Stock COMPANY
was settled. Mrs. Hoey remained witt
Lester Wallack for some years, an,
during that time there was no hap
pier man than John Hoey as, from
box. he watched his wife as she playe'
her old parts
I Copyright, 1911. by T.. J. Edwards. Al
Rights Reserved)
Tomorrow MIR. Edwards will tell o
"The Old Coat That Made a HistriOni