Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-07
Receipts of Performances
Less Than Expenses at
Present, Director Says.
NET PROFIT OF $500
EVENTUALLY IS SEEN
Gamblers Families May Have
This When It Comes In, if
They Need It, He Declares.

There never was benefit show at the
Gayety Theater for the families of four
men sent to Jail recently on gambling
charges.
The Senators and District officials
who expressed their amazement at such
"carrying-ons" in the Nations Capital
were just wasting breath, for the whole
thing was sad mistake.
The authority for these statements is
no less parsonage than Joseph Free
Torrance that evening. If there was
any benefit" that evening Mr.. Freeman
didn't know of it then and hasn't seen
ehy signs of 1t since.
"Benefit?" Mr. Freeman inquired of
reporters yesterday. What benefit? ]
don't know anything about any benefit.
You boys have got this thing all wrong
This state of affairs came to light
yesterday when visits to the four families
involved revealed that they have re-
ceived only $3.50 in all since the night of
the show. And this money, Mr.. Free
man explained, must not be construed
as part of the proceeds from any benefit
show. 1t came out of his own pocket
simply because he wanted to help them
out.
FrlVaCe agreement, lie says.
When his attention was called to the
fact that the players had performed for
nothing and that they certainly weren't
foregoing their wages just for the
novelty of the experience, Mr.. Freeman
conceded he did have an understanding
with them to the effect that any profits
from their charitable work would be
used by him to help the family of Ralph
nNrf 1Nn
out-and-out benefit; it was, in fact,
nothing more than a private agreement
between him and the players.
Everybody connected with the thing
except the players, charged, and charged
plenty, Mr.. Freeman says. At the
present moment his figures show total
receipts of Sill and total expenses of
1928. Mr.. Freeman cannot see how
any one is going to benefit from such
state of affairs.
After everything is in" he said, "the
show probably will net about $4,000
I've got some money coming in from
the programs and about $500 or 5000
outstanding on tickets that I gave out
on credit. There ought to be a total
profit of about $500. and this will go to
the families if they need it."
The promoter could not give any idea
to W JlISU WllCIi lIliS NG,UUO VIII DG Ill
or when it will be distributed. He gave
assurance, however, that he was going
to see to it that nobody suffers just be-
cause there wasn't any benefit.
Lake Contradicts Freeman.
Jimmy Lake, who presided as master
OF ceremonies at the show, announced
yesterday that the total expense of the
performance was $40 for taxicabs, and
that all the rest was gratis.
One hundred dollars has been given
to the family of Frank Stevens. Mrs.
Ralph Holland has received $50 since
the show. Before the performance
was given Freeman paid rent and
bought groceries for this family. ex-
penses approximating $56 The other
two families have received nothing.
Mrs. Holland has no coal or food.
five children and $11. If there is not
going to be any benefit, she said, she
would like to know about it now so
she can find a job in hurry
The situation is almost as bad with
the Stevens family, where there are
seven children, with only one of them,
a girl, old enough to work.
The other two families, those of
Frank Lowry and John Mahoney, are
in slightly better circumstances.