Evening Star Newspaper, November 17, 1929, Page 102

Smmmm— | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., NOVEMBER 17, 1929, Odd Fellows Hall Noted Old Show Place BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. HERE are many Washington people who can recall when Odd Fellows’ Hall on Seventh street northwest was one of our most interesting show places for freaks and the like, and for the playing of the lighter dramas and melodramas then so popular on the local stage. Of course those who attended thes: perform- ances earlier than the eighties must be hover- ing around the fifties, and perhaps consider= ably older if they could be induc:d to tell their right age, for the style of play or exhibition, as the case might have been, appealed not only to the children of that day but to. their parents and the grown-ups as well. However, it is hard to judge a person's age around 60, and if they can pass off for 40, as many are able to, it indicates good, sober and clean living, and a proper amount of atten- tion to work, and if they can remember Odd Fellows’ Hall and a few other things, so much the better for having taken cafe of them- selves. So far as the writer is concerned, he does not particularly care who knows how old he Iis, since the date of his birth has been published #0 many times that it would be ridiculous for him to deny it even if he cared to do so, and furthermore he is married and does not expect to be marrizd again, so he can unhesitatingly admit seeing nearly all the freaks that were ever exhibited at this old Seventh street hall, as well as numerous little sob plays performed there by local amateurs and by professional talent. Well does he recall the enormous and beautiful chandeliers, with their thousands of glass prisms reficcting all the colors of the rainbow from the many gas jets used to light up the hall before the days of the electric light. What a glorious recollection for one to retain for a full half century! Some few people are buying up these old fixtures, as they are still being removed from old structures, and placing them in more modern houses, and it is what the writer calls good tast> and judgment for them to do so, for nothing to him by way of modern artificial light decoration is near so beautiful as those old massive, hanging chandeliers. D FELLOWS' HALL. What memories the % old place awakens! Here were performed many of the early temperance plays of the style of “Ten Nights in a Barroom.” One dedicated to Father Matthews of old St. Pat- rick’s Church is advertised in The Star of January, 1875, and it was so good that it ran for a week or more when it had been billed for a shorter stay. pealed to the writer, and he copied it that The Star’s readers might share in the enjoy- ment of reading it, too. So here it is: “ODD FELLOWS' HALL. «1875. A New Year Festival. 1875. “Priday and Saturday Afternoon and Nights. “Return to Washington of the emi- nent artists, Rose and Harry Watkins, and the wonderful child actress and songstress, Little Amy Lee, in a grand moral drama, entitled, «“‘HIS WORST ENEMY, OR THE ANGEL CHILD,’ “dedicated to the memory of Father Matthews, the great apostie of temper- ance, and the Good Templars of America. This powerful play has met with ex- traordinary success throughout the country, and is a faithful picture of the ‘times we live in,’ depicting the political and social aspects of our national life, and vividly illustrating the besetting sin of society. “Admission 50 cents and 25 cents; re- served seats, 75 cents—to be had at Ellis’ Music Store on and after Wednesday morning.” Following on the heels of this came Blind Tom, the celebrated Negro boy pianist and vocalist, who always applauded himself even if no one else did, which of course was seldom the case, and then perhaps, sandwiched in be- tween the more serious performances came a troupe of athletes, and the man who played on the musical glasses such exquisite pieces as “I Wander Today O'’er the Hills, Maggie,” to be followed later on by the ever-popular “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” whose pathetic parts have brought tears to the eyes of many a sympa- thetic attendant. Though it has been many years since the writer witnessed this dramatization of Har- riet Beecher Stowe’s great slavery story, yet he has not forgotten the lump that then swelled in his throat and the copious tears he shed when little Eva, in her dying hours, sang “Uncle Tom, oh, make him free, papa, promise this to me,” nor the lawyer whose name was Marks, and Simon Legree, as well as Topsy. who “just grew”; poor old Uncle Tom, and Eliza, who made her thrilling escape over the scenic cakes of ice, followed by a “ferocious” bloodhound. Indeed it is undoubtedly true that this play had a powerful influence in fanning into flame the smoldering embers of secession in the South and the forming of the Confederate States of America. The story was first pub- lished in the National Era office of this city in 1851-2, which was, singularly enough, then at 428 Seventh street northwest, opposite Odd Fellows' Hall, the site now being occupied by the Lansburgh department store. This paper was established here as an aboli- tionist organ on January 7, 1847, with Dr. Gamaliel Bailey as editor and John G. Whit- tier, the Quaker poet, as corresponding editor, and for awhile was a thriving weekly. The sentiment in Washington then was pro- Southern, and, because of the feeling against the paper and its management, it is said that only one lady called to pay her respects to the editor’'s wife during the first six months of her residence here at the southeast corner of Eighth and E streets northwest, where for -years stood the Concordia Hall. The announcement ap- ° Famous Midgets, Including Tom Thumb, Were Exhibited There Together With Freaks Assembled by Barnum—ILighter Dramas and Thrill Plays Attracted Washington Amusement Seckers. Changes in Business Area. Old Odd Fellows’ Hall, dedicated in 1846. However, whereas Dr. Bailey was never lion- ized in Washington, yet, because of the sensible and conservative way in which he conducted the Era, he made and retained many friends even among those opposed to him on the question of slavery. DOC'XOR BAILEY did not live many years after coming to this city, and his death is announced in the National Era of June 30, 1859, where it is stated: “Mr. Raymond informs us that Marcellus, son of Dr. Bailey, will return with the remains of his father in the Vander- bilt, which sails from Havre the 22d of this mcnth and is due in New York the 2d of Juiy.” It seems he died on board the Arago, while on a voyage for his health, Sunday, June 5, 1859, on the high seas, and that his eldest son, Marcellus Bailey, was with him at the time. His body was returned to this city, arriving here on July 4 of that year, and interred in Left to right: Commodore Nutt, Mrs. Tom Thumb, the giant and Tom Thumb. Congressional Cemetery, the Rev. Dr. Butler, rector of Trinity Church, “delivering an elo- quent funeral sermon,” assisted by Rev. Mr., Ernest. The press at the time stated that he left & wife and six children. His eldest son, Marcellus, who accompanied his father on the trip, served in the Civil War, with the rank of major, and after the war became a patent attorney in this city. Upon his death he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He left one daughter, Miss Evelyn Bailey, who is believed to be still living in Washington. Dr. Gamaliel Bailey was born in Mount Holly, N. J., December 3, 1807. He studied medicine in Philadelphia, and after obtaining his degree in 1828, sailed as a ship’s doctor to China. His editorial career began in the office of the Methodist Protestant, in Baltimore. From here, in 1831, he removed to Cincinnati, where he served as a hospital physician during the cholera epidemic there. Becoming an active worker for the anti-slavery cause in 1836, he soon became sole editor of the Cincinnatd Philanthropist, the earliest anti-slavery newse paper in the West, and these duties he cone tinued to perform until coming to this city. ‘The variety of shows put on at Odd Fellows® Hall might be judged by the two advertisements herewith which were published in The Star of April 15 and May 3, respectively, 1875. THOUGH we old-timers fondly recall the tattooed man, the living skeleton, the fat man, the sword-swallower, the giant, and other curiosities, yet no doubt the lilliputians attracted most of our youthful attention, especially Mr, and Mrs. Tom Thumb, Minnie Warren and Commodore Nutt. They came to Odd Fellows® Hall for a number of years, under the manage- ment of P. T. Barnum, who, as a showman, was probably without an equal. In 1852, Barnum picked up Charles Heywood Stratton in his home town of Bridgeport, Conn., and seeing the possibilities of an additional at- traction to his New York museum, engaged him at the seemingly ridiculous salary of $3 a week. The name Charles Heywood Stratton was not a good name for the show business, and Barnum immediately changed this to Tom Thumb, and, proving a drawing card right from the beginning, his salary was soon increased to $25 a week and traveling expenses. In 1854, Barnum took him to England, a trip which proved a highly financial success, and the handsome dwarf was presented to Queen Victoria and other members of the royal family. Frem England he was taken to Paris, where he was welcomed by more national leaders and where additional coin of the realm was pocketed in anticipation of a rainy day and their return to America. Madame Rentz’s Female Minstrels and M’lle. Marie De Lacour's Parisian Can-Can Dancers. ODD FELLOWS' HALL Positively Two Nights Only Friday and Saturday, May 7th and 8th Two Performances Daily, Afternoon at 3, Evening at 8 o'clock Doors open at 2 and 7 o'clock SYLVESTER BLEEKER . . . Manager The Great Original and Renowned General TOM THUMB and WIFE, COMMODORE NUTT, and MINNIE WARREN, will appear in a variety of fascinating performances. Also MAJOR NEWELL, the skatorial phenomenon, in his astonishing dance upon parlor skates. POPULAR PRICES—Admission only 25 cents; Children under 10 years, 15 cents. Reserved seats, 50 cents; Children under 10 to reserved seats, 25 cents. Barnum was & real Yankee, having been born in Bethel, Conn., in 1810, and for original ideas of entertaining and fooling the public, is even today without a peer. He conceived the notion that Tom Thumb must have a wife to boost along his advertising power and inci- dentally to increase the box-office receipts. And so, up in Middleboro, Mass., he sought Mercy Lavinia Mompus, or Bonpasse, the name of the French family from which she was descended. Her name did not suit Barnum, and he substie tuted for show purposes that of Lavinia War= ren, and soon she was being led to the altar of Grace Church, New York, by the gallant Mr, Thumb. At this time Miss Warren was 32 inches in height and weighed 29 pounds, while Tom Thumb was slightly taller, though when first exhibited he measured only two feet in height, which, however, ultimately was increased to around 40 inches. Commodore Nutt and Minnie Warren, the bride’s sister, two other famous midgets, who used to come to Odd Fellows' Hall, and who were subsequently married, served as groomse man and bridesmaid. Both of these were even much smaller than the contracting couple, but unusually well formed for little people. THE wedding took place on Tuesday, Februe ary 10, 1863, and can be best told by quot- ing a newspaper account of the event printed at that time, which says: g “We entered the sacred edifice. Grand, solemn and silent, dim aisles—'storied windows richly light,’ etc.—and here, indeed, was the show. If we had thought it a delicious jam outside, what shall we say of it within? Here, indeed, was the true ‘vision of fair women.’ Here was the carnival of crinoline, the apothesis of purple and fine linen. Never before was the scarlet lady seen to such advantage. Babylon was a rag fair to it. “Ah! the musical rustle of silk as they passed us by; the lace! the feathers! the gems—