History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 19

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934

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a comforting one. But he got a firm grip on his nerves and replied: "You must be mis- taken. I have not insulted the ghost of your father. I have never in my life spoken disre- spectfully of a ghost. In fact it is my rule to treat ghosts with the utmost courtesy. Let me read the article to you. I am sure you must have mistaken my meaning." "All right," grunted the son of the ghost, "Go ahead."

Foote braced up, took the paper and pre- pared to make a fight for his life. As he read he interlarded the story with comments com- mendatory both of the ghost's activities and of the character of the miner before he became a ghost. The reading finished he noted with satisfaction that the hands of the son of the ghost were no longer clinched but were hang- ing quite naturally by his side. "Perhaps," said the spokesman for the Cornishman, "I was in the wrong, and perhaps you have been stringing me. If I thought-" here Foote broke in quickly. He wished to cement the impression the reading had made. "Listen further," he said. Then he went on in an ex- temporized speech to extol the virtues of the men of Cornwall. He expatiated on their hard work, their love for their wives and children; their honesty and their generosity. As a law- yer making a plea for his client he made such a plea for himself as aroused generous emo- tions in the breasts of his visitors. He wound up with an eloquent peroration that quite set- tled the business, for the Cornishmen patted him on the back, declared he was a gentleman and a scholar and invited him over to Charley Barr's to drink the health of His Honor, the Spook.

The Scooper, a humorous weekly, came out in 1885. The proprietors were E. T. Sawyer and John T. Wallace. Mr. Wallace, who after- wards became justice of the peace and held of- fice until his death a few years ago, sold out his interest to his partner, after a few months' experience. The Scooper lived until 1886.

The Santa Clara Index was started in 1870 by a company of printers. W. W. Elliott was the editor. One day he had an altercation with W. G. Wilson, the foreman of the com- posing room. Office furniture took the place of fists and Elliott emerged with a bruised head and a broken arm. His life reads like a romance. Erratic, brilliant, nervous, "his own worst enemy," he moved from place to place, never satisfied but always optimistic. He was a pioneer resident of the state and in the late '50s went to Australia. Returning after an ab- sence of several years, during which he was sailor, gold prospector, theatrical agent and merchant, he enlisted in the Union army and , rose to the rank of major. When the assas- sination of Lincoln occurred he was in San

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Francisco and was one of the leaders of the mob that wrecked several offices of newspa- pers that had published what were considered disloyal editorials. To escape possible prose- cution he fled to Mexico, entered the service of Juarez, the famous Mexican general and president and was present as a member ot Juarez' body guard at the execution of Max- imilian. A prominent position under the Mex- ican government was offered him, but he had become tired of Mexican life and longed for the climate and society of California. He re- turned to San Francisco in time to take a prominent part in the gubernatorial election of 1867. Henry H. Haight, the Democratic can- didate, was elected and Elliott, as a reward for his services, was appointed assistant adju- tant general of the state. He resigned after serving but half his term and came to Santa Clara and became one of the partners in the publication of the Index. His row with Fore- man Wilson terminated his career in Santa Clara. Removing to San Jose he spent sev- eral years in doing editorial work for the local newspapers.

In the early '70s while the State Normal School was under construction a scandal arose over the work of the contractor, the Legisla- ture ordered an investigation, a committee for the purpose was appointed and the sessions were held in the court house. Before the tak- ing of testimony it became necessary to ap- point a stenographer. There were but few short-hand writers in those days and there- fore competition was not lively. One of the applicants for the position was Elliott and through local influence he was chosen for the position. And now was shown an instance of monumental nerve. Elliott knew no more, practically or theoretically of the system of shorthand writing than an infant in arms. But he was a rapid writer, had a system of abbre- viated long hand and a memory that was mar- velous. He sat in a corner, allowed no one to look at his hieroglyphics and succeeded in "pulling the wool" over the eyes of the mem- bers of the committee and the attorneys pres- ent, although more than once he found him- self in an exceedingly tight place. He was frequently asked during the progress of the investigation to read certain portions of the testimony and it more than once happened that neither his notes nor his memory tallied with the facts, which were mainly in the line of statistics. But his unblushing assurance saved his face and he was permitted to make the necessary corrections without receiving other than an admonition to be more careful in the future. Elliott afterward declared that he worked harder to earn the few hundred'

dollars that his position netted him than he had at anything before undertaken. He was required to transcribe each day the notes he had taken during the session. This work was done late at night in order that he might have as assistants to notes and memory the proof sheets of the fairly full reports given by the morning paper.

In 1872 Elliott's roving disposition led him first to Stockton, then to Salinas. While doing editorial work in the last named city, the shooting of Mrs. Nicholson by Matt Tarpey, the politician, followed by the lynching of Tarpey occurred. Elliott, act- ing as correspondent of a San Francisco paper, met the mob half way between Salinas and Monterey. Tarpey had been taken from the Monterey jail and his captors were preparing to hang him to a tree when Elliott arrived. At Tarpey's request Elliott took down the doomed man's last will and testament and then saw the mob carry out its work. Shortly after this occurrence Elliott was elected city marshal of Salinas. At the expiration of his term he engaged in the hotel business in Santa Rita, but a too strenuous life had undermined what had been a strong constitution, and so, after a few years he gave up active business and resumed the life of a rover. In the early '90s he reappeared in San Jose, did a few days' work on one of the daily papers and then dis- appeared. About a year later he died in the Soldiers Home at Yountville.

Another editor with a record was Allen P. Kelly, who died in Los Angeles five years ago. In the late '70s Kelly was the editor of the San Jose Herald, then under the manage- ment of genial Nick Bowden, the attorney. In 1880 he collaborated with E. T. Sawyer in the writing of "Loyal Hearts," a military drama, founded on incidents of the Civil War. After the production of the play at Stockton, the late Governor James H. Budd, playing one of the principal roles, Kelly went to Virginia City and worked under Arthur McEwen until called by William Randolph Hearst to do fea- ture work for the San Francisco Examiner. After distinguishing himself by the rescue of imperiled seamen from a rock in the bay, he was detailed by Hearst to go south and cap- ture a grizzly bear. He was allotted three months in which to do the work. Kelly se- lected Ventura County as his field of opera- tion. At the expiration of three months there was no bear in sight and therefore Hearst or- dered him to return to San Francisco. But Kelly refused to leave the hills. The deal was off and his salary had stopped, but still he per- sisted in scouring the hills for a grizzly. One day he entered Hearst's office in San Fran-

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

cisco and said: "I have corraled mister bear. He is at the depot in a cage. He is for sale. Will you buy him?" Hearst said he would buy the beast if a price could be agreed upon. Kelly saw to it that the sum proposed and ac- cepted would cover his expenses and leave a comfortable sum for his work. The grizzly was named Monarch and for many years was one of the attractions at Golden Gate Park.

His long outing in the Ventura hills had given Kelly a taste for out-door life. He gave up newspaper work and entered the service of the state. As state forester he made an en- viable record and the state was the loser when he resigned his position to re-enter the news- paper field. For awhile he published a paper in Las Vegas, N. M. As it was not a money- making proposition he sold out and went to Philadelphia to fill a position on the North American. A couple of years before his death he returned to California and for awhile was editor of a paper published in Imperial Valley.

The Enterprise, a weekly paper, was pub- lished in Mayfield by W. H. Clipperton in 1869-70. It was afterward removed to Gilroy and the name changed to the Gilroy Telegram, but was discontinued after a few months.

The Gilroy Advocate was established at Gilroy September 1868 by G. M. Hanson and C. F. Macy. In 1869 it went into the hands of Kenyon and Knowlton and in 1873 to Mur- phy and Knowlton. In the same year H. Cof- fin became publisher and was succeeded in 1875 by H. C. Burckhart. In January 1876, J. C. Martin took charge and was succeeded by Rev. D. A. Dryden in October of the same year. The paper was soon afterwards leased to Frank Dryden and J. Vaughn, who con- ducted it a few months and then turned it over to F. W. Blake, who continued as proprietor until his death in 1907, when his son, W. F. Blake, took charge.

The Gilroy Crescent was established in Jan- uary, 1888, by R. G. Einfalt. It had a short existence.

The Gilroy Valley Record was first issued in May, 1881, E. S. Harrison, publisher. In 1884 it went into the hands of B. A. Wardell who changed the name to the Gilroy Gazette. Other publishers of the paper up to 1919, were E. D. Crawford, John C. Milnes, L. C. Kinney and R. G. Einfalt. Kirkpatrick and Johnson are the present proprietors.

The Los Gatos Weekly Mail was estab- lished in 1884 by H. H. Main. After eight months' experience Main sold the paper to W. P. Hughes. In 1886 Hughes sold to Walker and Fellows. Other publishers were D. D.

Bowman, W. S. Walker, A. B. Smith and A. E. Falch. In 1918 the Mail was consolidated with the News. The News was started in July, 1881, by W. S. Walker, who afterward sold to W. B. Trantham, C. C. Suydam and G. Web- ster. In March, 1886, Webster sold his inter- est to his partners. Afterward Suydam with- drew from the firm. Trantham was sole pro- prietor when the consolidation of the two papers took place.

In 1885 a weekly paper called the Courier was published at Mountain View by George Wagstaff. It lasted but a few months.

The Mountain View Weekly Register com- menced publication in April, 1888, with Frank Bacon (now a noted eastern actor) and Harry Johnston. Afterward came The Leader. In 1904, P. Milton Smith took charge of both papers and consolidated them under the name of the Register-Leader.

The Santa Clara Index was established in 1869 by a syndicate of printers. It lived for a few years and was followed by the Santa Clara News which had as publishers C. A. Gage, F. E. Ellis, Mason & Widney, and H. R. Roth. In 1920 Roth sold a half interest to Lawrence Lockney.

The Santa Clara Journal was established by N. H. Downing in 1889. He died in Decem- ber, 1904, and the paper has since been pub- lished by his daughter under the firm name of B. & B. Downing.

The Mayfield News is published by W. F. Nichols. It came into existence several years after the removal of the Enterprise.

The Campbell Press is published by Harry Smith. It was started by E. C. Hurlbert in 1895.

The Morgan Hill Times was established in 1898 by G. K. Estes. He sold to H. V. Pillow in 1918.

The Saratoga Star is a recent publication. L. C. Dick is the proprietor.

The Sunnyvale Standard was established in 1903. W. K. Roberts is the publisher.

The Palo Alto Times is published by G. F. Morell & Co. It has been in existence for twenty-eight years, having been started by W. H. Simpkins.

The Pacific Poultry Breeder was established in San Jose in 1885 by Chas. R. Harker, With one exception it is the only paper of its kind published in the United States.

Ray W. Harden started the Suburban Citi- zen in 1914. In 1922 it was changed to pocket size. It has won success by appealing to the between town and rural reader.

CHAPTER IX.

Early Days of the Drama in San Jose-The First Theater-Stark's Disgust- Other Theaters and Interesting Reminiscences of Actors, Professional and Amateur-A Few of the Old-Time Minstrels. '

Those who are left of the pioneers of San Jose, the sturdy, adventurous men and women who planted the stakes for the advanced civili- zation of today, look back with pride and pleasure to the early days of the drama in San Jose. They recall the professional work of actors and actresses of world-wide fame, whose performances, if given nowadays would awak- en the highest interest, and they linger long and lovingly over favorite names and plays, peerless productions and delightful dramatic incidents. Those were the days of stock com- panies, in which the actor to win a high place in the profession had to study and strive years upon years and to appear in such a round of characters as to establish a perfect claim to dramatic versatility and merit. In the mimic world of that day lived and flourished Junius Brutus Booth, Edwin Forrest, Charlotte Cush- man, Edwin Booth, Julia Dean Hayne, E. L. Davenport, James E. Murdock and James Stark.

To James Stark is due the credit of estab- lishing the first theater in San Jose. The year was 1859 and he was then in the height of his fame, having but recently returned, with his wife, from a highly successful engagement in Australia. Of all the tragedians who came after him, but one bore any resemblance to him in style, appearance and ability and that one was John McCullough. It must in justice be said, however, that Stark had the finer intelli- gence, and that in the parts calling for deep, dramatic insight and the interpretation of the subtler shades of human emotion, he excelled the genial Mccullough, whose forte was not exactly in the line of the purely intellectual, but in the delineation of the heroic and the muscular. Endowed with a splendid physique, an imposing carriage, a deep, resonant, finely modulated voice and true conception of drama- tic requirements, added to a rare, personal magnetism, Stark compelled attention and won the most enthusiastic plaudits for his perform- ances. In the summer of 1859 he purchased a lot on First Street, opposite the site of the present Victory Theater and upon it erected San Jose's first place of dramatic amusement. The building, which was of wood, had an ex- cellent stage and all the appliances of the regu- lation theaters of those days. The grand open- ing took place on the tenth of October and the

bill was Richelieu with Stark as the "Cardinal Duke" and Mrs. Stark as "Julie de Mortimar." The price of admission to all the plays was one dollar, both for dress circle and parquet. Each program printed by the late C. L. Yates, con- tained the announcement, "Children in arms not admitted."

Mrs. Stark was a star, as well as her hus- band. Her first husband was J. H. Kirby, the tragedian, who died in San Francisco after playing an engagement at Maguire's Opera House. His great specialty was Richard III, and so powerful was his acting in the death scene that it became the delight of the gallery and perpetuated the well-known request, "Wake me up when Kirby dies."

Belle Devine, the ingenue of Stark's com- pany was a great favorite and during her stay in San Jose she was the idol of the male younger set. After her season at Stark's Thea- ter she married George Pauncefote, an English actor, who in 1866 engineered a remarkable polyglot entertainment at the American Thea- ter in San Francisco. The play was Othello. The title role was enacted by Pauncefote in English, "lago" was given in French, "Cassio" in Danish and "Roderigo" in Spanish. The audience was large but the play only ran one night. Afterward Pauncefote went to China and never returned.

Two very popular members of Stark's com- pany were Harry Brown, who did the juveniles and walking gents ; and Nellie Brown, his wife, who was the soubrette. Brown afterward joined the stock company at Maguire's Opera House, San Francisco, and some years after the death of his wife married Mrs. Harry Jack- son, an English actress of high reputation, whose "Lady Macbeth" was considered one of the finest assumptions in the history of the American stage.

In building the theater Stark was financially assisted by the late James R. Lowe, Sr. The obligation was satisfied out of the proceeds of the first five weeks' performances. During these five weeks, though San Jose then had less than 5,000 population, the houses were large and the interest intense. The same patrons would attend the theater night after night, so strong and well balanced was the company, so meritorious the plays and so at- tractive the personality of Stark and his tal-

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ented wife. The leading man of the combina- tion was Walter Bray, who, when his engage- ment ended, forsook the sock and buskin to bask in the smiles of Momus. A few years later he was known as one of the brightest and most successful Ethiopean comedians on the Coast. For a time he was associated with Joe Murphy, then more appreciated as a bone player than a negro minstrel.

At the conclusion of the five weeks' season, Stark took his company to Sacramento where the San Jose success was repeated. Then came what old San Franciscans will always re- member-the phenomenal engagement at Ma- guire's Opera House in which Stark appearing in his round of Shakespearean characters, was hailed as one of the few great interpreters of "Hamlet," "Othello," "Macbeth," "Brutus," "Richard Ill" and "King Lear."

Fresh from his metropolitan triumphs Stark returned to San Jose and for three weeks crowded the benches of the theater, easily re- peating the success of his opening season. Now it was that he determined to make the Garden City his permanent place of residence, for from the substantial patronage bestowed upon him in the past he had acquired the faith to believe that the future was filled with golden promises. He purchased the property bounded by Second, Julian and Fourth Streets and the line of the proposed Western Pacific railway and upon it erected a handsome dwell- ing. Subsequently he went to Virginia City, Nev., to open a theater there and made con- siderable money. Seats for the first night sold as high as $500 each and the late Senator Wil- liam Sharon was credited with having paid $500 a night for a set of seats for his friends for the entire engagement.

Again returning to San Jose Stark began his last series of performances in the theater upon which he had builded so many glowing hopes. He had advertised a three weeks' sea- son, but owing to the scarcity of money which prevailed at that time, the attendance dimin- ished so that the three weeks were shortened to two. On the night of the closing perform- ance there was a "beggarly array of empty benches." Then the distinguished tragedian came forth in his wrath and made a speech to the audience in which he reproached the citi- zens of San Jose for their lack of appreciation of his efforts, closing with the announcement that he should never appear in that theater or in San Jose again. He was as good as his word. He sold his theater property to Judge William T. Wallace and his fine residence property to Hon. S. O. Houghton.

Shortly before this there had been differ- ences between Stark and his wife, which after a time culminated in a divorce. Mrs. Stark re-

mained single for a few years and then mar- ried Dr. Gray, of New York, who possessed a handsome fortune which became hers when he died. Her last husband was Charles R. Thorne, Sr., a veteran actor and manager and father of Charles R. Thorne, Jr., and Edwin Thorne, the actors.

Misfortune overtook Stark in his later years. For a time he played with Edwin Booth, but after a stroke of paralysis, was forced to aban- don the stage. His fortune was exhausted in endeavoring to obtain relief and when in dire pecuniary extremity he was remembered by his wife of former days, who sent him a large sum of money. He died in the East about forty years ago. Mrs. Thorne passed away in San Francisco in 1898.

Samuel W. Piercy, who died of small-pox in Boston in 1882, after having reached the top of his profession as an actor, made his first ap- pearance on any stage in Stark's Theater in 1865. The theater was also the scene of the debut of John W. Dunne, who became a popu- lar actor and manager and is now a resident of New York City.

After Stark's departure the theater, with name changed to the San Jose Theater, was turned over to traveling companies whose en- gagements were few and far between. The last performances given within its walls were on the 15th and 16th of March, 1867, by Robert Fulford's San Francisco Dramatic Company. The plays were Michael Erle, Don Caesar de Bazan and The Lady of Lyons. In Michael Erle the principal characters were taken by Fulford, Harry Colton, W. M. Martial, E. T. Sawyer, Miss Teresa Berrie and Belle De Nure. In April, 1867, the theater was con- verted into a carriage factory and leased to Hunt & Add. Alterations for other classes of business were made as the years rolled on. The building still stands, but there is nothing in its appearance to convey the faintest sug- gestion that it once covered the appurtenances of a theater.

From 1867 to 1870 San Jose theater-goers had to content themselves with the meager and unsatisfactory accommodations of Armory Hall on Santa Clara Street, near Third. Rob- ert Fulford did play "Hamlet" there on an im- provised stage with a few rickety wings con- stititting the entire set of scenery and the ghost arrayed in a horse blanket besprinkled with small squares of tin to represent a coat of mail. When "Hamlet," stepped on the end of a floor board which had not been nailed down, causing the other end to strike the "King of Denmark" and knock him against the wing, there was a quick collapse of the whole stage furniture and an inglorious termination of the performance.

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In 1870 Gustav Brohaska, the proprietor of Armory Hall, converted the place into a first- class theater and named it the San Jose Opera House. The opening night was August 18, and London Assurance was given in superb style by the John T. Raymond Dramatic Com- pany. Raymond, than whom a neater low comedian never tickled the risibilities of an American audience, was "Mark Meddle" and his wife, handsome and popular Marie Gordon, was "Lady Gay Spanker." Then followed a sea- son of prosperity, of fine actors and good plays. At this house appeared such popular favorites as John Mccullough, Barton Hill, James O'Neill, Robson & Crane. "Billy" Flor- ence, Thomas W. Keene, Lawrence Barrett. James Carden. James A. Herne, Harry Cour- taine, Joseph Proctor, Joe Murphy, Sue Robin- son, Jennie and Alicia Mandeville, Fay Tem- pleton, Ellie Wilton, Mrs. Sophie Edwin, Mrs. Judah, Annie Louise Cary, Clara Louise Kel- logg and Caroline Richings. Proctor's connec- tion lasted several years as he was then man- aging a circuit of theaters. He was the crea- tor of that wonderful character in melodrama, "The Jibbenainosay." for many years the piece de resistance of the Bowery.

H. A. De Lacy was the lessee of the theater in 1874 and one of his first attractions was Fay Templeton, the charming vocalist and child actress. James A. Herne, whose "Shore Acres," netted him a fortune, was a member of the company. One of his great parts was "Rip Van Winkle." declared by David Belasco to be superior to the "Rip" of Joseph Jefferson.

It was at this theater that Eleanor Calhoun, afterward a popular London actress and at present writing the wife of Prince Lazarovich of Serbia, made her first appearance on any stage in E. T. Sawyer's military drama, "Loyal Hearts." The cast was a local one, John T. Malone and H. A. De Lacy sustaining the leading male roles. Malone, who was dep- uty district attorney at the time, afterwards adopted the stage as a profession, became an eastern star and died while officiating as sec- retary of the Players' Club. founded by Edwin Booth, in New York City.

On the morning of July 5, 1881, the Opera House was burned to the ground. But San Jose was not left without a place of amuse- ment, for the California Theater on Second Street near San Fernando, had been running for several years.

The California Theater was erected by Hayes & Downer in 1878-79 and was formally opened on May 12th, 1879, by a company of amateurs. The play was "Evadne" and the performers were J. J. Owen, editor of the Mercury : J. H. Campbell, for many years dean of the law department of the Santa Clara Uni-

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 19

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1934

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934