The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-07

Dawn" which the latter had neglected
TO copyright. and eventually won the
concession to exhibit the show. Then
Thompson went to Dundy and told him
mat IL he would let him In on the con-
cession he would give him a spectacle
worth showing. Dundy was curious and
Thompson outlined his "Trip to the
Moon scheme. Thereupon the arm of
thompson n Dundy was formed and
continued to do business until Dundy's
death in 1907.
The Thompson q Dundy shows were
among the few moneymakers at Buffalo.
and the following summer Thompson
prevailed upon his partner to try out
"A Trip to the Moon at Coney Island.
Thompson's scheme called for an ex-
penditure Of 100000. Dundy couldn't
figure out how they could raise more
than 100000. but Thompson took
walk over to Wall Street and borrowed
the remainder. On tract of swamp land,
partly leased and partly purchased, the
partners constructed the amusement
place which was the forerunner of Luna
Park.
thompson apparently had the golden
touch, for the success of this venture
was immediate and enormous, and In
1906 the partners undertook the con-
struction of the Hippodrome which was
also Thompson's idea. Here again
Thompson was forced to make another
trip to Wall Street, for the financing OF
the new project required staggering
sum. A year later the enthusiasm OF
the Wall Street magnates who had
backed the scheme turned cold and
Thompson and Dundy sold out their in
terests in the Hippodrome to the
Shuberts.
weds Mabel Taliaferro.
The firm still retained Its interests in
Luna Park. however. and Thompson
branched out as a theatrical manager in
the legitimate field. The possibilities in
George Barr McCutcheons "Brewster's
Millions" had caught his fancy and he
had the book dramat!zed. He later
brought out Polly of the Circus" THE
Fortune Hunter" BY Wireless" and
William Gillette's "Ticey.'
After n brief courtship Thompson
married Mabel Taliaferro. who had won
the affection of playgoers as Lovey Mary
In MRS. Wigs of the Cabbage Patch"
and while playing the leading role in
Polly of the Circus" Thompson had
brought her into prominence as a stage
star. The wedding took place in 1906.
Six years later Miss Taliaferro divorced
him on the ground OF extreme cruelty.
In 1918 he remarked, taking as his
second bride Selma Wheat Pitcher. q
Fifth avenue modiste.
In his reminiscent moments Thompson
liked best TO recount some of the humor-
Gus Incidents connected with the early
struggles of the firm of Thompson &
Dundy. The partners trusted each other
30 implicitly that books were never kept
When Thompson wanted money he went
to Dundy, who looked after the financial
end Of the business. and IL the concern
was prospecting the touch was not in
| vain, One day while they were building
Luna Park and were nearing the end
Of their finances Thompson. according
fo- the wherewithal to buy a pair OF
trousers.
How much will they cost?" asked
Dundy.
"Oh about 81" was the reply.
Say Fred" cried Dundy. have you
thought what a hell OF lot of lumber
that would buy? l guess you'n have to
go on wearing your old ones"
After the Hippodrome passed out OF
! the hands Of himself and his partner
Thompson's luck began to shade itself
of by imperceptible degrees until in 1912,
| five years after the death of Dundy. he
filed voluntary petition in bankruptcy
in the United States District Court in
Brooklyn, estimating his liabilities at
| S664.S59 and his assets at only s7.3S1.87.
He was said to have lost heavily in
staging the plays for Mabel Taliaferro
San Francisco Toyland Fails.
Undaunted by his failure, Thompson
went out to San Francisco In 1914 and
obtained a concession for fourteen acres
OF ground in the Panama-Paciic EXPOSE
tlcn. on which he built his "Toyland
Grown Up" At the main entrance to
| the show he built tin soldier $50 feet
] high. The spectacle set the entire
amusement world agog. and there we're
| rumors that Thompson had cune back
and that "he was on his feet for keeps"
With the waning or his fortunes
Thompson's health also seemed to give
way. In 1915 he was reported to be
critically Ill with Bright's disease and
| brain fever following a nervous break
| down. 1t was then learned that his
splurge In San Francisco had been O
dismal failure. Some business men OF
Brooklyn arranged a benefit for him at
Luna Park which netted $4,000. He
was living at the time with his wife and
mother In Twenty-second avenue. Bath
Beach. The promoters of the benefit
planned to build him home at Coney
I Island.
! Again in December, 1917. he fell seri-
ously I'll and underwent an operation for
gallstones and intestinal adhesions For
long period his chances OF recovery
| were slim.
Mr.. Thompson was not daunted by
that illness, nor the gravity with which
he was regarded by the quartet of sur
geons who watched him day by day from
the date of the operation until they
found him too boisterous and healthy to
be regarded as a patient In 1918 Mr..
Thompson underwent another operation
this time for hernia. His extraordinary
buoyancy under physical trials was held
to be the surest indication OF his ability
| to weather the series OF operations that
lately were found necessary.
A minor operation was performed
May Is and another major operation
was due to follow. From his bed at St
Vincent's Hospital the sick man sent out
invitations to his friends to an "anatomi-
cal search for harmony" staging his
annual carnival OF cut ups" naming
the operating surgeons and describing
the whole performance as big event
Planned Huge Toy Factory.
"They have cut me up pretty thor
oughly,' he said, but now they are GO
ing to assemble the pieces after a new
pattern. The blue print sure looks good
to me-"
The only display of irritation that Mr.