The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-11-30
The worm has turned.

ne WOIu mas IuIu6us
Some old time Kenoshans who used
to go down to Chicago for day off
and buy the Masonic Temple at bar
gain rates, will probably turn over in
their graves and smile at this story.
Kenosha has retaliated and it be-
came known on Sunday that Kenosha
man had ruthlessly imposed on the
confidence of a Chicago man and had
sold him q half interest in the Rhode
Opera House here for $500. The man
came up on Sunday to take over the
box Office and start pulling the coupons
off the reserved seat tickets. He
found the place rather busy with a
bevy of chorus girls dancing on the
stage, but the reception he had ex-
pected as the new owner of half of it
failed to materialize. Instead of TAX
ing possession of the property he just
looked it over and being satisfied that
his partner" was running the place
all right and getting the money, he
just went up and visited with the po-
lice officers and Chief Logan.
Only Paid Fifty on Account.
The man registered at the police
Office as Martin Nelson. He said he
was forty years of age and that he
was born in Sweden. HE had spent
most 'of his life in Chicago and was
a carpenter by trade.
"You got a nice town here" he sug-
gested to Detective Rock as ne strolled
into the office. eyes it's pretty good
if we could just get rid of the moon
shine for awhile" Rock agreed.
Theatres do good business here"
Nelson asked Chief Logan.
30 purity good for the size of the
town." Logan agreed and Nelson look
ed about the Office and examined the
handouts and discarded stills.
81 just bought an interest in one
Of the theatres here" he continued
his condolences and the police officers
gave him the second over. eyes, I'm
half owner of the Rhode theatre now,"
the Chicago man continued, but it
looked as if the statement was more
of question than an answer.
Thought that was an Orpheum prop
osition p Rock shot back at him.
Bought 1t at the Station.
$40" Nelson reflected. "Me and
my pardner own it and we are going
to make real place of it," He was
still thinking out loud when he con-
tinued to tell the story of how some
Kenosha Eddie Hall" closed the deal
at the Northwestern station in Chicago
last Friday afternoon.
II met my pardner down at the
Northwestern station Friday after
noon," Nelson went on, land he told
me Of the chance to get theatre at
a low price He said this "Rhodes
Theatre" up at Kenosha had been
something of lemon on his hands
and that Kenosha had been down in
the mouAh or something's like that and
that the things had not been going as
well as they might. He said he was
going to sell half interest and get
some one who would work with him.
He had some advertisements of the
theatre with him and i looked like
it was running some good shows. He
was mighty nice fellow and he knew
all about theatres in Kenosha and
other towns and I'm sure that he and
me will make go of il here"
Just Money for Advertising.
owe had lot to talk cbout now we
were going to run the place. CON
tinued Nelson as smiles began to creep
over the facesHof the associated police
department which had dropped in to
hear the story of how another good
man had gone wrong.
"That old balcony ought to be fixed
up and made more attractive and the
entrance ought to be changed round a
bit and as a carpenter l see how it
can be done easily" Nelson continued
as the smiles on the faces of the Of
icers grew to almost guffaw.
"My pardner told me We needed
little money right away for advertis-
ing and gave him fifty dollars in
cash with the understanding that this
was to be my first payment on the half
interest We agreed on a price of
three hundred dollars and when
looked it over l thought it ought to
be a pretty good buy. The land it
stands on ought to be worth pretty