A Preacher's Attack Becomes Free Publicity for Seattle's Potter-Bellew Run
A Portland minister accused the touring actors of scandalous church behavior; telegrams from Victoria said he had the wrong couple, and Seattle theatergoers got a four-night engagement to judge for themselves.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mrs. Potter and Kyrle Bellew will begin a four-night engagement at the Seattle Theater tomorrow night, assisted by an excellent company. They will produce "The Iron Master" on Monday, "In Society" on Tuesday, "Camilla" on Wednesday, and "Theresa" on Thursday, the last night of the engagement. Mrs. Potter has just returned from an extended tour of the Orient and was warmly received in San Francisco; Mr. Bellew also received favorable notice, and the company is pronounced strong. The engagement has been preceded by a Portland controversy. A Portland preacher, Dr. Wallace, attacked the actors and said they had been in the church and left under circumstances that caused discussion. Telegrams from Victoria deny that Mrs. Potter or Mr. Bellew were at the church. Edward Emery of Portland and Manager S. Rice of the Potter-Bellew Company both stated that neither was present, and that members of their company were the couple who left the church. The incident has aroused sympathetic interest in the Seattle engagement.
“Whatever may be thought of the merits of his statements, or of his methods, it is certain that the doctor provided a nine days' wonder for a very large number of people.”
Celebrity gossip and moral policing could fill a theater just as online controversy can fill a venue today; the preacher's accusation became free publicity for a Seattle engagement. The episode also shows how touring stars depended on rail and steamship circuits to move a repertoire from San Francisco to the Northwest.
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