The New York Clipper (February 1903)

•-ci>XKM m& toRKCti Ml- MO Ri At/WUMBfe FV :%t i-i."tf'.:V o C&! ^fLf.fV.0 tX5»e ScS i? ft?. e* r * '•■' ir Fred C. Mueller. .Cashier and Bookkeeper. John P. Clark Subscription Clerk. John F. Edwards rost Offlce Clerk. Carrie XL Gill Stenographer. The whole corps Is under the management and Immediate supervision of Albert J. Borle. with Fhlllp 8. riortz as the assistant and con- sulting manager. During the past year a Bureau was estab- lished In London, England, under the manage- ment of J. r. Cougblan, and a Western Bureau, with headquarters In Chicago, Illinois, super- vised by Walter K. Hill. In addition to tbese we have distributing agents In I'nrls. Berlin, Havana, Manila, and Sydney, Australia. Thus the old Clipper ship, with an equip- ment as complete as human ingenuity can make It, launches forth on Its Fifty-first annua! voyage with the brightest prospects on Its horizon, foretelling a continuance of tbe suc- cess which has marked Its career during the past half century. » NM • JACK HAVERLY'S ANGEL CHORUS. RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD SHOWMAN. BY DOCTOR JQW WHO COMMENCED IN THE SHOW BUSINE8S THE YEAR THE NEW YORK CLIPPER WAS FOUNDED, 1853- HY FRANK H. BR00K8 "Jack Haverly, Jack Haverly, I wonder where you are." Gene Field wrote this long before You hitched up to a star. He missed you and the "nigger show" When you went mining West, When the old "Forty" quit the mad And burnt cork took a rest. And then you went, Jack Ilaverlj. Away beyond tbe Hills, To fix the names of "coming stars" to big type od the bills. I'erhaps Luke Schoolcraft hired a hall. For be went on ahead Of you, Jack Haverly, you know— At least, so It was said. Then Billy West gave up the road To join a minstrel band, Where burnt cork's never used, and where They play an Angel stand. I'oor Billy Emerson went off— Perhaps you met him, Jack. A-slnglng Mo-rl-ar-lty, In white Instead of black. Then Billy Rice bis exit made- No one his place can fill; » I'll wager that you told the boys, "Here's Hoochy-Koocby Bill." Nell Bryant left the other day; He must have crossed tbe bar Kre this. The chorus Is complete Each member Is a star. The drat copy of Tub New Tork Clipper that I ever saw I received In the early Fifties, when I was with K. I*. Christy's Minstrels. One evening, as I was selling tickets In tbo box office at their old Minstrel Hall on Broadway, a man thrust a copy of It In through the ticket win- dow, and told me to hnnd It to Mr. Christy. This man I found out afterworus by seeing him quite often at Christy's was Frank Queen him- self, tbe founder of The New York Ci.iri'ER. In the year 1804, after K. P. Christy closed his Minstrel Hall and went out of tbe negro minstrel business, I started on the road for the first time with Wood's Minstrels, a troupe which had been organized a year or so before K. P. Christy retired. George Christy, wbo had made himself famous as a delineator and Imitator of the real negro character, bad been with K. P. Christy from a hoy up. Ills real name was George Harrington. lip, with some other members, fell out with B. P., and went over and Joined forces with the Woods. Among them was R. M. Hooley, violinist and musical conductor. In after years he became a well known theatrical manager In Brooklyn, and later on In Chicago. These parties leaving E. I*. Christy was one reason which Induced him to disband his com- pany, but he retired from tho negro minstrel business with an ample fortune. A few years later. In a (it of Insanity, be Jumped out of a window from the second story of bis residence, snd died from tbe injuries received. GUS HILL, A YOUNG SHOWMAN. A striking example of success due to energetic application of business principles In theatricals as In other enterprises, Is the prominence at- tained by this manager. From the time that Mr. Hill appeared In a club-swinging act In tbe old variety houses to tbe present era of his prosperity and Buccess In fostering an extensive number of plays, comparatively few years have elapsed. Yet, through his own efforts, has this popular manager attained a position where sev- eral hundred performers are on his salary list In tbe various companies scattered in all parts of the United Stntes. Beginning some years ago by putting out several variety companies, and later some of the best burlesque attractions, he gradually widened tbe scope of bis operation. With quick perception, characteristic of all his dealings, he Invaded tbe melodramatic Held with "Through tbe Breakers," and It proved n winner from tbe start. Then tbe public wanted farce comedy, and he organized various companies of that class Mr. Hill Is a Arm believer In printers' Ink and lithographers' colors, and, aided by lavish display along original lines, his productions have become Invariably popular. Mr. Hill gives bis per- sonal attention to all of his productions, makes en- gagements, superintends the paper, scenery and cos- tumes, and audits accounts, haviug at all times the business of each attraction at his fingers ends. A mammoth cabinet of the latest pattern, occupying considerable space In his offices at 1358 Uroodr.ay, offers eloquent testimony as to tbe extent of bjs Interests. Holds K. Cooley Is Gus Hill's general manager and aid dc camp, and a more congenial and businesslike personelle It would be bnnl to find In any office. Business Is done with prompt- ness and despatch, and Mr. Hill and bis gen- eral manager are to be reached without red tape formality. Tbe list of Mr. Hill's attractions In- cludes: The New York Stars, tbe Tammany Tigers, the Cracker Jacks, Vanity Pair, Gay Masqueraders, Rays' "A Hot Old Time," "Lost In tbe Desert," "Through tbe Breakers," "Al- pbonse and Gaston," the Royal Lltlputlans, "Hap- py Hooligan," "McFodden's Row of Flats" and "Spotless Town." In preparation are: "Lou- isiana," "Puck and Judge," "In Old New Eng- land." "The Sunny f-iitb." "A Bargain Counter" and "The Offlce Boy." 3§5FJ5i£S Minstrels In those days were true negro min- strels. They used In oil their talk and songs tbe dialect of the old Southern plantation darkeys. When tbe old original Christy Min- strels came out, In the third port of their en- tertainment, standing six In a row with their long tall coats, ruffled shirt bosoms, and sang those good old negro songs and melodies of Stephen C. Foster and others, which tbe Christies brought Into popularity the friends of minstrel shows enjoyed a treat, which the public of this generation would appreciate. After leaving Wood's Minstrels I went out with Prof. Wcymnn, tho magician. Weyman did not differ much from the oilier mnglclnns who were traveling around the country In those days. People then called them sleight of hand or leger- demain performers. He was the first magician who cnrrlcd his own stage fit up, and he had a very elaborate set of magical apparatus forthoso days, but It was mostly dummy stuff to make a stage show. He was the first magician In this country to light up his stage In a novel way. The secret he hod bought of Robert Iloudcn, the then famous magician of Paris. At tbe commencement of Weyman's performance ho would give a command, "More light I" and one hundred condles that set In rows around his stage were lighted Instantaneously by Invisible means. It was done by electricity, but It was very mysterious to the audiences of those days. Some of his tricks would be nowhere today. He used the double apartment table, with a boy concealed In It, as a confederate, to pass up and take down through the trap holes In the top of the table, rabbits and other articles, which he caused to disappear and appear. We trav- eled from town to town In a two horse covered van, with pictures of a mnglclan doing all kinds of tricks painted on the sides of It. This van he would place In front of the hall where we were exhibiting for an advertisement of out show.' While I was with Weymnn In Qulncy, III., we found Ole Bull, the great Norwegian violinist. Ho was Just recovering from a long sickness. He had been deserted by bis manager, and left out there without a cent on a sick bed, and would have been sent to the poorhouse If It hadn't been for some of his native countrymen, who took him out on their prairie farms and nursed him through nearly n year's sickness. Ole Bull first came to this country In 1841, toured and gave concerts In all the principal cities ot the United States. On this visit bs cleared over a hundred thousand dollars. On his next visit to this country he went to Butler County, Pennsylvania, and bought, or supposed ho had bought, a large tract of land, and here he commenced to build a village. Ho had built many dwelling bouses, a store, a church, and up on a hill overlooking his village he built himself a small castle. In the meantime he had Induced quite a number of his countrymen and their families to come over and make their homes there. He had paid their way over, and helped them to build up a Norwegian colony, lie then went on another concert tour In this coun- try, and while In California he got word that he hnd been swindled. The man whom he had paid for this land hnd no right or title to It. Ole Bull had n long litigation with the rightful owners, but Inst It nil, and It left him penniless and broken down In health. He started out on another concert tour with tho manager, who left him sick out In this Western town. Weymnn wns going to close his long tour for a short time, so I made arrangements with Olo Bull to take him out on n concert tour, we to divide the profits. If any. We stnrted out, and In most of the towns wo hnd very fnlrsuccoss. We ran Into Chlrngo to reorganize and to add to our company, when Ole Bull was tnken down with another long sickness. Ole Bull never regained his henlth until he returned to Norway and hrcnthrd the Invigorating air of his native land I never saw Ole Bull hut once after I left him at Chicago, and then It wns under n very peculiar circumstance. It wns his third and Inst visit to this country. In IBTfl. He gave a concert ono evening In Iowa City, lown, and was stopping at the City Hotel. I wns then traveling In the West, and I hnppcncd to nrrlve at Iowa City late that snmo nlglyj and put up at the same hotel. Later In tho night there was a cry of fire. The hotel wns on fire. I hiirrtediy dressed, nnd Just ns I stepped out of my bedroom Into (he burning nnd smoking linll a man rushed by me In his night robes nnd with a violin under his nrm. It wns Ole Bull. After I finished traveling with Oln null I went on lo New York, nnd was engaged by P. T. Bnr- num to go out with the world renowned Siamese Twins nnd to look after Isles Interests. We ex- hibited them throughout the United Stntes nnd England. A man named Zimmerman nttnmpted to exhibit the twins when they first nrrlvcd In the United Stntes, but tho venture was not finan- cially successful, nnd ho turned thorn over to Judge Ingnlls, nnd finally P. T. narnum bought a half Interest In the enterprise. The twins did not receive very much for their services: It all went to n Captain Coffin, owner of a trad- Ing ship, who brought them to this country. He hnd secured them by some trivial contract with the King of Slam. After the twins hnd been In Ibis country s while their eyes began to open, snd they learned that they could not bo held ns slaves, nor by any contrnct Hint this Captain Coffin claimed to have. They left Ingnlls nnd Rnrnum, went into business for themselves, quickly made s fortune, settled down In Kentucky, snd went Into the slnve traffic, but when the Civil War came on Lincoln Issued his proclnmmnttnn set- ting nil slaves free, nnd the twins lost their entire fortune. They then went on another todr nnd exhibited themselves nil over the United H*ntes ngnln. nnd finally bought n small planta- tion down In Surry County. North Carolina, where I hey died In the Seventies. At one time I wns mnnnger for Blind Tom. Ihe most marvelous musical prodigy ever before tbe public: wns horn blind nnd In slavery. The musical tnlent wns discovered In him when he wns Just nble to wnlk. Whenever lie found the plnno open In his mnstcr's house lie would he up to It. fingering the keys. One dny his mis tress hnd been plnylng n piece nnd had stepped out Into the next room, when she henrd Tom at the plnno, repeating the same piece nlmnst correct. After Oils they never drove him away from the plnno. hut nllonred him to sit nnd I hump away at It nil dny. When he grew nlder he wns nble to repent correctly nil and every difficult piece that he heard. A fortune wns mnde wllh him. no Is now living In New Jersey, In charge of his old mas ter's sister, who had always traveled with him. nnd who wns the only person who could do any- thing with Tom. At times ho wns Ilka nn au- tomaton which had run down; he could not he Induced to piny by nnyhody hut her. Hhe hnd n wny of winding him up nnd setting him going which never failed. God has let me live to see one generation of circus people, negro minstrels nnd entcrtnlners pass nwny. I retired from the circus business. Into which I hnd drifted during the Civil War. a number of years ngo : but I am not too old yet to have lost the eagerness with which In the days of yore I procured and read every week The New York Currm. TONY PASTOR, Who Is held In high esteem by a vast army of performers for the many nets of kindness he has bestowed upon the profession during his long amusement enreer, la today the oldest active vaudeville manager. Sixty yenrs ngo he mnde his debut as a performer: twenty-two yenrs later he first became n manager, nnd this long service has Justly enrned for him the title of the "desn of vsiidevllle," *\ &>. Ml