Year: 1873




and he admitted his crime, but denied that
his son, who had been condemned as acces-
sorry, had participated in the murder. The
sons sentence was commuted to Imprisonment
for life. Tryon expiated his crime on the
scaffold. In Nova Scotia the same wise Sc
verify is shown to criminals. The telegraph
informs us that Peter Mailman was executed at
Luneburg for the murder Of his wife. A large
crowd attended to witness the execution, and
we hope the lesson was an impressive one.
People who attend those scenes from morbid
curiosity need such lessons as the scaffold fur
nishes


The Theatres and the Press-managers


and Mountebanks.


The theatres of New York have for many
years stood at the head of the dramatic world
in the character. ability and enterprise of their
management In that high branch of the
profession we have had, within the recollection
of many of our citizens, the Elder Wallack,
Mitchell, Burton and Hamblin, and at the
present time we have Lester Wallack, DAILY,
Booth, Stuart, Fechter and Duff. These
names. without recounting others of equal
merit, are sufficient to show that our theatrical
managers have been not only gentlemen of
excellent business capacity, but earnest devo-
tees OF the dramatic art and in most instances
themselves actors of extraordinary merit 1t
has been due as much to their tact and taste
as to the intelligence and iberality of the
people that the drama has been so successful
in New York, and that our city has proved Sc
rich placer to the artists of the Old World.
The press has always been the useful ally and
liberal friend Of the managers. The New
York daily journals, as q rule, have materially
aided the drama by fair, intelligent and honest
criticism, and their services have been appre-
ciated by all genuine artists. But there are
quacks in the theatrical profession as in all
others, and, whether successful or unsuccess-
ful, they are easily known. To them the
drama has attractions in its glitter and show,
and sometimes from grosser considerations,
and they become theatrical proprietors or man.
ayers with the double object of profit and the
qualification of Q passion for excitement
Fresh from 'rum tinkering," as has been ex-
pressively said, or from some pursuit
in which money has been rapidly
if not always legitimately made, such men
rush at once into theatrical life, with no idea
of the meaning of dramatic art except as
something which enables them to get up an
entertainment which they can sell at SO much
gard actors and actresses only as the tools
with which they work, and the press as q con-
Germ which gets pay for their advertisements,
receives passes to their theatre. and is bound
in return to give them all the pufs they desire
and to refrain from criticising their perform
ances in any manner distasteful to them.


A theatre, owned by one Of these theatrical
spectators and managed by Buchu show
man, is easily recognized. It may now and
then present . fair performance and gather
fair company, but as general rule its actors
and actresses are ambitious aspirants for
fame, who cannot procure engagements at
well established houses, or the worn
out hacks of the better class of theatres At
one time it presents sort of medley perform
ance, half of the negro melodist character,
but without the talent, wit and rollicking fun
of the regular negro minstrels, and half of the
concert saloon stamp. At another it allows
some struggling ''star," male or female, to
play, without salary, for the sake Of becoming
known, and pockets such profit as may be
made out of the performance The Snowman
who manages such house is never profess
sional, for a professional would not degrade
- H. -E~
agement are confined to tricks and lodges by
which he can get himself, his theatre
and his performers talked about. He wants
sensation, and is nothing without one. He
fills his house from the footlights to the CELL
ing with paper, and advertises the .great
rush" to his show. He resorts to any ma
neuvre, no matter how contemplate, to create
an excitement from which he is certain to
derive more or less profit. He is always in
controversy or striving to get into one to
make himself notorious, for it is his only
chance of keeping himself and his establish
ment before the public. A genuine manager
is seldom in hot water, or if he is, it is
through some professional difficulty which is
religiously concealed from outsiders. He
courts the friendship of the press, but it is
only to secure fair and independent criticism,
and with this he is contented. He has
nothing in common with the theatrical adven-
turer or the claptrap Snowman. His perform
ances and performers are able to stand before
the people on their merits, and require no
quackery to puff them into public favor.


The press is called upon to notice all per-
formances offered to the patronage of the
people as o matter of news and general inter-
est. A journal cannot select the good from
the bad, and can only point out the respective
merits Of the different entertainments by fair