New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-27
BELASCO ENTERTA|NS
Produces Play He Was Accused
of PIagiarizing.
JUDGE HOLT PRESIDES
And Audience Enjoys Itself as
Never Before Over "Taint-
ed Philanthropy"

David Belasco as humorist is almost
more brilliant than David Belasco as pro-
Queer, II such a thing were possible. At
all events, seldom has such laughter risen
TO the floor of heaven from Manhattan
Island as went up yesterday afternoon
through the jewelled roof of Belascos
Theatre when Mr.. Belasco gave his long
promised double matinee for the benefit
Of the judiciary and the judicious.
No doubt it will be generally recalled
that some months ago an aspiring play
wright, Abraham Goldknopf, brought suit
against David Belasco and William de
Mile in which he (Goldknopf) declared
that they %. y. and W. de NJ had
lifted large hunks of valuable stage ma
terial from his play, Tainted Philan-
thropy," for dishonest use in their sue
cessful play, "The Woman" In other
words, Mr.. Goldknopf assured the court
that 'The Woman had a past and that
Tainted Philanthropy" was II. Mr. Be
lasco suggested that the court see both
plays acted, and I'm accordance with his
suggestion ne gravely sent out invitations
not only TO the Judge and jury, but TO
playwrights, producers, dramatic critics
and the like 10 gather at his 44th street
theatre yesterday and decide whether
The Woman" had had any indiscreet re-
latiOnship with Mr. Goldknopfs brain
child In the morning at II o'clock fin
ished performance OF THE Woman" with
the original cast as seen at the Republic
Theatre last year, was given. In the
afternoon at 2 80 o'clock the same audi
ence that had rejoiced over the victory
Of Wanda Kelly in the morning returned
fortified and solemnized by the sand
witches and coffee which they had gath
cred in haste al the neighboring inns.
The shadow Of the law again brooded
among the colored lanterns In the jewel
theatre and a chill note shivered in the
tomtom that announced curtain rise. Be
fore the curtain went up it was solemn
occasion. The producer who had been re-
spected and admired in New York for so
long was on trial. This scandal about play
plagiarzing, which had been practised
and kept secret not only by David Be
lssco, but by other villains Of his ilk, was
about to be illumined by a rim Of foot
lights.
The curtain rose on mother Dalton and
her pretty daughter who were foregath-
cred in Mrs. Dalton's drawing room.
Everything in the Belasco ateliers had
been drawn into this room. American flags
we're looped over pictures OF present and
former Presidents; furniture, draperies,
jugs lamps. bowls of flowers. portraits.
framed diplomas and many other objects
TOO confusing to mention damned the
room and left but few tortuous path
WAYS for the actors 10 meander through.
Mother was primping before a mirror.
Daughter was reading novels. II later ap-
peared that there was no reason for daugh-
ter's being such confirmed Laura-Jean-
Lsibbyist, and that mother was primping
in vain; but the play had to start some
how. and 1t had TO go on somehow
Come, mothers kid" called out
mamma Dalton in honeyed voice. That
was the cue for Harold Dalton TO enter
Not that there was any burning need for
him on the stage, hut he was in the cast
and had 10 be brought out from the
wings somehow.
Harold's entrance was the advent Of
Theodore Thompson, daughter Dslton's
sutton. The maid merely came 10 the
door, stood at attention, and Theodore,
who had been utterly ruined in Wall
Street the day before. entered pale and
drunk His plan was TO disgust his
sweetheart with him so that she would
throw him over. 1t was sign Of his
humility. lie was not worthy Of her.
Every now and then he would draw out
silver flask from his breast pocket and
take a nervous draft.
You must see what a wreck I am" he
muttered to Grace. She did not. The
audience applauded.
Sud6 emily a terrific explosion outside
and voice assuring the crowd that he
wa not hurt, but that II no must be eX-
Rmined take him in here to his friends
and look him over. A few seconds pause
and three ambulance surgeons bring in
the wounded private secretary of Jack |
Bird the world famous fnancier. The
plot is rapidly thlckening because Bird
himself soon follows. 1t is for him that |
the widowed mamma Dalton was prink- |
Ing. But no use. He is after Oracle.
Bird is very peculiar" His secretary |
has so described him, and 50 he proves |
himself AS soon as he is presented 10
Miss Dalton. whom he has never seen
before he shouts in that masterful, good
humored way of his, Hello, Grace" and
In q few minutes they are engaged to be
why daily over It?
Il am a direct man, the best OF my |
kind. l am Jack Bird he yells reassur-
ingly.
Grace sacrifices herself for the ruined
family. In the first act the family be-
came ruined because the mortgage" fell
due The announcement Of the falling
due of the mortgage was handed to Mrs.
Dalton by her maid. It had just been
Everything took place Unexpectedly
even the endings Of the acts. Each time
lust as something was about 20 happen
tAs curtain fell.
In the end Jack Bird. who has just
oane in a taxi to marry Grace, is &C
cased by her Of being a tainted philan-
thropist. Theodore, who has drunk him
self to death for her sake" dies while
appropriately calling Bird beast
Grace tries TO stab herself with carving
knife and is put in a strsitJacket by
the same ambulance doctors who brought
in the private secretary in the first act,
and the curtain falls on an unmenuon-
able place broke loose.
The same had broken loose in the audi