Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY E. P. ALBSE IN AUTO ACCIDENT. While traveling to Albany in an auto- mobile last Tuesday (election day), a party composed of Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Albee, Mr. and Mrs. William a Mitchell, Mrs. Mabel Oakford, Mrs. Berson and the chauffeur were thrown out of the machine at Ooeymans, falling twenty feet into a creek below. Mrs. Oakford, a favorite niece of the Al- bees, was killed. Mr. Albee received a compound fracture of the thigh and his face was badly lacerated. Mrs. Albee is suffering from severe bruises and shock. Mrs. Mitchell was seriously injured, and on Thursday her condition was alarming. The accident was caused by the steer- ing gear failing to work as the machine approached a curve. It happened at 6:46 P. M. when darkness had settled down. The automobile belonged to Mr. Albee, who is not a speed enthusiast, al- ways having insisted upon a moderate Mrs. Oakford was a Philadelphian, where lives Mrs. Mitchell also. The in- jured party of seven were removed to the Albany Hospital. All were rendered in- sensible by the fall, the chauffeur recov- ering consciousness first and crawling to a farm house secured aid. A West Shore train was flagged and carried the injured into the city, Mrs. Oakford expiring at the hospital. Mr. Albee, who seldom leaves New York on a vacation, had an appointment with A. Paul Keith at Albany on Tues- day, and drove in the machine to keep it. At the hospital on Thursday it was stated the injured would be confined there for from four to ten weeks. The phys- icians said Mr. Albee was over the shock and would recover, and that Mrs. Albee had greatly improved. From the injuries Mr. Albee received in the accident, it is improbable he will return to his position as general manager of the United Booking Offices, the Keith & Proctor Circuit and the B. F. Keith theatres for some time, perhaps months. Percy G. Williams is the business man- ager of the United and may take up Mr. Albee's duties during his enforced ab- sence, although it was talked about at the United that A. Paul Keith might step into the position. All the details, large and small, of the big booking agency were carried by Mr. Albee. A great number of these were a matter of memory with him, and con- siderable confusion must ensue before any one can take up the leadership of the United where he laid it down. The vacation long needed by the gen- eral manager may be taken upon his re- covery. Mr. Albee has been an indefati- gable worker with seemingly never a thought or a wish for recreation. The United offices have been burdened by a gloomy atmosphere since the first news of the accident reached there on Wednesday morning. B. F. Keith at once hurried to Albany, as did Reed Albee, the son. The telephone connection be- tween the offices and the Albany Hos- pital was held open for constant inquiry. MCCOY'S OPENING ANNOUNCED. Lykens & Levy, who have the handling of Kid McCoy's vaudeville act, say that the Kid will deliver a monolog in vaude- ville at Keeney's, Brooklyn, for the first time on Nov. 10, probably thereafter ap< pearing at Hammerstein's, MURDER AND SUICIDE. Nassib Abdullah Shibley, manager for Janesi Rigo, the gypsy violinist now play- ing at Keeney's Theatre, Brooklyn, in an act with Jeanette Lowrie, committed suicide in his New York home Tuesday evening after giving poison to his beauti- ful wife. It is said that the couple had quarreled frequently over the intimacy be- tween Mrs. Shibley and Rigo's wife, an intimacy of which the husband was in- tensely jealous. After the election night performance both Rigo and his wife were placed under bond to appear as witnesses, Frank Keeney giving the bail. When the couple appeared before Coroner Acritelli, one of the first ques- tions asked of the woman was whether she and Rigo were married. Mrs. Rigo hesitated and then said they were. She declared that Shibley abused his wife and added: "I was the best friend Mrs. Shibley ever had. She worshipped me as though I were a goddess. I saw her every day." Jeanette Lowrie was present during the examination. She had met the Shibleys, she said, and declared the murdered wife was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. The Shibleys had one son. The present Mrs. Rigo was formerly Mrs. Katherine Emerson. She is said to be a cousin of the Princess Chimay (Clara Ward, of Detroit), and who was instru- mental in separating the Gypsy and the Princess. SAYS KALICF IS BOOKED. OIevc<an*, Nov. 5. The report is abroad here that Mme. Bertha Kalich has positively been booked for an appearance at Keith's Theatre. Manager Daniels of that house declares that he has been advised by the New York office the Russian tragedienne will be the headliner of the Keith bill during the early part of February. Vabutt recently printed a statement that time was being arranged for Mme. Kalich, beginning at Hammerstein's dur- ing the current month, but Harrison Grey Fiske, to whom she is under contract, de- clared that she would be seen in a pro- duction this month and would not play in vaudeville. It is understood that the vaudeville negotiations were conducted through Mme. Kalich's legal representa- tive. From the announcement of her appear- ance here it would seem that she has en- tered into contracts for a later period. St. Louis, Nov. 5. Mme. Kalich opened at the Garrick The- atre here Monday in a new piece, "Cora," under the management of Harrison Grey Fiske. It was mildly received. ROCK AND FULTON RESTING. Maude Fulton, of Rock and Fulton, has retired to her parents' home in Arkansas, where she will remain until the act re- sumes its vaudeville engagements on Nov. 23. Meanwhile William Rock will hie to the mountains, taking a few days off from his vacation to "look over" the Elsie Janis show when that company reaches Syra- cuse. Miss Fulton left the 125th Street bill on Wednesday of last week to rest. Her place for the remainder of the engagement was taken by Adelaide, the dancer, who assumed the duties with great credit, also playing her own act on the same program. FOREPAUGH'S OUT. Philadelphia, Nov. «. Forepaugh's Theatre closed down Its vaudeville last Saturday night, removing itself from the Morris Circuit. Discour- aging business in a district seemingly in- capable of appreciating good vaudeville at cheap prices, which it received, was the main reason, the promoters of variety at Forepaugh's concluding the task of edu- cation was hopeless. Negotiations sre reported to be under way for another Morris' house over here. POSITIVE ABOUT ETHEL LEVEY. Is Ethel Levey playing "dates" abroad T Charles Bornhaupt, manager of the H. B. Marinelli New York branch almost grew indignant over his announced placing by the Marinelli agency of Miss Levey for Moscow, Russia, being questioned. In added confirmation of the booking, Mr. Bornhaupt produced the report of the Paris office of the agency which had re- corded the signing of a contract by Miss Levey on Oct. 21 to appear at the Theatre Michel, St. Petersburg, for one month after the Moscow engagement. The Theatre Michel is the "real" hall of the Russian capital, patronized by the Russian nobility. WOULDN'T JUMP AND CANCELS. A foreign artist who has been playing about New York of late canceled all his United time this week through being directed to play at Portland, Me., and upon declining, being ordered to Toronto, also refused. The act came over here on a contract calling for a small salary. Each house forwarded a separate contract to the other side, which the artist signed, but would not permit his dates to be "shifted," although the United contracts are worded so that this may be lawfully done. KEITH'S BILL AGAINST LAUDER. Boston, Nov. 5. To offset the drawing power of Harry Lauder, who will play at the Morris Or- pheum next week, the Keith program will have as its feature attractions during that time Walter C. Kelly, Zelie de Lus- san and Chas. E. Evans and Co. There has been a very large advance sale for the Lauder engagement. GRACE HAZARD'S "REST" SYSTEM. Grace Hazard is "laying off" this week, the first on her established schedule of playing only three weeks out of every four, taking the fourth as a rest. IDYLLA VYNER DIVORCED. Chicago, Nov. 5. Harry W. Evens, playing with C. B. Arnold's "Serenaders" and Idylla Vyner Evens were divorced Oct. 21, in Judge McEuen's court here. DOROTHY MORTON'S SKETCH. "The Try-Out," a "bare stage" sketch will present Dorothy Morton to vaude- ville some time this month. Miss Mor- ton says she will be in readiness by Nov. 16. There will be three people other than the principal, and Pat Casey is looking after the opening. WINS ON MIDNIGHT SHOWS. On the showing of popularity it if likely that all the New York vaudeville houses will hereafter give two performances on election night. The midnight show at both the Lincoln Square and American were well patronised. At the American the sale of tickets amounted to $1,100 and at the Lincoln Square $1,000. In both places the first performance started at 8 o'clock and was over by 10.30. By that time a large crowd had gathered for the second show and the audi- ence was dismissed by the side entrances. The second shows were over just before 1 o'clock. All the burlesque houses gave double shows. At the Corinthian, Rochester, the largest day's business in the history of the house was done. It amounted to about $1,400 for three performances. At a mid- night show at the Gayety, Toronto (East- ern), the sale was $415. Chicago, Nov. 6. Election day busin< ss at vaudeville and burlesque houses was big. The Empire (Western) gave a midnight performance, running until past 2 A. M. The regular night show at the Folly was late in get- ting out, and the midnight performance was abandoned at the last minute. COSTLIEST BILL YET. What is said to be the highest priced vaudeville show ever presented in a regular house plays at Percy G. Will- iams' Orpheum Theatre, Brooklyn, this week. The actual cash salary list foots up $6,300, which is more in real money than any of the "$10,000 shows" claimed in the past to have been given. The Orpheum program is headed by Alice Lloyd with Mclntyre and Heath (second week) the extra feature. The others are Carlin and Otto in "The Battle of Bay Rum," Winsor McCay, Belleclaire Brothers, The Clarks, John and Bertha Gleeson and Fred Houlahan, Clarice Mayne, Harry Tighe and Co. and pictures. ACTOR GOES INSANE. Loren C. Rees, an actor suddenly be- came insane at the home of his brother- in-law, Dr. Harold G. Grey, in Bridgeport He was committed to the Connecticut State Institution for the Insane at Mid- dletown by Judge Nobbs. HENRY PAYTON KILLED. Centreville, la., Nov. 5. Henry Payton, a former business asso- ciate of Corse Payton, the Brooklyn stock actor-manager, was killed here Sunday by falling on the track just as a railroad train passed. Payton was a brother of Mrs. Spooner, the mother of Edna May and Cecile Spooner. "MILK CAN" FEATURES. San Francisco, Nov. 5. "The Milk-Can opposition" is in San Francisco this week. At Pantages' (Em- pire), Hardeen is performing the trick first introduced by his brother, Harry Houdini. At the Sullivan-Considine house, National, Frivalo is also featuring it. "Frivalo" is reported to be an Australian,