Life — April 27, 1905 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

-LIFE- which confirms every accusation ever made by Lire against this wretched and, to-day, contemptible combination of did cheaters. It has been shown that they were not underhanded in their dealings with every one with but that they were doing their best They have been shown up pub- whom they did busine to defraud one another. licly as guilty of transactions which make Judas Iscariot And it is to men like these that the American people leave the control of the art which is most closely in touch with and which enters most nearly into the lives of the greatest number of us. ‘To men of this sort has been and is the power to tyrannize over and almost saintly by comparison. injure and grieve and submit to the grossest indignities men and women who by the very nature of their calling have most sensitive natures. The tears and suffering these men have caused would, if entered up against them punishment, condemn them to eternal tort AVID BELASCO has rendered theatric art, but none greater than the persistency many services to with which he fought to avenge the wrongs inflicted upon him by the Theatrical Trust, and show to the Ameri- can public what kind of men these are who arrogantly boast of their absolute control of the theatre in this free snfortunately can- give the details of this litigation, or even a rés' of what has been brought out in evidence. Here, however, is a brief extract from the testimony of Mr. Mare Klaw, of the firm of Klaw & Erlanger, which is a fair sample of country. Lire is not a newspaper and what passes for truth in some minds: * You made about $20,000 from the Warfield production of ‘The Auctioneer’ 2” 489 **1 suppose so: | have heard so.” nd you made more money out of the theatres where the play was produced ?” ! don't know,” responded Klaw made an affidavit in this case 2” 't you swear to this in this affidavit: ‘1am a member of the firm of Klaw & Erlanger ; that said firm was never a partner of David Belasco or David Belasco’s company or any one else in the profits of “ The Auctioneer” and never had any interest in the profits of said pro- duction? ?” “+ I did so swear,” responded Mr. Klaw, while Mr many of the spectators laughed. ** You say now that your firm was never the partner of Brooks >" oy Untermyer and two-thirds of Brooks's one-half of the profits of * The Yes ; the firm did.” “Have you any explanation of thestatement in your affidavit—"I never had any interest in the profits of said production’ ?” I stand by my affidavit,” responded Mr. Klaw Slight contradictions like this, the disappearance of wit- nesses who might testify to damaging tacts, the destruction at of important books and papers and a num- ber of other devious things calculated to bring law and justice into contempt, were frequent occurrences in this re- markable trial, but in spite of every twist and turn, it is certain that Mr, Belasco has proved all that he set out to prove . . H, David he, with one small stone, The great Goliath slew. Now, David B,, with one lawsurt, Shows up this sordid crew. “Great Scott!" cry they, * We'd rather be Like dead and gone Goliath, Phan have it shown by David B, We're every one a liar.” Metcalfe. comicbooks.com