Variety (January 1917)

«W>M|M <1 »fc mi » > <ii . ii V AUDEVILLE n ■» aiMWiw MOUNTFORD'S CHICAGO FIZZLE FINALLY DIES WITH OLD YEAR Nothing Accomplished. Everyone Disgusted. Funny "Sealed Orders" Stunt of Mountford's Repeated. Chicago, Jan. 3. There have been no new develop- ments of any consequence in the vaude- ville situation here during the past v.eek beyond a general shifting of the White Rat executives and the second "sealed order stunt" pulled by Harry Mountford Monday night. At the pres- ent time Mountford is still in charge of the local White Rat headquarters, James William FitzPatrick is in the east, Ernest Carr is still in Kansas City and Francis Gilmour is in Butte, Mont. John J. Murdock, who left for the east before Christmas, failed to re- turn this week as expected and up to Wednesday it was reported at the lo- cal V. M. P. A. headquarters Murdock was handling the managers' interests from Boston, while Pat Casey, C. S. Humphrey and Harry Weber were di- recting the defense from this end. Contrary to expectations the Rats failed to interfere with any of the extra shows scheduled for New Year's Eve at the local theatres, nor was any attempt made to stop these perform- ances as a far as can be learned. New Year's night it became rumored about town that Mountford, who has just re- eurned from a hurried trip to Albany, was preparing to call out all acts In Chicago, and this report was partially strengthened through the presence of a score or more of rabid Rats who as- sembled in the lobby of the Sherman House. These visitors glided silently up to Mountford's quarters and sallied forth into the night carrying another "sealed order" envelope, and upon ar- riving at their respective theatres, "looked wise" as. instructed, destroyed the "sealed order" and hiked back to the "Loop." This move, a repetition of the previous "sealed order" stunt, was designed to give the situation a touch of dramatic atmosphere and add, it possible, to the mystery of Mount- ford's presence. The regular weekly meeting of the Rats, held at a hall on North Clark street last Friday was attended bv 64 members of the organization with Fitz- Patrick and Mountford the only speak- ers. Nothing of importance was con- tained in the address of either execu- tive, Mountford dwelling at leneth on the secrecy of the affair and indirectlv crediting himself with an abundance of skill in forcing the managers to spend money in defending themselves against a strike. During his speech he re- ferred to the managers having engaged all' means of telegraohic communica- tion out of Chicago for an entire -day to prevent the Rats from using them, explaining he had previously sent out a veiled suggestion* that he intended to lease all wires on the same day. Mountford also added that regardless of the success of the Rats present cam- paign, he intended to write a book on the vaudeville situation as soon as the crisis passed. He made no reference to the mortgage of $5,000 placed on the furnishings of the White Rat club house in New York. FitzPatrick advocated a sense of loy- alty and recalled to those present their oath of allegiance to the order. During the meeting one Duffy arose to en- lighten the gathering with the news that he had' iust returned from a tour of the Gu? Stir? thc?trr»q rvn.l rHirrrd that r.11 Sun managers were individual- ly with \ho Rats. This probably sur- prised the Rats' executives who had been using Sun as a target around here. Prior to the meeting there were sev- eral fights staged on the sidewalks, the agents having picketed the hall tojpro- cure a list of all those attending. Dur- ing an altercation between a White Rat and one of the pickets, the artist was badly beaten up, but returned to the hall and explained to the meeting about the assault. Mountford personally promised to punish the offending picket. The "sealed order" stunt, supervised by Mountford, is being generally dis- cussed around town, Mountford pro- viding each "messenger" with a code name and number. When the "mess- enger" would arrive at his destination it was his duty to call Mountford at the Sherman House, asking for "Gen* eral Hindenberg," "Admiral Dewey" or "General Lee," explaining that he was "Captain Coxe," "No 198," etc. He was then told to "look wise, walk' around the lobby, tear up the order and return home." The little war game was amusing to those included at first, b£t the second "sealed order" stunt was not quite as interesting and less than half the number attending the first rehearsal appeared for tile second. With New Year's Day past there are few left who believed the Rats will start any action in this section. The general opinion prevails that Mount- ford is about through, having found the managerial interests thoroughly pre- pared for anything he might attempt. Tust what his' next move will be is prob- lematical irid with the organization's bank roll diminished it will be inter- esting to watch the mode of exit se- lected, by the International Executive. FitzPatrick is not expected back here and it would not be surprising to see the Rats headquarters shifted to New York at any time. Meanwhile the managerial heads are watching every move of their adversary and will re- main until the finish, which does not seem more than a week away. I. A. T. S. E. CONVENTION FEB. 26. Mystery surrounds the sudden shift of date for the national convention of the T. A. T. S. E. from next June to Feb. 26 in Cleveland. "Serious circumstances have arisen," read a circular letter to the member- ship last week, "which justifies the im- mediate calling of the gathering." The question of change of date was sub- mitted to the membership for referen- dum^ vote. The balloting for an im- mediate meeting was unanimously affirmative. An officer of the organization de- clined to say what the "serious circum- stances" were. Ke denied, however, the convention i<? called in February to con- sider the White Rats' Union question. He said that at this time there is no purpose to bring before the convention any phase xrf the actor-stage hands' re- lations, and if such a subiect was pre- sented before the convention it would be by a resolution offered by an indi- vidual delegate. The stage hands and the actors have no agreement covering any extended territory, although in one or two cities (Winnipeg is one) the locals have agreements covering their own limited jurisdiction under which the unions mu- tually eneracre to support each other in <!?<-.rvi*t.s '.v'''vcn;V V j;i. Trvr^c >u^r?~ local agreements do not bind the or- ganizations beyond the union locals which subscribe to them. Convention headquarters will be the Holland Hotel, Cleveland, where pro- vision has been made for 400 delegates. QUIET RATS 9 MEETING. The White Rats in'New York had a auiet meeting Tuesday night, pre- sided over by President James W. FitzPatrick. It was a secret closed meeting, with about 150 members pras- ent, nearly the same crowd at tne White Rats' meeting in New York last week. The meeting opened at 12.30 and lasted but two hours. During it a statement of the disbursements was read, showing $360 had been spent, but giving no information regarding re- ceipts, it being said to do so would be to furnish the managers with informa- tion they were looking for. No men- tion was made of the White Rats' chat- tel mortgage of- $5,000, nor was any- thing contained in the financial state- ment showing what had become of that money. Mr. FitzPatrick gave the principal talk, speaking without animation and appeared to have felt the stress of re- cent times. He vehemently flayed George ^facFarlane for sending his resignation to the Rats on a Christ- mas card. Mr. FitzPatrick said.this was a sacrilege. The statement was also made that if any member didn't believe there was v a strike on, they should inquire of the managers, who had been sending tele- grams at the rate of 1,000 daily, some- times 5,000. -Besides that, hundreds of private detectives had been engaged, according to the t speaker, and the managers' expense had been enormous. The announcement was given out at the same time that the executives of the White Rats had been approached to throw down the Rats, also threat- ened with bodily injury. The weekly plea for confidence In the leaders was made. A couple of very prominent mana- gers of the Vaudeville Managers' Pro- tective Association were informed by a Varibjtt representative Wednesday of the repeated assertions of the White Rats officials that the recent threatened trouble had cost vaudeville managers a great deal of money, and they were asked if this were so. "It is in part," one replied, while the other nodded assent. "We have been put to a considerable extra expense through engaging more acts than were required^and other incidentals to our plan of preparation, but we are thor- oughly satisfied and now consider it the best investment we ever made be- cause it has clearly shown to us that the vaudeville artist, the real one. is not against the manager, has a mind of his* own and will do as he pleases when he thinks he is in the right. "It has taken us a long time to find that out. as long, perhaps, as it has taken the artist, and we are well pleased that we did. It was worth all the money and more." LE MAIRE'S BOOKING OFFICE. The booking office of Rufus R. Le- Maire. Inc., has been located in the Astor Theatre Building. Mr. LeMaire is now operating his own office, book- ing in general, with special attention given to vaudeville for musical shows. For some time LeMaire has been en- gaging acts for the Shubert musical production. He is now reported on the search for a large arrav of varietv ma- terial to be seen in the next Winter Garden production, that is to go in re- hearsal in about six weeks. It is said th* Shuberts have sent out a call for all new faces for the Garden's new show. Besides specializing in this branch T.efr{_a*T,e. nl flges r»eor»1e for all kinds of show* and vaudeville as well. He is also often asked by managements asso- ciated with the Shuberts to secure peo- ple for their attractions. If you don't advartlM In VARIETY, doa't advtrttsa. FITZGERALD CASE DISMISSED. The summons secured against Harry Fitzgerald by James Oliver of the Six Tumbling fJemons was dismissed lasY Saturday by Magistrate Groehl before whom the matter had come up. The charge was Fitzgerald had evaded the employment agency law in the booking of the Oliyer act in vaude- ville. Fitzgerald produced an a agree- ment between himself and the act whereby he was to receive $17.50 each week it worked, to represent ft The court ruled out copies of letters written by Fitzgerald's office to Oliver in which a request for payment of "commission" was demanded. Judge Groehl holding the only point of im- portance involved was whether Fitz- gerald had performed any other duties besides the mere booking of the act. This Oliver testified on the fitness stand Fitzgerald had not done. Oliver was confronted with a telegram sent by him from Philadelphia to ^Fitz- gerald in New York, asking the latter to get the members of the Demons act together, furnish them with transporta- tion and see^that they reached Pitts- burgh in time Monday morning to ap- pear at the Davis theatre there. When asked if he had sent that wire Oliver replied he had and said Fitzgerald had followed instructions. This seemed to satisfy the court Fitzgerald T»ad act- ually managed the act, and the court at the same time sharply reprimanded Oliver for contradicting himself under oath. Fitzgerald put in no defense, , the court dismissing the summons upon motion after the prosecution had put in all of its evidence, the court saying a case had ooi been made out. Wide latitude was allowed the prosecution in presenting its evidence. The Fitzgerald action was instigated through the White Rats, Harvy Mount* ford having stated when first hearing and seeing Oliver's evidence that it was the best case against an agent the White Rats ever had. About six weeks later the summons was served upon Fitzgerald. Many hearings were held, with Magistrate Groehl having the case before him in three different courts. The present Employment Agency law of New York state as amended to affect theatrical agents was secured through the influence of the White Rats some years ago when Mountford was at the head of the organization. The White Rat plan was to regulate ageuta. Instead of doing that, booking men who previously had admitted they were agents through securing a license in New York and posting a $1,000 bond, became "representatives" or "man- agers" of acts, refused to allow the Commissioner of Licenses to supervise their business with the result that in- stead of the vaudeville business, for examole, in New York being limited to the 30 or 40 agents then booking, the number of agents increased until now there are more than 300 in Manhat- tan alone, over 100 booking what is known as "big time" with the others placing acts on small time or elsewhere. Had the Oliver complaint against Fitzgerajd been upheld it might have meant a readiustment of the agency business, and also numberless com- plaints from acts. With the dismissal of the summons through Fitzgerald having performed other services for the act in connection with booking it. which precluded the agency law from applying, it virtually says the agency law as affecting vaudeville booking men is a dead letter. LOOANSPORT HOUSE BURNED. Chicago. Jan. 3. T!. i' '- Quid. lu r,*-Lv: agir sps rt, —rfcytn k*~ vaudeville, was destroved by fire last night. Artists appearing there at the time lost their personal effects. H. R. Bverlv is^ the manager. The Colonial bill is now playing at the Broadway.