The next star to shine in our firmament was J. K. Emmett. "Joe," as he was familiarly called, was just at the zenith of his fame about this time, and he filled the theatre from pit to dome. The character of "Fritz" appealed strongly to nearly all theatre goers, and "Joe" Emmett with his bewitching voice and catchy lullabies, had an easy road to fame and fortune. Emmett played from the 10th to the 13th.
The Couldocks, father and daughter, now played a return engagement, covering two weeks, from May 22nd to June 5th, repeating mostly old repertoire. They were followed closely by Mr. and Mrs. Ida Hernandez, a Polish couple, who came to this country with Madam Modjeska, and were now working their way to the East. They were clever performers, but being unknown, they did not draw heavy houses. June 8th to the 11th.
The Lingards followed Hernandez in a brief engagement of three nights, June 12th to 14th. The following week was filled in by the Hernandez and the Carter-Cogswell contingent of the Salt Lake stock company. J. M. Carter and his wife, Carrie Carter (nee Lyne-Cogswell) had recently arrived from Denver and had been added to the stock company, which had been weakened materially by the loss of several of its prominent members. Hardie had gone to the Virginia City theatre; Lindsay had gone on a visit to England and had withdrawn from the company for a time; Miss Alexander had also drifted away to the East, so that when the Carters arrived and sought engagement, the managers readily availed themselves of their services. They played here for a few weeks and at the close of the season went on to California.
On July 3rd, Edwin Adams made his first appearance at this theatre. He opened in the character of "Rover" in "Wild Oats" and played in addition, "Extremes," "Enoch Arden," and "William" in "Black Eyed Susan." Mr. Adams filled out a week with great satisfaction to our theatre goers, the managers, and the company, and with very satisfactory financial results to himself. He was a gratification to both eyes and ears a brilliant actor with a melodious voice, and in appearance the ideal actor.
The following week John McCullough, who had with him Helen Tracy as a leading female support, played a notable engagement, rendered more so by the fact that Edwin Adams was retained to appear in conjunction with Mr. McCullough. They gave "Damon and Pythias," with McCullough as "Damon" and Adams as "Pythias," and notwithstanding McCullough made an excellent "Damon," so convincing was Adams as "Pythias," that the critical Salt Lakers declared it was "Pythias" and "Damon" on that occasion, putting the brilliant Adams ahead of McCullough in their admiration. Adams played "Iago" to McCullough's "Othello" and even strengthened the favorable opinion of him. For their closing performance together, "Hamlet" was given with Adams as the Prince and McCullough as the King. Miss Helen Tracy lent some lustre to the triple alliance and this engagement is remembered as one of the most notable ever given in the now historic theatre.
Just how it chanced that McCullough and Adams got dates so close together, the one immediately succeeding the other, I have forgotten, but as Adams was going to the Pacific coast and McCullough and Miss Tracy were going East, I presume that their meeting here was purely accidental.
They were very glad to see each other, "John" and "Ned," and decided to have a good time while they were together; to that end Adams, who was in no great hurry to get to San Francisco, decided to stay over during McCullough's engagement and play in some of his pieces with him, which he did as stated above. The combination was a strong one, and no doubt helped McCullough's engagement, as this was his second visit; but the primary object of the combination was evidently to have a good time. We had an actors' club here at that early day which must not be forgotten.
On January 16th preceding, Milton Nobles played the "Marble Heart," appearing as Raphael. Nobles was then a young actor, comparatively unknown. He was on his way to the East, where some years later he became widely known through his plays of "The Phoenix," "From Sire to Son," etc.
There was at this time residing in Salt Lake a gentleman by the name of Bentham Fabian. Fabian was widely and favorably known for certain peculiarities. He was extremely fond of the theatre, and every actor was his friend. He was one of those versatile fellows that could turn his hand to many things. He organized a public library here, which he called "The Salt Lake Exchange and Reading Rooms," and he was the librarian. It was while Milton Nobles was here that Fabian worked up a "benefit" for this library, at which Governor Vaughn, (then Governor of Utah), recited Poe's "Bells," and Nobles and the writer gave the third act of "Othello" (in evening dress), Nobles reading "Iago," and the writer "Othello." There were several other numbers by Fabian and others, and music by the Military band from Fort Douglas. One of Fabian's strong peculiarities was that he loved his pipe and glass and occasionally his courtly bearing and Chesterfieldian manners would get a little lopsided and obscure. This benefit, being a sort of royal occasion with Bentham, he had a fresh keg of beer in his den behind the library, and after the entertainment was over he invited all the performers (except the "band") to go and help drink it.
Governor Vaughn having a prior engagement, declined, but the rest of us adjourned to the library. Fabian, eager to treat "the boys," made haste to tap the keg, but there was a decided uncertainty about his manipulation of the mallet and tap, which plainly indicated that he had already been tapping something. So Cyrus Hawley (Judge Hawley's son) rather impatiently and dramatically exclaimed, "Give me the daggers!" (the mallet and tap), and taking them from Fabian with the air of an expert tapster, he proceeded to drive the tap; he made a misslick, and in an instant he was covered from head to foot in foamy beer. His nice clothes were apparently ruined, and he was roundly sworn at for wasting so much good beer. After stopping the flood, there proved to be sufficient left to make all hands merry and happy.