The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-12-23
DICK FERRIS IS
IN BIG BATTLE
WITH TWO WIVES
fTfli+is - "A Il
Fifty Thousand Dollar Los Angeles
Home is Rich Prize Three
Want
METEOPIC CAREER OF TWO
FORMER CAIRO FAv0RITES
California Now the Scene Laid for
the Second Domestic Cyclone
of Theatrical Promoter


and theatrical promoter, his second
wife. Florence Stone and his first
wife, Grace Hayward, are involved
in an episode which involves a sec
ond divorce for Ferris and a bitter
fight 20" property.
Ferris is very well known In
Cairo, as is also Grace Hayward, tho
latter's former home being in Mt
Carmel, Ill. Both had companies
that played season after season this
territory and were always given
very warm support and patronage
at the Cairo Opera House.
Dick Ferris finally desiring more
latitude for his ability as a pro-
moter went to Minneapolis ant
there leased tns Lyceum theatre on
Henneoin avenue between Eighth
and Ninth streets. This theatre
had always been considered dead
one" ard when Ferris leased it the
wise ones laughed and predicted
dire disaster for Ferris, but strange
to say the theatre Immediately
jumped into popular favor, the
srong personality and indiyidGal'ty
of Ferris and Miss Hayward coupled
with the sterling quality of the per
formances given made it a big win
ner. Dick at one time enjoyed the
confidence Of Governors Lind and
Johnson of Minnesota, who were
during their terms Of office often tc
be seen in box at the Lyecum as
the guest of the Ferris Prosperity
however, turned Ferris head in a
few brief years and he became in
yolved in a divorce suit with Grace
Hayward.
Later Ferris drifted to Los Ange-
les and there married Miss Florencf
Stone. Everything went well again
with Ferris and he sailed on thr
''top Of the wave slipping the foam
from tie billow." Nothing seemef
too big for Dick tc promote bu'
again comes the turn in the tide o.
man and Dick is once moro "ur
against it.
Relative to the second down
of Ferris the Minneapolis Journa'
has the following.
"A divorce suit, complicated by
a bitter fight over property prom sef
to be the ending Of the tempestuous
romance of Dick Ferris, well know
in Minneapolis theatrical circles
and mis- wife, Florence Stone. lead.
ing woman of the Ferris Stock Com
pany, when that organization wes
playing here.
From Los Angeles, where Mr.
and Mrs. Ferris have resided fo'
several years, comes word that Mrs
Ferris is about to file suit againsf
her husband, following published
her name with other men.
Florence Stone, who is IN Los
Angeles, while Mr.. Ferris has start.
ed East, declares her conviction
that Ferris intended 60 TO arrange
matters that Mrs. Grace Haywar'
Cats, the former wife of the actor.
promoter, could seize the Los Ange
les house of the couple for thu
judgement of $4,000 obtainef
by Mrs Cats against Ferris.
Mrs. Cats, at that time Mrs
Ferris, but better known to Mime
apolis theatregoers of a decade ago
as Grace Haywood, preceded Flor
ence Stone as leading woman Of tn
Lyceum theatre.
Evelyn Desmond, accused b,
Ferris of kidnapping his prosen
wife and acting as bearer of livt
missives beteen Mrs. Ferris an,
other men retaliates with tn,
charge that Ferris tried to hire he
to act as a spy on his wife.
Willard Mack, to whom letter
and telegram, given out by Ferris
are addressed, also Macks wife
Marjorie Rambeau, enter the tur
moil. In crook" play Mr.. Macl
and Miss Rambeau appeared in
MINNEAPOLIS vaudeville theatre las
season.
ut has been rumored among Lo
Angeles friends of Mr.. and Mrs. Fer
ris for some time that the course O
their romance was not runnin
smoothly. Persons who knew then
we'll said that quarrels were fire
quent."
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