Show World (October 1909)

4 THE SHOW WORLD October 30,19 VAUDEVILLE ARTIST HAS NARROW ESCAPE Glasscock, Well Known in Variety, Is Tried on Criminal Charge, But Isl Released on Petition of Citizens : Two Leons, ____jns, are spending the week in Chicago, prior to starting on a twenty weeks’ engagement —- _ ______i western time, and their visit here recalls a try¬ ing experience that Glasscock in par¬ ticular will have occasion to remember the longest day he lives. The Two Leons, who are novelty tight wire art¬ ists and who have relatives that have long been identified with the show busi¬ ness and circus life, were with the Anglo-American tent show the first of the year and it was at Pickering, La., that this event occurred which for a time threatened to wreck the life of young Glasscock (Leon) for all time - a —oting affir ' to come. A shooting affray took place and in the melee Glasscock, in self- defense, shot an officer of the law. Glasscock Faces Crisis. Although the shooting occurred on the morning of Feb. 7, of this year, it was not until Oct. 12 that Glasscock was tried by a jury of five men, several of whom, hundreds of the defendants sympathizers declared, were against the accused young man by reason of two being deputy sheriffs and another a deputy’s son. Notwithstanding that public sentment was wholly in favor of Glasscock and that the evidence favored his plea of self-defense the jury, after deliberating the case for fif¬ teen hours, returned a verdict of guilty, the charge being shooting with .intent to kill. After hearing the decision of the jury, leading citizens of the town of Leesville in the Vernon parish of Louisiana, where the trial took place, circulated a petition and secured the signature of 700 persons, presenting it to the judge on the morning of Oct. 14 when sentence was pronounced. Judge Shows Clemency. The petition prayed that the court show clemency, and when it was an¬ nounced that Glasscock would know his fate on that particular morning, the theater, where the trial had taken place, as a new court house was under course of construction, was filled with hun¬ dreds of people, who awaited the deci¬ sion of the judge with impatience. The judge, before he pronounced the sen¬ tence, addressed the assemblage. He commented on the case and said that he had received the petition froni the prominent men of the parish m Glass¬ cock’s behalf. He also said that others had appeared personally in behalf of the defendant and that one or two others had appeared against him, but as he had been elected judge he would do as he thought best and not being satisfied with the state’s evidence, would pronounce a very mild sentence. Glasscock Soon at Liberty. Calling Glasscock before him, he asked him if he had anything to say. Receiv¬ ing a negative reply, the judge sen¬ tenced him to five days’ imprisonment in the parish jail, subject to working the roads. As soon as the crowd in the theater heard the sentence it ten¬ dered Glasscock an ovation and there was a general jubilation. Glasscock went to jail at 11 o’clock on the morn¬ ing of Oct. 14 and on the following Monday morning was. released on^a spe- cial order from the judge, the time of sentence being commuted. Glasscock was showered with congratulations on all sides, hundreds of the parish resi¬ dents ShOWing-- lr.tA.root in uoaaao ___ _ „.i unusual interest in his release, which evidently gratified them beyond measure. Glasscock Returns North. On the day, after his release from the parish bastile, Glasscock left Lees¬ ville in company with his wife for Kan¬ sas City and a throng of admirers were at the station to bid them good-bye. After visiting friends and relatives in the Missouri city, Mr. and Mrs. Glass¬ cock came to Chicago to make final ar¬ rangements for the resumption of their vaudeville tour. Glasscock, when seen by a Show World representative, seemed glad that the matter was all over and said that it was an ordeal which he never cared to repeat as he has aged considerably as a result of the ex¬ perience, notwithstanding that he was about 24 years of age and physically well built. He appeared anxious to for¬ get the whole affair, although he was prevailed on to tell the story of the trouble that placed him in such a har¬ assing predicament. Details of Shooting. About 2 o’clock on the morning of February 7 last, Glasscock and wife, in company of about twenty of the per¬ formers with the Anglo-American tent enterprise, were standing in groups un¬ der a shed at the small station of the Kansas City & Southern railroad wait¬ ing for the 2:30 train to carry them northward. During the wait, the troupe was passing the time in divers ways and nothing of interest transpired until Maurice Oldstein, one of the musicians, who had deposited his trombone on his overcoat in the station for a short per¬ iod, announced that the coat had dis¬ appeared. A fruitless search ensued and Oldstein, learning that Deputy Sheriff Louis LeBleu was on the plat¬ form, implored him to find the coat. According to Glasscock, LeBleu, whom • a was alleged had been drinking, scouted the idea of it being lost and in the following minutes, chased Oldstein fired at him. Glasscock took a hand in the game and his refusal to coincide with the officer’s views brought about some hot words. According “ auuui ouiuc uw■> n wswu> awv » vliH£T — the witnesses, LeBleu fired point-blank at Glasscock and one of the bullets went clear through the fleshy part of Glass¬ cock’s left shoulder. Glasscock, seeing that his life was in danger, returned the fire and the bullet from his 32 Twenty Special entered the officer’r musician v e show, was s MARDI GRAS MANAGERS SKIP: PLAYERS MOURN Chas. S. Blackslager and John Frisch, Jr., Badly Needed by Employes Left Behind SALEM, Mass., Oct. 23.—Leaving a number of performers behind, to mourn for their salaries, Charles S. Blackslager and John Frisch, Jr., managers of the Mardi Gras Amusement company, de¬ parted from this city last week and their whereabouts are unknown. Saturday night, at the close of the show, after the receipts of the three days had been totalled 1 abdomen and severed the intestinal tubes in nine separate places. Six Shots Fired at Glasscock. Four more shots from the deputy’s 45 Colt’s revolver were directed toward Glasscock and three of them inflicted flesh wounds. During the fusillade of leaden missies, George Kerwin, another AAA U A.AA.A<AA. ..—A. A..W ___ __in the leg, near the hip, the impact of the bullet fracturing the bone. In the thickest of the fight, the performers made a rapid getaway, some taking to the woods while others later boarded the incoming train. Glasscock and his wife got their baggage aboard the cars and boarded it without any further re¬ sistance. Glasscock, who is a southerner . felt that his safety depended on his flight from the scene of shoot¬ ing and some hours later was well into northern territory. Reward Was Offered. LeBleu recovered, but made every effort to find Glasscock. Eight whites and one negro, who failed to catch the train, were arrested by the deputies and placed in jail. For twelve days, they were in ‘‘durance vile,” but the deputies were unable to get the desired informa- _ A reward of $500 was offered for Glasscock’s arrest. Meanwhile the grand jury met and returned an indict¬ ment against Glasscock, charging him shooting with intent to murder. Later, however, the reading of the indictment was changed when the facts of the case ’ became known. Glasscock was arrested on April 22 at Bozeman, Mont., placed in jail until the 27th, when he —“ in jail until tne a.ilii, wiicu nc wo-o taken to Leesville for trial. Glasscock was located through decoy letters sent to an amusement sheet and which were forwarded to him. Story Is Retold. Glasscock was released on bond on May 1, the day after his arrival at Lees¬ ville, influential citizens of the town signing the document which permitted the accused man to go free until the day of his trial. Glasscock and his wife filled in various weeks with their vaude¬ ville act, performing by special request in the very theater in which Glasscock was later tried. When the trial was held, witnesses were brought far and wide by Glasscock, and all corroborated the prisoner’s story. LeBleu and Glass¬ cock both exhibited reminders of the shooting and the former’s statement that he shot the latter in the back was dis¬ proved by expert surgical testimony. The result of the trial is told in the foregoing chapters. Wife Was Loyal. Glasscock’s wife, according to a lead¬ ing southern paper, who during the trial, proved herself a woman in every respect. It said she made many friends in Leesville by her quiet, modest and unassuming ways. Mr. and Mrs. Glass¬ cock have two children. The Glasscocks come of generations of show people. Glasscock’s father was one of the old- time circus owners. Mrs. Glasscock is a sister of Dan Leon, who for years was connected with the principal cir¬ cuses of the country. He has been with Ringling Bros., the Demon, Van Amberg, Sun and Robison shows and others. He is a bareback rider. His wife, Jesse Leon, is a daring tight wire artist, who travels wth her husband on his circus trips, doing her specialty. Dan and Jessie Leon are now spending the win¬ ter at their home in Kansas City. Mrs. Glasscock is also a sister of Anna Scott, who with her daughter are appearing in vaudeville in their novelty rolling globe act. Glasscock’s Friends Elated. Glasscock, whose friends are legion, and who is a popular White Rat, is be¬ ing showered with congratulations on all sides. The papers of the south printed long articles in which they all favored him in his trial and said that it was a plain case of self-defense. Glasscock is of a pleasing appearance and speaks with a delightful southern accent. He and his wife are in excel¬ lent health and are rejoicing that the trouble in the south is now a matter of history. Williams Gets New Song. It is rumored that Bert A. Williams has accepted a song from the prolific pen of Julius Caspar Nathan, a young lyric writer of the city. The title of the song will not be announced until It is published by Will Rosslter. pear at my theater at 2:30 ft and he did not show the evening. In the _ for someone to take ids Frisch and Blackslager had received the company’s share from the theater management, these two gentlemen suddenly disappeared as if the earth had swallowed them up, leaving be¬ hind them a score or more perform¬ ers clamoring for money to pay rail¬ road fares, board bills and other ex¬ penses incidental to being “presented” by the Mardi Gras Amusement com¬ pany. The getaway of the managers was so sudden that some of the show people were in pretty bad, two or three of them having scarcely enough to buy stamps to write home for funds. The determination of the two man¬ agers to jump out seems to have been a sudden one, evidently induced by the very poor reception that the show got he pay 70 cei _ _ _ expended for car fare, and 20 I had paid out for telephone for W rehears£' - until 6:30 hi meantime 1 hu ta ke his pi™ I allow Kusell Known in Chicago. Jules Kusell, the actor who wa stricken blind last week on the staa of the Majestic theater in Toronto wa very poor reception that the show got here, as all the arrangements for taking the show to Haverhill today had been Charles P. Elliott was manager of that While singing a solo, In a " ” stricken with house. ___ sketch, Mr. Kusell _ . ' " blindness, but kept made and the latter city had been clusively billed in preparation for the coming of the circus. The performers, got together yester¬ day, and, on learning from the manage¬ ment of the Haverhill theater that there had been a good advance sale for the show, they decided to go ahead and put the circus on themselves on a sort of co-operative basis. With the proverbial loyalty and good fellowship of the actor folks, everybody stuck with the show, and those that had a little money saw to it that the money for the transfer of the baggage and the railroad fares were forthcoming. The show folks were pretty sore Sat¬ urday night when they found that the managers and the receipts were both missing, but yesterday, when the thing had been talked over, they seemed to think that it was worth whatever little money the two men got to be rid of them. Neither apparently knew any¬ thing about the theatrical business, and the performers figure they are much better off without them. Despite this fact, however, if either of the worthy gentlemen ever comes face to face again with any of the husky male mem¬ bers of this circus troupe, there are apt to be some ground and lofty tum¬ bling stunts pulled off. ) Avoid Crowd. of Criminal Charge. Keeney, of the Grand Opera House 1 _ “Owing to the request of many patrons who are anxious to see the high-class attractions that are booked and do not wish to be caught in the crowds when the doors open, we have decided to re¬ serve 200 seats for evenings only, at an additional charge of five cents. The number of seats reserved, however, is so small that there will be no unjust discrimination against the crowds who find the opera house their favorite re¬ sort. By this change the management is able to run eight standard acts week¬ ly hereafter, instead of six.”—STIRL. Benjamin Is the Pilot. Paul Benjamin, the big, hearty the¬ atrical advance agent, is in the city, ana he has been here for a few days arous¬ ing the public to the fact that Mahno Elliott is playing at the Garrick theater. >r struck it Mr. Benjamin was formerly agent in Milwaukee and lr*“ rich by getting out with — "big ones.” He has been meeting 1 much success in landing stuff in Chicago newspapers. Halderman Tells E C. S. Halderman, manager of the Gem theater in Gary, Ind., says that he did fine an actor 90 cents, and says that he VaudevUlian’s Wife Insane. DANVILLE, Ill., Oct. 20.—Mrs Dale Whittington, wife of a vaudeville per¬ former, was adjudged insane here wi urday and sent to the asylum for mo insane in Kankakee._ _ EXECUTIVE OFFICES THE Y0UN6 MAN, HIVE YOUANOSf GRAND OPERA HOUSE BLDG. FOR AMUSEMENT NEDS’ IF SO—GET BUST. Chicago, U. S. . ENERGETIC CORRESPONDENTS WANTED THE SHOW WORLD is desirous of securing representatives in every section of the United States and Canada, and to that end correspondence invited from young men of good personal address in all communities not y covered by this journal. We want energetic, wide awake correspond® KfioSn nco aKilUn nrliA rrri 11 nnfunnr oe* a Vipa1h+q1t7 I m DJirti d 1 obscf V6lS of business ability who will, acting as absolutely impartial observers o events, provide us with the latest and most reliable HEWS of ha PP®®‘. I lL[« their locality. EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY; LIBERAL COMMISMU^ Eor full particulars address, Correspondence Editor of THE WORLD, Chicago. /mr*Tii'ST THE SHOW WORLD IS RECOGNIZED AS THE WORLD’S GRLAlhs* AMUSEMENT NEWSPAPER. . . .... This Week’s News This Week—on the News Stands Every Saturday