The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-02-09
NEW NEWS Of YESTERDAY.
Social Call That Brought Fortune
: to Lester WaNack.

to Lester WaMack.
Manager. Deserted suddenly BY Laura
! kssns, Learned That Mrs. JOHN
desy Had Determined to Re
turn 70 the Stage.
BY e. !. EDWARDS.
The late John Hoey. who made q
fortune In the development Of one Of
the great express companies Of tho
United States. bought in the early
hfties Of the last century a.iarge tract
Of land at what, is now Long Branch.
n. J.. and erected in the center Of Il
tho most expensive country homo
which had. up to that. time. been built
upon the Jersey coast. indeed. John
Hoey's place at Long Branch became
one Of the show places Of the United
States. so far as country homes were
concerned. Many thousands Of dollars
were expended in landscape garden.
Ing; Hoey's entertainments there were
lavish. and he numbered among his
guests many times some Of the coun.
try's leading men. both in finance and
in business. as well as in the profess
sions. :. y.f4 !.
+: And yet. after all. the greatest at
traction of John Hoey's place was
Mrs. John Hoey. She was a very
brilliant woman, very handsome. OF
large, bat. 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 esteemed the
most brilliant and attractive of Ameri.
a actresses of her time. She wal
what is sometimes called the bright
particular star Of the stock company
established by William E. Burton at
Burton's Theater in New York.
John Hoey. according to common re-
ports. having visited the theater one
evening and witnessed the acting of
Mrs. Russell in a play in which she
had gained high reputation. felf In.
stantly in love with her. Through q
friend he secured an introduction.
and It was announced after a while
that the charming actress was to mar
~ the rich John Hoey and to retire
to private life. A few years later it
was announced that Mrs. John Hoey
was to return to the stage; and APP
pear upon it she did. IS 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 begin.
ming his career as a theatrical
ager. the manner in 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 Of.
fer to share in the management of the
Baltimore theater.
Lester Wallack did not know for q
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 q social call upon
Mrs. John Hoey. and Mr.. Hoey as well.
for he was an intimate friend of both.
Mr.. Hoey was not at home when he
called. but Mrs. Hoey received him
very graciously. After chatting for .
few moments she told Mr.. Wallack-
that she had made up her mind to 70
turn to the stage.
""Wallack was taken aback for a mo.
ment, but at last he ventured to ask
her If Mr.. Hoey knew Of her plans.
and, If he did. whether OF not he ap-
proved of them.
"'Oh. yes. he approves Of thein.'
Mrs. Hoey said. provided ! join the
Wallack Stock Cocirany. and play
with nobody else. I suspect Mr.. Hoey
would like to see me again upon the
stage, provided ] nm amid congenial
surroundings.
".This- is extraordinary Waliack re-
Piled, most extraordinary: Laura
Keene has just left me-has given me
French leave-and l have been cast
Ing about for three days 70 find some
one to take her place. But never
should have dreamed that 1t would b