The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-07-11
,SAYLfS TO LEAVE
/ AFTER SPLIT WITH
MURRAY ON TERMS
Dispute Over Next Weeks 8
Play and Money Division
Ends Run With Crowd
Awaiting Curtain.

Theatre-goers have witnessed their
matinee idol, Francis Sayles, in his
last play here.
A large audience gathered at the
Murray theatre last evening to wit
ness thrilling historical melodrama,
Madame X" but SO busily engaged
were Francis Sayles, proprietor and
star of the stock company, and his
manager. David Heilman, in contro-
versy with o. G. Murray, owner OF the
Murray theatre, over the terms OF q
contract Sayles and Murray had en-
tered into, that the curtain was never
rung up and the disappointed crowd
was disHyeied after the box office re-
ceipts haa been refunded.
Sequelsssta the disturbance In the
Murray Of last evening, besides
the canceling Of the companys en-
gagement in this city, were staged to-
day
This morning while Heilman was
first appealing to the police and then
to Justice Abbott to secure three
trunks belonging to Mr.. and Mrs.
Sayles and held by Murray as secur-
ity for $4S he asserts Richmond's pop
ular matinee idol owes him, Ray Mus
Ear, an actor employed by Sayles. was
dramatically declaiming his intention
Of securing the $50 he had heard
Sayles had on deposit in local bank
for back salary and loan he said he
had advanced to Sayles.
Murray Explains Contract.
when the Sayles players were here
before had contract with them that
We should operate on a 'fifty-fifty'
basis, and that l was to share with
the company the expense of a scenic
artist and royalties for shows" said
Murray today. when the company re-
turned here for the engagement just
closed I agreed to a 'sixty-forty' ar
rangement, the sixty per cent going to
the company on the understanding
that 1t assumed the entire expense of
the scenic artist and royalties, and
that It should present royalty plays
satisfactory to both parties.
When l learned that for the next
two weeks plays were to be produced
which I did not regard high class, I
demanded that receive fifty per cent
OF the receipts as my share. Sayles
refused and gave him two weeks no
tice. l met him and Heilman last
night and Sayles notified me he would
close his engagement at once"
Muszar Demands Pay.
While Mr.. Murray was making this
statement Jn0 aSlLateQ MT. MuSZdT
made an interesting entrance. He said
he had learned Sayles had $50 de-
posted in local bank and he intend
ed bringing legal process to secure
this money "Why, Sayles told me
last night he only had SO cents" con-
tinued Muszar heatedly. "He owes
Miss Eyferth and myself about $3.50
and I'm going to see a lawyer. Just
think, Mr.. Murray I went down in my
own pocket and helped pay the trans
fer bill when we came to Richmond
and l never got S. back"
Mr. Sayles said today that Murray
had no contract right to demand 10
per cent increase in his receipts and
that the play he had billed for next
week was a royalty production which
would appeal to the patrons of the the
atre He said he refused to continue
his engagement the remainder of the
week because Murray had not treated
him fairly.
An attorney informed Heilman to-
day that Murray had no right to retain
the trunks belonging to Mr. and Mrs
Sayles under any consideration. Muir
ray says he is not only holding these
trunks but the scenery as well.
Mr.. Sayles asserted his work here
was handicapped by the dispute Mr..
Murray has had with the labor unions.
He said he had asked Mr. Murray to
lease him the Gennett theatre which
he intended to operate with union
men, but that Mr.. Murray turned
down the overture.