EDINBURGH FIRE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10766, 15 May 1911, Page 4

EDINBURGH FIRE.

LAFAYETTE'S DOUBLE. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] (Pep. Press Association - .) London, May 13. The man burned at the Edinburgh Theatre supposed to be Lafayette proved to bti Bichards, who, resembling Lafayette, acted as his double in some performances. The remains of the real Lafayette were found in the ruins, and last 'evening were identified by finger rings and other parts. | Mr Chas. Daly, vaudeville artist, at present appearing at the Opera House, gave a Press reporter some interesting information about Lafayette's work. Lafayette, he said, was one of the foremost American showmen. He had won liis way to the front by his own ability. Some few years ago he had been doing a single turn, as a lightning sketch artist. Then he had been a quickchange artist —then an impersonator of ; great bandmasters. Gradually he had worked all these roles together, gathering- a company of fifty or sixty, .arid with them giving, perhaps, a two hours' performance. His illusions were wonderful, and he thought out and arranged them-all 'himself. Ab' an 65c-; ample, Lafayette would be on the stage impersonating a bandmaster; he would be so humOroiis. that a lady in the body; of the house would become hysterical". The attendants would, rush to her with a glass of water, arid she would stand; up, remove, some,of her .garni'efits, .'and.; there would;be Lafayette-.himself. MrDalv imagined that the act was worked with a double, but he did not know any more about it than the spectators, who were always mystified,. :One of the cable, messages received last night, and published above ; : mentions a double, so Mr Daly's, surinise is' right.' ■;;.- -• - -' , ; Regarding the Empire '. where the fire took place, Mr Daly had little favorable to say. It was- a fire trap. He named another Scottish theatre where the conditions were even jworse, the dressing rooms for the artists being underneath the stage. The Eng-lish-were careless where precautions 'against fire were concerned. ' It was in. America. There, since the Iroquois fire, all scenery had to be fireproofed before it was used. The commissioners made inspections at frequent intervals, and their orders had to be complied with. The official marks, showing that it had satisfied the commissioners' requirements,-were to be seen on the scenery that he had brought from America with him.