OCR Text |
Show liuliwf sick. The Richest Diva on the American Stage Prostrated With an Attack of Pneumonia, A DAKIN3 STOCK SPECULATOR Possesses a Piiier Wardrobe Than Any Queen, and Her Ya3t Fortune Estimated Esti-mated at Three Millions. The most successful lyric artist on the American stage, both from a professional profes-sional ami monetary standpoint, is : dangerously ill at the Hotel Temple, suffering from an attack of phenii-nionia. phenii-nionia. ".She is no better," said Mr. Charles 11. l'ratt to a Timi-.S representative this morning in response to an enquiry in regard to the condition of his star Mi-s Kiiinia Abbott, and ho si'emed greatly depressed over the situation. Naturally there is a deep hand of sympathy between the actress and her niauager. Kleevn years ago Charles 11. Pratt was a manager in a small way handling the attractions of the Uedpath Lyceum bureau. His success in such small venture as lecture and concert engagements attracted the eye of the Into K. It. WuthiToll, husband nf Misa Abbott, and tho two men formed a partnership fur tho pl.tciiiu on tho rond nn opera company in which Emma Abbott was to bo tho star. I'oreloveu yean tho faithful little diva met every eiiR.lirement. ami though ho Rang as many as eight time' a week, never missing a performance on account of .sickness tint i I last night. This record is unparalleled in tho annals an-nals of the stage. 1 luring her appear-nnce appear-nnce in this city in October two years ago her husband, K. K. Wetherell. contracted con-tracted a cold and was troubled with a slight hacking cough. Hot hud a busi-tivss busi-tivss transaction involving the sale of real estate in Denver that called him thither, and while signing the deeds for fTfl.OOO worth of real estate ho dropped dead of heart disease. Entering lte high altitude when ho was in delicate health is believed to have been the im-niediato im-niediato causo of his death. Tho linancial success of tho Abbott opera company has been phenomenal, xhe firm of l'ratt & Welheral for many years divided a net profit out of the season's business of $:ir,000, after paying pay-ing Miss Abbott a prodigal percentage out of the business. This years business busi-ness promises to exeeetl that of any former season. Although in but the 17th week tho books show u profit of $;n.000. The company left New York In September and opened tho season at Detroit during exposition week. The cities in which Miss Abbott does tho largest business are Philadelphia, lioston, Chicago, Washington. Urook-lyn Urook-lyn and Uoston iu tho order named. Miss Abbott has made even more money in stock speculations than out of her voico. Her vast fortune is largely invested in government bonds and stocks. She also had heavy holdings of real estate in Minneapolis, Portland, . Kansas City Indianapolis nud Denver. After tho death of her husband hus-band Miss Abbot found it inconvenient in-convenient to attend to this nnd closeeout much of it, placing $:itm,-OIK) $:itm,-OIK) of the niopey in government bonds. Her favorite railroad stock is Lacka- - wana & Western, of which she holds a long line. Her fortune is estimated at 1 13,000,000, though it is affected very "" largely by tho rise and fall of the stock i market. Miss Abbott has accumulated a ward- , robe liner than any queen, and somo idea of its extent and luxuriousness is indicated by the number of white dresses sho possetses, which number no less than eighty. The success of the Abbott company is emphasized by the fact that it is the only organization of its kind that has made money year in and year out, every rival organization having met with financial disasters. Charles H. Pratt has proved himself to bo tho shrewdest theatrical manager in America, Amer-ica, and Miss Abbott had sense enough to appreciate his business tact, aud instead in-stead of losing her head with success and trying to run the business herself, she retained her manager and allowed him a liberal share of tho profits. M anager l'ratt said that Miss Abbott's sickness will not interfere with the production pro-duction of the "Masked Hall" this evening, even-ing, as ho got up that opera to allow Miss Abbott to rest up, her part being but that of a page with a couple of gongs. The part will be sung by Miss Prodorick, nee Emma Krause, who has been with the company many years. Doctors Pickering and Pas'com are attending Miss Abbott, and she is receiving re-ceiving every attention and care that their line professional skill can extend. |