Part 477: Thomas G. Moses and “Scout’s Revenge”
In 1903 Moses & Hamilton created the scenery for “Scout’s Revenge,” a four-act melodrama written by Hal Reid. Reid also wrote “The Night Before Christmas,” another 1903 show with scenery by Moses & Hamilton. James Halleck “Hal” Reid (1863-1920) was a playwright and stage actor who eventually transitioned to film, becoming a screen actor, director and writer in Hollywood. He worked with his teenage son, Wallace Reid who was a screen actor and starred in many of Hollywood’s silent film era.
The story of “Scout’s Revenge” portrayed life on the western plains. A homeless boy is murdered and Buck Henshawe, the U. S. government marshal and scout, is notified to investigate the case. The scout sets out to find the guilty party and those responsible for the many robberies that have recently terrorized Sherman. During his investigation, Henshaw meets Olive Benton. Benton is the daughter of Col. Benton, a millionaire ranch owner. The two fall in love. The villain of this melodrama is Wilfred Castro who is also on love with Olive. Castro is related to the Benton family, but leads a double life, as he is also the leader of the outlaws – ‘Captain Wildfire.’ Castro to force Olive to marry him, but she knows he is a villain and repeatedly refuses his matrimonial offers. In the end, the villain is killed and the hero gets the girl.
The story was described in many local newspapers as an attempt to draw in a large audience, such as the Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York, 29 Dec. 1903, page 6). The article reported, “The Scout’s Revenge, which is not quite so full of blood and thunder as might be imagined from its name, is altogether better than the average run of western shows. There is, however, ample opportunity for lots of shooting, but possible objection to this offset in a measure by a good plot and a wealth of pretty scenery. Then, too, there are certain distinct parts of the piece which are characteristic of the quiet, wholesome home life of a Texas ranch. It is a pretty play, depicting life in Southern Texas with a strain of comedy and love running through it. The story of the play deals with the double life led by Wilfred Castro, who poses as a prospector, but in serious business is Captain Wildfire, leader of the band of outlaws. This band of renegades murder a little friend of Buck Hanshaw, a government scout, who has determined to bring Wildfire to justice. Hanshaw swears revenge. From that point to the end the story tells how he got it and the situations and climaxes are thrilling and full of excitement.”
“The Chicago Tribune” commented about the author’s formulaic approach in “Scout’s Revenge.” He wrote, “Villains always plot in the first act. They plot out loud so that the comic friend can hear them and tell the hero, thereby enabling him to get to the spot where the crime is to be committed at the right moment to be blowed up, or shot, or thrown in real water, or something like that just as the curtain goes down in the second act. Wilfred is plotting in the first act of ‘Scout’s Revenge.’ He is the confidential friend of Col Adial Benton, whose bewitching daughter, Olive, the villain is going to marry ‘Cu-urse her, she loves Buck Henshaw.’ Of course, Col. Benton, as the rich and fond parent, is determined to marry his daughter off to the villain, and insists that Buck Henshaw is a low down horsetheif. That’s the way fond parents always do in the first act. Some day some stage parent is going to turn on the villain in the first act and drive him from the house instead of his daughter” (20 Sept. 1903, page 52).
The article describes the scene of Olive’s departure when she says, “Nev-air; I shall not become the wife of yon villain.” Her father responds, “Well, me proud be-u-ty, where will you go?” At this point Buck Henshaw clasps the heroine in his arms and says, “She shall go with me as my wife,” and the act curtain falls. Although this may sound a little bit much, it harkens back to the wild tales of Thomas Moses running away to the big city and his secret correspondence with his future wife Ella, before “rescuing” her from Sterling, Illinois!
In the final act of “Scout’s Revenge,” the “Chicago Tribune” explains, “the villain, disguised as a Mexican, appears at the colonel’s house, for what purpose nobody seems to know except that it is the fourth and last act and the poor villain had to come around and get killed. The funeral is postponed, while the comic friend makes love to the soubrette. Then Buck appears and jerks off the villain’s false mustache and wig and the execution takes place. There is a small battle and as the smoke drifts away and the frantic gallery quiets down Wilfred rolls over two or three times and says that he is dying and that he deserved to be killed, as he was really a bad sort. He then rolls over and over again, and sticking his head in the footlights, dies, and the curtain comes down, just missing the villain, who is dragged back by the heels. Thus do virtue and true love again win their way over conspiracy and dark deeds”
“Scout’s Revenge” was still touring four years later in 1907 (The Morning Journal Courier, 16 Dec. 1907).
To be continued…
