The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-11
More Than IntercstinE.

More Than IntercrtinE,
every now and then there comes into
being melodrama 80 full OF sympathy.
suspense and surprise that we are com
PEELED TO stop jeerins AT that particu-
lar line of dramatic endcavor. and sim
ply settle down and enjoy it, just as
the topmost gallery in the cheap
est theatre drinks In Nellie. the Beau
iiul Cloak Model" and others of that
il'. Alias Jimmy Valentine is just
such nelodrarna.
Very briefly. the story concerns one
Leo Randall. alias Jimmy Valentine.
VINO is doing II stretch for burglary
Ills specially In crime consists OF the
very delicate work required to open Il
safe without the combination. simply
by listening TO, or feeling with the
supersensitive tips Of hts ringers, the
.umblers as they fall into position 10
spaces are up. he is recognized By a
girl. Rose Lane. whom he had saved
from Ill treatment year or so before.
! VINO becomes deeply interested In him,
ana with the aid OF her uncle the
l-ieutenant- Governor OF New York.
succeeds In obtaining his pardon The
Slrla father employs him in his bank
IN springfield. H.. and in three years
ne WORKS MS way up to an important
posiuoh. Then enters Doyle. the New
: ork central office man, after Valentine
aor Job" he had pulled on" in
springfield. Mass. Doyle is purttcII-
larry keen TO land" Valentine because
the latter had refused to 'spot" FOR
MIN among his old mob or gang Of
crooks Meanwhile. Valentine. under
,nc maine OF Lee Randall. has preparcd
himself for just such an emergency.
ana after some very ingenious stall :
ms In the way OF faxed photographs.
newspaper clippings and destroyed
scars, has Just persuaded Doyle that ne
is not the man wanted. when IL is
discovered that the little sister of Ran
uali sweetheart has been locked in "A
/ tn
ana mat the combination has not vet
been supplied. The vault is alright.
anu IL IL only question OF minute :
neiorc the child VIII lac suffocate ted.
men occurs the most dramatic scene
imaginable. Randall. whose hands
nave become. as he says. like leather,
Sahdpapers the tips OF his fingers
YIN u,sh TO their puivcrihg nerves. and
win bleeding fingers feels for the NJ
tie clicks that tell OF the shifted tun-
piers while his eyes are blind folded
so mat he may listen" the better He
succeeds. and the child falls out alive
but Doyle has spotted hts man. How
! ever. he shows the heart beneath the
copper s badge. and with the line: II
suess She t!:oscl needs YOU more than
hassachnsctts does walks on and
me CURTIN comes down.
ne love story Is entirely subordi-
nate: indeed. the audience laughed AT
me lovcy' portions of the play, bat
/ me mans side OF 1t. the scenes in tn.
| prison. the duel of wits between The
crook and the copper. and the openinry
OF the safe are so exceedingly well
written. so true and real that IL is
indeed melodrama glorified. There arc
! lighter bits. too. The would he com
: cdv of the scene between Randall iu.t
! after his release and two women ~
; the Gate of Hope Society" wns anna
! tcurlsh, as IL was presented last night.
| but some genuine comedy was sup
| piled by Red Jocelyn. an ex-safeblov;-
! or or ycSt; and by two remarkably
clever children.
| Edmund Elton. in the title role, gave
| an excellent performance, not bril-
/ liant but thoroughly satisfac. ory
H, Herbert rortlor. who was seen here
| last season as Jimmy Wilson in seven
! Days. proved his versa tility and abil-
| ity in the somhre role of Doyle the
! detective Edward Pages. as "Biinky
Davis. and Fred Backus. as Dick the
| Rat" did their small character bits
exceedingly well. while John DUNCAN
| though not easy in his lines. made his
| part Of the warder remain I'm ones
| mem"rN for it's force ana power, and
| he was on only In the first act. Sam
| Hines also is remembered for his good
| work as Red Jocclyn, and the two
| children. Louis Esport and Florence
| Conrad, as has been said. were re-
markablc. John Dudley was ineffective
as the Lieutenant Governor. as was
| banker. There were also three women
iii the company. besides several other
| men
In spite of the fact that a great par,
| of the first act was spoiled by the en-
| trance of late Corners. preceded by the
| ushers. the performance was more
than interesting-well worth seeing.