The Billboard 1918-02-16: Vol 30 Iss 7 (1918-02-16)

iy ash $ ee = ae “Phe Billboard FEBRUARY 16, 1916 ~ CABARETS™ WHITE RATS PROBE CALLED A TRAVESTY BY FITZPATRICK In Letter to Mountford He Refuses To Give Up Books—Referee Terms Communication “Very Impudent”—Mountford Tells of His Suspicions of Irregularities New York, Feb. 9.—James William FitzPatrick, Big Chief of the White Rats, sitting in the parlor of his Waterbury home, fired a most remarkable verbal projectile, which yesterday afternoon landed squarely in the Nassau street office where Referee Lewis Schuldenfrei was conducting the investigation into the White Rats’ affairs. This was in the form of a letter written to Harry Mountford in reply to a communicztion in which hiountford requested him to turn over to the referee the various papers, which, it is admitted, are at FitzPatrick’s Waterbury home. In his answer Fitzpatrick declared that the present White Rats’ investigation was “the purest travesty on the law and the facts,” that it was prompted by ‘,ersonal persecution of the lowest order,” and the sum and substance of the entire document was defiance to the eourt and a blunt refusal to give up any of the papers in his possession. As a result of this stand taken by Mr, FitzPatrick an application will be made to the Supreme Court with a view tq forcing him to deliver these papers into the custody of the court, according to the mandate already made by the court. Yesterday’s hearing was not devoid of interesting features, altho the FitzPatrick letter overshadowed all else. Harry Mountford told of his suspicions of irregularities in the White Rats’ affairs, admitted that upon his return to the Rats he discovered many things which furthered those suspicions, and . he related his efforts to uncover these MS irregularities and find out who were iy the guilty parties, He confessed, however, that these efforts had been futile, except in confirming the suspicions in his own mind. At the opening of the hearing Mr. Mountford was again recalled to the Has New Vaudeville Act Mabel Spencer Preparing Satan’s Abdication to Wilhelm Mabel Spencer, the leading woman, ig spending the winter at her home in Springfield, Mo., where she has been preparing a spectacular vaudeville act, which she expects to launch in the near future. The title of the act is Satan’s Abdication to Wilhelm, and Miss Spencer will carry two full settings and four acting people. Mr. Billingsley, her husband, will handle the publicity. Three-Act Play for Miss Suratt New York, Feb. 11.—The Purple Poppy, Paul M. Potter’s melodramatic playlet, in which Valeska Suratt is now appearing in vaudeville, will be expanded into a three-act play for Miss Suratt’s use next season. rf stand to continue his testimony. Attorney Alvin T. Sapinsky immediately called upon him to produce the check vouchers, etc., which he had been or (Continued on page 15) in the entertainment was personally known to deservedly popular Eberts, and the thought of the purpose for which the entertainment is to be given will probably cause many a laugh tv have more than its wonted background of tears. The remainder of the program will consist of several feature acts, most of which will be recruited from vaudeville, the field with which Eberts was so closely identified. Hartford Actors To Make Good Use of Their Theaterless Tuesdays Hartford, Conn., Feb. 11.—A plan has been mapped out by which the actors playing at local houses will put ANNETTE KELLERMANN The diving Venus, whose gorgeous revue has proven a rousing success at the Palace Theater, New York, e is assisted by a large company, and the special settings are exquisite. Direttion James R. Sullivan. Benefit Performance For Family of Late Fred C. Eberts in Chicago Chicago, Feb. 11.—A fine testimonial to the memory of Fred C. Eberts, late manager of the Majestic Theater, in the form of a benefit performance for the family of the deceased, wil! be given under the auspices of the Theater Managers’ Agsociation of Chicago Sunday, February 17, at the Olympic Theater. The Western Vaudeville Agents have agreed to repeat their minstrel first part which proved so successful a few weeks ago, under far different circumstances, for then the occasion was one of general jollification, as the affair was run for war charities, a rather impersonal proposition. But every one of the men who appeared their theaterless Tuesdays to good purpose. Starting this week they began supplying entertainment on Tuesdays to the various sanitariums, hospitals and charitable institutions. The arrangements for this special entertainment were made by W. D. Ascough, manager of the Palace Theater, this city, and president of the Connecticut Managers’ Theatrical Agsociation. Jt is needless to say thar the plan has the most enthusiastic support of the various Hartford institutions and their inmates. Du Vries Coming Back Chicago, Feb. 11.—Tho Sam Du Vries has given up his club-booking office in the Crilly Bldg., he has made a new connection with a big Chicago vaudeville circuit, the name of which he hasn’t divulged as yet. New Chain of Theaters E. M. Fay Contemplates Circuit in New England and New York Providence, R.. IL, Feb. 9.—E. M., Fay, manager of Fay’s Theater in this city, is contemplating opening a chain of theaters in various cities in New England and New York State. The first one will be Fay’s Theater i: Rochester, N. Y., next Monday. This place was formerly the Avon. At the present time the Fay Theater here is on the Independent Booking Circuit, but when the new chain is fully complete Mr. Fay will conduct a booking agency of his own. William B. McCallum will be retained as manager of the Avon Theater under its new name. New Theater for Terre Haute ‘ Terre Haute, Ind., Feb. 11.—A new theater will be built here by Bankers & Brokers’ Theater Corporation of Chicago, Ill. The contract calls for the opening in September of thig year. The seating capacity will be 2,000 and vaudeville and pictures will be the policy. A. L. Brentlinger of Ft. Wayne is in charge of the Terre Haute offices for Bankers & Brokers. Wilton Going to Chicago New York, Feb. 11.—Alf T. Wilton will pay his annual visit to Chicago week of February 18. While there he will make his headquarters with Harry W. Spingold in the Majestic Theater Building. George W. Lederer Plans Ten Vaudeville Combinations This Spring New York, Feb. 9.—George W. Lederer announced yesterday that he would carry out his plan to send ten vaudeville combinations on tour. H's idea is to open the ten combinations simultaneously in as many first-class theaters and then interchange them in accordance with the wheel system. Each company would appear in all ten weeks this spring. Some of them may play in Klaw & Erlanger houses, says Mr. Lederer. Harry Mountford is reported interested in the venture. Damerel’s Route Extended New York, Feb. 10.—George Damerel’s engagements have now been extended thruout the Orpheum Circuit. He recently introduced a new act to vaudeville, called The Little Liar, which was written by Will M. Hough. It is a musical farce and has met with considerable success in the houses in which he has been playing. Mr, Damerel has been able to retain the services of the. pri-cipals of his former act, Temptatio:, including Myrtle Vail and Edwin Hume. There are eleven people in the cast. Singer Distributes Money Chicago, Feb. 9.—The $1,600 realized by the W. V. M. A, agents at their recent minstrel war relief benefit was distributed to half a dozen war charity organizations by Mort H. Singer, W. V. M. A. general manager,