davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04
BACKWARD By CAPT:

the time of Garfield's Inauguration.
about thirty-eight years ago.
The young Washington thespians
played to capacity houses at old Odd
Fellows Hall, Seventh street between
ID and f streets northwest. the site
now occupied by the magnificent 1. o.
o. +. Temple.
In conversation with my old friend.
Charlie Darr. we recalled the piping
days back in the '70s and SOS when
as very young men We participated
in the amateur theatricaIs of those
days. He. as president of the MacCui-
Tough Association, and I. as president
and director of the John T. Raymond
Association. Mr.. Darr, who was a
dashinG and handsome young man,
essayed the role of hero. while l was
usually cast in the part of heavy
villain.
Mr.. Darr referred to st. Peters
Dramatic Association of Capitol Hill,
and its capacious hall on E street
between Third and Fourth streets
southeast. This organization was
very popular and it's entertainments
were patronized by the elite of East
Washington.
Humorous Sides.
There were some humorous sides to
the amateur theatricals of the good
old days of yore. About 1878 the
travel lust took possession of some
Of the young actors and a company
was formed to give performances In
nearby Maryland and Virginia towns.
The company was given the name,
washington 1'roubadors," and
George Palmer was made manager.
1t was decided to give the first out
of-town show at Laurel, Md, to be
followed by one at Annapolis. After
the company's thrilling. almost tragic
experience at Laurel. it was never
heard of again as an organization.
Reaching that town, the gay trouba-
dors assumed the air of elegant aban-
don characteristic of the professional
actors of the old school. They Sc
cured the best rooms at the hotel
and prepared to take Laurel by storm.
Flaming posters announced that
there would be "a whirlwind of fun
and frolic' that evening at the town
hall. The troubadors had hired a
perfectly innocent orchestra of Ger
mans before leaving Washington and
agreed to pay the musicians after
each performance.
Unfortunately for the theatrical
company the good citizens OF the
Maryland town had in mind former
experiences with aggresations of anna
teur actors, so when the hour for the
opening of the theater arrived but
few persons moved toward that
structure. ..
The .Washingtonians occupied the
dressing rooms behind the stage. and
the business end OF the troubadors
took charge Of the box Office and the
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04
tcppSTisht. 1913. B Ths AcUms Newspaper
Syndicate)

CcppsrisiIt. 1913. B Ths Acoms Newspaper
syndicate-)
The way some people is acting
about this here Victory Loan. Nav
ruas." Abe Potash remarked one
morning in April. you would think
that they Was an presidents of a first
national bank and that this here Car
ter ]. Glass has already made big
overdraf1 and IL he don't like the line
of credit they, are giving him, he
should be SO good as to take his ac-
count snmewheres else, understand"
'Tham same people probably think
that investing their money in any
securities bearing interest at less than
10 per cent per annum Is 50 to speak
the equivalence from giving money
to orphan asylums and hospitals. un-
derstand me-" Morris Perlmutter said
We already give them Liberty Loan
schnorrers 500 towards the expense
Of their rotten war they probably
say. and still they amt satisfied =
And al that they don't mean moth
ing by it," Abe said. because there
is a whoEe lot OF business men in the
United States which couldn't even
gtTe up the family housekeeping
money every week without anyhow
saying to their wives Here take my
blood take my life What do you
want from me anyway"
Maybe they do and maybe they
don't mean nothing by it Abe" Nor
ris said but it would be a whole lot
easier for this here Carter J. Glass
II everybody would act as his own
Victory Bond salesman and try to
sell himself just one more bond than
he has really got any business buy
ing yunderEtand--
Il would be a whole lot easier for
this here Carter J. Glass. Mawruss.
but if would be practically impossi-
BILE for pretty nearly rybody else"
Abe remarked. which human nature
Is SO constituted. Mawruss, that the
only time a man really and truly
uses some high class. silver tongued
salesIlanship on himself is when he
is trying TO persuade himself that it
Is all right for him to do something
which he knows in his heart it is
dead wrong for him to do
We'll. at least, Abe. in this here
Victory Loan campaign. every man
should ought to try to put himself in
the place of the salesman which 10
trying to sell him some of these Vic
tory Bonds" Morris continued. 80
we would say for example that you
would be a Victory Bond salesman.
Abe. and you are calling on a feller
which he is n pretty tough PROPOSE
tion in such matters by the name of.
we would say for instance. Abe Pot
ash"
why don't you make the fellcr
which the salesman is supposed to
call on a really and truly hard boiled
egg. by the name. we would say for
instance. Mawruss Perlmutter?' Abe
asked. Which when YOU put up to
me a hypocritical case. Nawruss.
why is it you must always start in
by getting insulting already"
What do you mean getting insult
ing?" Morris asked. Il am only put
ting something up to you for the
sake of argument not arguments.
well then why not be perfectly
neuter and call the tough proposition
which the Victory Bond salesman is
visiting somebody by the name of a
competitor like Leon Sammet for in
stance Abe suggested.
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

entrance doors. In the meantime the
hotel management prepared the bill
of expenses TO be presented to the
box office at $50 o'clock as prear-
ranged. and the owner of the hall was
on hand to collect the rent.
When the hands of the clock
reached S, the time for opening the per =
formance. there were less than fifty
persons in the audience, and some Of
them held free passes. Manager
Palmer glanced at the small num-
ber of auditors through a small hole
in the curtain and was filed with dis
may
The hired and perfectly innocent
orchestra players were playing the
opening overture when Palmer rush
cd back to the dressing rooms and
exclaimed:
House Was Empty.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are up
against it. The house is empty and
we are confronted by several big
bills"
While Palmer was making his little
speech member of the company who
had visited the ticket office came rum
ming up almost hreathlessly with the
alarming information that the pro-
prietors of the hotel and the hall,
backed by constables. were at the
box office clamoring for the money
due them.
The members of the company were
thrown into a panic. They seized their
belongings and still clad in stage cos
tunes escaped through the rear doors
and made wild race for the nearby
woods.
Another act of the drama in real
life was being enacted in the front
part of the playhouse. while the
amateur actors were beating IL"
towards Washington. The copstables
seized the meager sum that had been
taken in at the box Office, and then
proceeded upstairs.
The musicians, utterly unconscious
Of the situation were playing .'Silyer
Threads Among the Cold" then a
brand new song. when the irate
creditors descended upon them.
One law office went quickly he
hind the scenes. only to find that the
real debtors had flown. As there was
nothing to seize in the dressing rooms
the constables proceeded to the audi
torium and lined up the musicians,
six in number.
pile up your instruments in the
middle of the hail. commanded the
chief law office. I'VE shall hold them
for the debts due these gentlemen
tpointing to the hotel man and hall
proprietor).
The leader of the orchestra pro-
tested that the troubadors wer also
indebted to them for their services.
The law officers were obdurate and
TOOK possession Of bass drum.
cymoals, violins. snare drum, and
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

sional from the John T. Raymond
ington.
Judge Frederick l.. Siddons, of the
District of Columbia Judiciary. was
a Washington amateur years ago and
played in English comedies with
Charles w. Darr. now popular
lawyer here and formerly president
of the John McCulloch Dramatic As
sociation.
Other Washington amateurs were
the late Arthur b. Anderson, of the
Geological Survey: Marion Dorian.
now a Paris representative of the
Victor Talking Machine Company:
the late Thad X. Sailer, John Twee-
dale, Capt. Harry Shannon and Col.
Barry Buckley.
Give Performance.
Soon after the opening of Albaugh's
Opera House. now Polls, a group of
amateur thespians gave a perfor-
nance there for the benefit of the
Home for Incurables. OF this group,
whose performances became the event
of the fashionable world of WASH
ington in 1887. but few are left, Col
Barry Bulkley being one OF the sur
vivors.
Their repertoire included such four
act standard comedies as "In Honor
Bound" "Sweethearts." etc. In this
group were Miss Katie Beach, the
late John Sidney Webb, Miss Painter.
daughter of Uriah Painter; Miss Har-
er. daughter of Representative Hart
er. of Ohio.
The leading lady was Miss Alice
Riddle. daughter of Albert Riddle.
formerly U. S. District Attorney here
and sister-in-law of Henry z. Davis
The leading men included the late
Maj. Pierre Stevens, Havord S.
Nyman, Barry Bulkley and Mr.. Webb.
One of the distinguished accom-
plishments of Washington amateurs
was the production Of Uncle Toms
Cabin" under the management of w.
II. Baker. during the entire week at
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

There galore Washington about
number of them afterwards became
Dramatic formed all OF the
a popular fad OF them
both members the
would be opportunities display their thpan talent before
audiences OF varying
There public halls here then equipped
thcaica. the number being Odd Fellows Hall
between and northwest Forrest Hail. old
Odd Fellows Hall Eighth Mctzcros
between Ninth and Tenth
JoscPhs Hall, Fifth and northwest Potomac
South Wasngton; ST. Peters Hail. southeast others
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

Amateurs of Long Ago.
Many of the youthful actors and
actresses of long ago have passed on
to the great beyond. but occasionally
I meet a whitc-haired man or woman.
who as a roIlicking youth or ruddy
maiden two score years ago. played
the part of hero or heavy villain in
some ancient drama, or essayed
Shakespearean roles.
| recall some who preferred the
parts of comedians and black faced
artists" as negro Ministries were
designated at that time.
The dramatic schools here were in
fact schools OF acting as many of
them were directed by men in the
profession Notable among these or
ganizations were the John MacCul-
Tough Association. the John T Ray
mond Association, and the Lawrence
Barrett Association.
Charles B. Hanford made his debut
as Marc Antony in Julius Caesar
with the Lawrence Barrett Dramatic
Association Of this city many years
ago. The same association also gradu-
ated Charles L. Frailey, who after
wards became a noted actor on the
professional stage
Wilton Lackaye. who latterly gained
added laurels by his impersonat ton of
Svengah in the film production of
Trilby. performed in amateur the
atricals in this city many years ago
Robert Downing. the well-known
tragedian. was also member of
Washington dramatic schools. Giles
Shine. another Washington amateur.
became famous on the professional
stage, as did his brother Thad Shine
Giles afterwards became the leading
support of Stuart Robson when he
played THE Comedy of Errors" /"
Giles taking the part of one of the
two Dromios.
He also supported Robert Manteli
later in Shakespearean roles. George
Palmer. who became famous in
comedy parts and as a negro minstrel
In the SOS. graduated as q profess
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

would think that such a salesman
was sort of Liberty Bond Typhoid
Mary and would infect them tight
wads with disease where they were
liable to break out all over with cou-
pons or something"
AS matter of fact, Mawruss.
that's just the effect which Liberty
Bond salesman should ought to have
on the right kind of sitson." Abe
said. Which while ! don't mean to
say that making good investment
like buying of a Liberty Bond should
ought to be considered as a disease.
Mawruss. it should anyhow be in
fectious and should ought to spread
so rapidly that everybody in the
United States could say they had it
to the extent of at least one $50 bond
of the Victory Loan
But there is over a hundred mil
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

ate how you would behave towards a
Victory Bond salesman. so go ahead
on the basis that you are the tough
proposition and not me-"
"A charitable fund is one thing and
this here Victory Loan another" Nor
ris said.
Il know it is Abe agreed. but
at the same time. Mawruss, a whole
lot of people feels that il ever they
give a couple dollars to an orphan
asylum, they practically got vacci-
mated against future attacks of the
same complaint. and if three years
later the collector for the orphan
asylum calls on them again they say:
Why I already give you two dollars
for that orphan asylum. What did
you done with it all?' And l bet yer
that just as many people considered
that the SO bond which they bought
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04
BY MONTAGUE GLASS
This Victory Liberty Loan

during the first Liberty Loan cam
paign should ought to have set up
such a strong antiseptic in their sys-
tenn that they would be immune to
all other Liberty Bond campaigns,
no matter IL such campaigns would
continue until there was God forbid
a fiftieth Liberty Loan already"
Some people never even got 30 to
speak jabbed the first time" Morris
observed. "and the way they avoid a
Liberty Bond salexman, Abe, you
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

OF the past And also probably he
might even ask: Tell me, was there
many people hurt"
We'll. If some folks has got such
short memories like all that. and is
only affected by what they have read
in the papers at the latest the day
before yesterday. NawrUsS." Abe said
why not have the Victory Liberty
loan salesman approach them on the
basis of what is going on now in
Europe. You are asked such
salesman would say, to invest your
money in "A first class A number one
security. backed by the United States
government and bearing interest at
the rate OF 81 per cent per annum.
and that is the very least you could
do for your country when you con-
slider that right now the salesman
would say. and he should practice in
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

but the promise that she would have
to raise five billion more every two
years till the whole indemnity was
paid. understand me. how much more
should We raise over here with the
promise that it is going to be paid
back to us in a few years with in
terest at the rate of 3-4 per cent per
annum. Why under them conditions.
MawrusS. any American which would
refuse to buy a Victory Loan bond
should ought to be considered as ap-
plying for German sitsonship papers
and should ought to be exported to
Hamburg where his adopted fellow
sitsons is getting frisked by the Ger
possess and amt getting so much as
man government for every cent they
a receipt to show for it,
For that matter. an American
which refuses to buy Victory Liberty
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

hon people in the United States, Abe"
Morris said, land II they all bought
one $50 bond understand. it would
make the Victory Loan five billion
dollars, whereas this here Carter J.
Glass Is only asking for four billion.
hve hundred Million
Well. to my mind, he's acting too
modest. Mawruss." Abe went on, be
cause II We expect Germany to raise
the first five billion dollars OF her in
demnity with nothing to show for II
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

bonds should ought to completely lost
his memory, Abe" Morris declared.
Evidently such a feller. IL someone
starts a conversation about the war is
going to say: What war? and when it
Is reminded to his memory that as
recently ago as last November the
papers was printing every day col
umns and columns about the war
which was going on in Europe, he
would probably say: oh, that war, /
thought that war was already a thing
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

the brass instruments. Then the un-
fortunate musicians boarded the next
train for Washington.
The case was adjusted later, I was
informed. and the musicians recovered
their Instruments, while the actors
were required to settle the debts on
installments. or as George Palmer ex-
pressed 1t, on the excitement plan.
Hugo Worch, the music dealer at
1l10 G street northwest, was an anna
teur actor of Washington in the '70's.
He was student of Shakespearean n
plays and gave several recitals I
recall one of the recitals vividiy. as 1
was Mr.. Worch's support.
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

Because / am trying to make you
put yourself in the place of the VIC
tory Bond salesman who is trying to
sell you bonds.- Morris declared
Put your own self In the place of
the Victory Bond salesman Abe ex-
claimed which II you want to give
me any hypocritical cases for the
sake Of argument Mawruss, I have
seen the way you practically snap
the head on a collector for a chart
table fund enough times to appreci-
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

TO the stage and seized the burly in
truder. who prove to be a madman
who had temporarily evaded his keep
er while sitting in the audience.
One severe winter about forty-two
years ago when there was much suf-
fering among the poor of the Dis
trict, the John T. Raymond Dramatic
Association determined to give a
benefit performance at Odd Fellows
Hall. Navy Yard, to provide Christmas
dinners for the destitute families or
/ East Washington. A drama was writ
ten for the occasion under the title,
Dots and Dashcs: or Love Across
the Continent"
Those in the Cast.
Among those i'm the cast as I re-
call them were VIII Crown. as the
hero telegraph operator: George
Palmer. as a negro comedian; Thomas
A. Mitchell as a trappcr-scout OF
the Wild West: Ed Forsyth as an
army officer commanding Fort Hope:
L was cast as Ven Sudder. villain:
while the women who took part were
Mrs. William Moccabee, Mrs. Eliza
beth Swartwout and Mrs. May c
Mitchell. The prologue was laid in
Washington, while the main action
was in a far Western State.
The hall was crowded TO its CAPACITY
and it looked as IL the fund would
be large enough to carry Christmas
cheer into a number of homes of the
poor in the East End.
The business arrangements had been
entrusted to a club of young men who
had ostensibly banded together to al
leviate human suffering during the
long. hard winter. The club in turn
selected as treasurer a gay young
man about-town and placed him in
charge Of the box office.
This young fellow. It seems, COL
lected galaxy of wild young men.
and taking possession of the funds
proceeded to hire vacant store.
which they stocked with beer and
other intoxicants, with plenty or
"eats" and smokes" and proceeded
to make hilarious night of IL.
When the condition of the finances
was investigated the following day
it was found that there was barely
money enough on hand to buy a
Christmas turkey for one family.
There was some talk of prosecuting
the young man in question. but the
idea was eventually abandoned.
Noted Performer.
When George Palmer entered upon
his professional career, he was SO
much impressed with the drama,
Dots and Dashes." that he carried
the manuscript. etc, to New York
with him and the play was later
sent out on the road and is reported
to have made a decided hit every
where il was presented.
Meigs Parham, now . veteran WASH
The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

inGton guide. like George Palm,r. hc-
came noted performer IN negro,
minstrclsy. which was tho vogue for
a number Of years following tho civil
war. The late George Graham also
Washington amateur originally.
made country wide reputation as a
blackface comedian.
The funniest organization Of local
amateur actors was known aS tho
skates The members had club
rooms on Four-and-a-half street
near { street, and ON occasions thcN
gave what were termed 'cxtrava-
canzas OF tho Skates" These per
foImanceS wound W with a crotcSgue
dance hut moro often in a frco tight.
Towards the last days of this a.
soCiation its sessions were hold in th..
iopmost hall Of tho Odeon Hall Ruild-
inG. corner of Four-and-a half street
and PenusNlvanis avenue.
The organization eventually camc
under the suspicion 81 Sergeant OF
Police I,omhardy. OF the sixth pre-
cnct. and tho sergeant reported his
Susnicions to Lieut.. John Kelly father
OF Headquarters Detective I'd. Kelly.
The lieutenant. who then com
manded the precinct. authorized Scrct
Lombardy 10 pull OF raid on the
skates" and with a detail Of police
men he proceeded to the vicinity %
Odeon Hall D. l.. Rice. now OF thc
National Tribune, was a cub reporter
at that time and accompanied the
blue-coated raiders.
Sergt. Iombardy, who is the pos
SCISSOR OF deep bass voice. led the
officers to the top floor of the build
nc in
suspicious noises in the hall where
the Skates" We're supposed 10 be in
solemn conclave.
Lomhardy gave three rams al the
outer door. The inside sentry made
response by asking who sought 10 in
terrupt the solemn proceedings.
we arc initiating candidates" the
sentry asid
SerCt Lombardy. who had heard
the sound of dice being thrown in a
crap game. responded:
Wild Scramble.
Yes. I've been listening to the rat
Ting OF the dry bones"
ITS the police. boys yelled To-,
sentinel and the Skates made =
wild scramble to escape. But the
police got them all. and when the
case was called I'm the Police Court.
a colored lawyer set up the plea that
Sergt. Dombardy and his men had
interrupted sacred session Of the
Independent Order. Sons and Daugh-
tiers OF Moses. He suggested that the
policemen should be censured for in
terruPting the solemn rites OF the
fraternity.
Solemn rites is a new name for
the old gambling game of Grams"
Judge Miller said. The prisoners
may continue their sacred session st
the workhouse. Sixty days each"
Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-21

auto truck factory, Fourteenth and
Jackson streets.
On the witness stand in police
court yesterday morning the girl
told of the midnight auto ride she
took with Hofues when he seduced
her.
Friends Charge "Vamping."
Friends of Hofues, when he was
first arraigned on the seduction
charge, eight days ago, said the girls
mother had attempted to force the
payment of sum of money from
him under threat of arrest. They in
timated Alice had "vamped" him.
The girl admitted under cross-ex-
animation by Hofues' lawyer that
she had been intimate with others.
Mrs. Costello, 1909 Grace street,
said she had asked Hofues to pay
some debts her daughter had con-
tracted for attractive clothing.
Hofues is said to be married and
the father of a child. He is q years
old.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-21
Two Men Bound Over
for Alleged Forgery
Of Railroad Passes

Charged with conspiracy to de-
fraud the government, John F.
Rupp, Union Pacific switchman,
and William B. Chandler, both OF
Omaha, were released on $500
bond yesterday morning in federal
court.
Rupp is alleged to have obtained
two passes on January Is, over the
Union Pacific for himself, father
and mother, from Omaha to Cali
tornia.
The charge states that he gave
these passes to Chandler, who
forged Rupp's name, went to San
Francisco and returned with his
son who had been in the navy.
The federal authorities arrested
the men on charge of defraudine
the government This is the first
case of this kind in federal court
here.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-21
Man, Named by 16-Y Year Old
Girl, Held for High Court

Alice Costello, Under Cross Examination, Admits Rela
tons With Other Men-Friends of Accused Man
Charge Girl With "Vamping," and Mother with
Blackmail Attempt
Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-21

of seducing Alice Costello, 10 years
old. His bond was fixed at $1,000.
Hofues and the pretty brunette
both worked at the Murphy-Did-lt
Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-21
Congressman Sloan In City
on His Way to Geneva

Congressman c. H. Sloan. Fourth
Nebraska district, stopped in Oma
ha Wednesday night and Thursday
enroute to his home in Geneva. He
has been in Washington assisting in
making over the new congress and
committees. Commenting upon the
league of nations, he said: at
should be worked out only to a ia
vorable end to all parties. The re-
publican idea is the formation Of a
league of nations should be fostered
by those drafting it in such shape
that it will not breed further inter
national disorder nor trouble to the
United States" .#
Congressman Sloan left for Lin
coin late yesterday.