The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

12 THE PHONOSCOPE June, 189? JFafce JFxobt pictures Indignant Uprising by a Duped Audience Little Rock, Ark. — An audience of about 500 people was present at the Capital Theatre last month to witness the much-advertised vitascope exhibition of views representing the Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight. To say that it was the worst sold-out crowd seen in Little Rock in rnany years is a mild truth. The audience was entitled to a kick before the exhibition was five minute's old. The views were decidedly on the fake order, being unrecognizable by people who are familiar with the ring and who know pictures of Corbett and Fitz. The first round was so tame that the lovers of the manly art could not restrain the disgust they felt at the palpable fakeness of the alleged representation. "Fake!" "Cheat!" "Give us our money back!" and various other cries rang out in all parts of the theatre. Dozens of people picked up their hats and started out. Some left the theatre and others lingered in the entrance lobby around the box office. Some others remained in their seats hoping that the succeeding views would be better; butthey were doomed to disappointment. At the conclusion of the third round, the indginatiou of the duped spectators knew no bounds. A rush was made for the box office and the cries of "Give us our money back!" were deafening. The "fight" came to an abrupt termination at the end of the third "round" for lack of an audience. Scores of indignant men joined the clamorous crowd in the lobby and declared that they would not budge an inch until their money was refunded. Several policemen were on hand but they could no more restrain the impatient and thorougly exasperated crowd from rushing pell-mell at the box office than human hands could push back the Johnstown flood. Manager Roy L. Thompson, of the Capital Theatre, Victor Sugarman and others stood inside the box office at the window arguing with the crowd. Finally Manager Thompson mounted a stand and made a speech to the multitude. He told them that his part in the affair was simply that of a representee of the theatre and that the management of the theatre did not give the exhibition. He had charge of the receipts and was willing to turn the same over to any citizen whom the crowd might name to hold pending a settlement in which the interests of the theatre management would have to be protected. This appeared to satisfy everybody. "Name your man," was shouted: '1 hen the crowd called for ex-Governor Clarke. Others yelled "Wat Worthen," and in a moment the stalwart form of the senator from Pulaski was seen elbow ing his way to the box office. Senator Worthen announced his willingness to hold the receipts pending a settlement. He and Victor Sugarman then went to work to count the receipts, a task which consumed nearly half an hour, during which time the circumscribed room in front of the box office was jammed with sweltering, yelling humanity. When the count was concluded, Senator Worthen addressed the crowd and said that S253 had been turned over to him as the amount of the receipts. The crowd whooped and yelled with satisfaction. "Let's have it," they shouted. After a moment's deliberation Senator Worthen announced that he had decided to refund the money to parties holding pass-out checks as vouchers. The scene following this announcement is indescribable. Men and boys were jumbled together in a mass as they struggled to get close to the box office window. Some almost had their clothes torn off in their frantic efforts to reach a vantage point. In vain Senator Worthen yelled for the crowd to stand back and keep quiet if they wanted their money back. After a long period of pushing to and fro, of yelling like Indians and of intense confusion, the refunding of money proceeded. There were dollar checks and checks all the way down to a quarter, and they came thick and fast. The fellow with a 25 cent check ran the risk of having his limbs broken, his face smashed and his clothes torn off, but it seemed to make no difference. The satisfaction of getting the money back after being duped was worth a great deal. Meanwhile Senator Worthen worked like a Trojan. He had a herculean job on his hands, but he stood valiantly at his post and defied the wearing effects of the task he had assumed. For an hour or more the crowd surged to and fro before its ranks began to thin out and as each one emerged he resembled an individual who had been in a rough and tumble fight, hair disheveled, face perspiring, collars wilted and clothes rumpled. During all this excitement some in the crowd called for the projectors of the exhibition, but the party or parties did not materialize. While Senator Worthen was paving out the receipts a writ of attachment was served on behalf of "The Gazette" Publishing Company for an advertising bill. Manager Thompson, of the theatre, made the following statement to a "Gazette" reporter: "The Vitascope belongs to the Vitascope Company. When Mr. Walker Hollenberg was in Chicago last month the company manufacturing films for the Vitascope informed him that they would advise him when the views of the fight were read}-. They telegraphed him a few days ago that they were ready to ship, but must be paid for in advance and could not be shipped C. O. D. He showed the telegram to H. A. Rowe, cashier of the Bank of Little Rock, who agreed to advance, on proper security, the money to pay for the films. It is only justice to Mr. Hollenberg and Mr. Rowe to say that they never saw the pictures until they were thrown on the curtain. If any test of the pictures has been made since the films arrived here I am not aware of it." Neither Mr. Hollenbrg nor Mr. Rowe were in the box office. Manager Thompson disclaimed any responsibility on the part of the theatre management for the exhibition. It was quite evident that his speech to the crowd purposing to turn the receipts over to some citizen pending a settlement averted a threatened r>ot for which the duped crowd was apparently ripe. Senator Worthen receipted to Victor Sugarman, Manager Thompson's assistant, for the $253 representing the receipts, and then assumed the responsibility of turning the money over to parties holding evidences of having purchased tickets. This course was apparently the only proper one to pursue in view of the crowd's growing indignation and for a return of the money. In the audience were a number of the city's most prominent citizens together with many members of the Legislature. A great number of those who had purchased left the theatre before the return of the money was decided upon. The most remarkable thing about the affair is that no one was seriously hurt in the rush and jam which has been described above. Mr. Walker Hollenberg was out at Glenwood Park during the exciting times at the theatre. "When I got through my work at Glenwood," he said to a "Gazette" reporter, "I came down town and found there was great excitement about the vitascope exhibition, much to my surprise; as I thought everything was going along nicely. There was no intention whatever to defraud the public. The films were bought on the representation that they were fac-similes of the tight. Before the exhibition one of the films was tested and it seemed to work all right. I heartily approve the action taken in refunding the money to those who purchased ticket's. I regret very much the occurrence and can assure the public that no misrepresentation was intended. All the advertising matter used before the exhibition were mainly clippings from the New York papers. From these, which were favorable, I supposed that the pictures were all right. I invested a great deal of money in the enterprise and as I was compelled to buy the films without the privilege of examination on the machine, I thought they were all right. The only connection Mr. Rowe had with it was to advance the money on proper security. He was not in the least responsible for the exhibition and the transaction between us was purely a business one. He knew what the money was advanced for, and that was all. I heartily thank Messrs. Worthen, Thompson and Sugarman for their prompt action, and only regret that I was not present to assist in refunding the money." Mr. Victor Sugarman stated last night that he wished it distinctly understood that he had no connection whatever with the giving of the exhibition.— Little Rock, Ark., Gazette. [We deem it our duty to inform our readers that the Vitascope Company, mentioned in the above article, is not the genuine Vitascope Company of New York, who own the Edison Vitascope rights. We do not think the New York company make, sell or offer for sale, any "fake" films. On the the contrary we understand from good authority that Messrs. Raff & Gammon, Managers of the New York Vitascope Company, were instrumental in perfecting the genuine Corbett-Fitzsimmons films, which are now being used with such great success by the Veriscope Company. We would advise our patrons to beware of "fake" Vitascope companies that are springing up in all parts of the country. Ed.] Chicago, III. — The "fake" veriscope has come to town. It is located in a storeroom on Clark Street. A huge sign painted on canvas announces to the public that a pictorial representation of the Corbett-Fitzsimmons debate may be seen within for a dime. The pictures are really of the kinetoscope variety, but the boxers delineated are not Messrs. Fitzsimmous and Corbett, and the rounds last only ten seconds. The lighters maul each other in unscientific fashion and the supposititious kuockout in the fourteenth round is a palpable burlesque. Several patrons of the performance protested yesterday and were informed by the gentleman in charge that they were "lobsters." "We advertise a fac simile of Ihu fight," he declared, "and that's what we give. What do you expect for 10 cents, anyhow ?" San Antonio, Texas. — The first attempt to exhibit the Corbett-Fitzsimmons tight by the cineograph in San Antonio proved to be a dismal failure, and the five or six hundred admirers of the manly art who paid a stiff price to see the exhibition, which was given at the Grand Opera House last mouth, went away very much disgusted. The prominent mau who paid seventy-five cents for a seat down stairs denounced it and the small boy in the gallery was also next , and he made it warm for the management. The exhibition was opened at 8 o'clock. After the operator of the machine had made several unsuccessful attempts to get the pictures produced so that the fighters could be recognized it was announced that the machine was new and the operator was sick, and on that account the exhibition would be postponed until the following night. The management decided not to refund the money but to return the tickets. This announcement caused no little kicking, and so wild did the audience become that the police were summoned to prevent any disturbance. Calls were made for money, but to no avail, because the box office had been closed and the money locked up. Thoroughly disgusted the audience dispersed about 10 o'clock.