On October 9, 1892, Thomas G. Moses traveled to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Sosman & Landis were contracted by Charles Davis to produce the scenery for a big production of “Alvin Joslyn” (sometimes spelled Joslin).
Moses and Loitz had spent the previous fall in Pittsburg when they furnished all of the scenery for the Alvin Theatre on Sixth Street. Moses was returning to produce the scenery for a specific production of Alvin Joslyn. As discussed in installment #240, the Alvin Theatre was owned by actor Charles Davis who originated the rural farmer character. He made his fortune playing the character and traveling throughout the country, finally building a theatre in Pittsburg during 1889. For this particular project, Moses was on site by himself as Ed Loitz remained to supervise other projects in Sosman & Landis the annex studio.
Moses described his adventures at the Alvin Theatre during the fall of 1892. He wrote, “If I ever made a hit, I did it here. One drop, a scene laid in the Jewish quarters of New York City, was a clothing store. It was a night scene. Mr. Morris Moses, a Hebrew and newspaper man, a friend of Mr. Davis’, often came to the [paint] bridge and suggested some lettering for the signs on this drop. I did them. After the opening, several men asked Mr. Davis who his scenic artist was and he told them “Moses.” They knew he must have been a Jew by the Yiddish on the signs. Thanks to Morris Moses. I never told Davis who suggested the signs.”
In 1900 Davis died at the age of fifty-two years. He had been sick for several weeks with peritonitis and paralysis of the throat. Born to a theatre family, Davis went on the stage at the age of five, and was in the show business continuously from that time until 1889, when he retired and built the Alvin Theater at a cost of $225,000. His enterprise became too much of a financial burden, and in its second season the Fort Pitt Bank took charge of the house, with the understanding that when the $170,000 indebtedness was cleared its owner should resume charge. At the time of his death, all claims had all been met, with the exception of about $20,000. Davis was expected to retain sole ownership by the next season. His obituary published that he had no surviving relatives.
After Davis’ death, it was discovered that he had willed his entire estate, consisting of the Alvin Theatre and other property valued at over $200,000 to “a woman related to him by no other ties that those of friendship.”
The newspapers reported that Charles L. Davis had left a multiplicity of wills. One was left in the custody of Attorney S. A. Johnson that designated Mrs. Simpson (Margaret Schriver) as heir to a large portion of the actor’s estate, but several others came to light. It was generally believed that the will was made before the marriage of Schriver, but an investigation proved that to be untrue and the will was made five months and five days AFTER she married Edwin F. Simpson, dated April 5, 1896. The marriage license was from October 30, 1895, and at the time Schriver was twenty-two years old and living in Allegheny.
Enter Catherine Davis, also known as Kittle Huddleson, alleged wife of Davis. Charles L. Schultz, former ticket taker at the Alvin Theare. Davis left Schultz $300 in the Schriver will and says that another will was made later with Kittle Huddleston. Huddleston, after learning of the Schriver will, filed suit contesting the will. Mr. Davis boarded with Miss Kittle Huddleston and her mother at the time of his death. It was claimed that Huddleston also had the bill of sale for some of the personal property, consisting of diamonds and jewels.
Huddleston filed suit to get possession of the Alvin Theatre in the Kittle Huddleston against Nixon and Zimmerman the same year of Davis’ death. The stumbling block for Huddleston was her inability to furnish a birth certificate. Born in 1871, the city only had records back to 1875. Although she had proof of her parents’ marriage and baptism certificate from St. Vincent’s Church, the lack of an official birth certificate was a problem. On June 5, the suit of Catherine Davis, better known as Kittle Huddleston against Nixon & Zimmerman, proprietors of the Alvin Theater, for a share of the Davis estate, was thrown out of court. The ruling was that the suit should properly have been brought in the Orphan’s court. The papers reported that Huddleston would carry the case to the Supreme Court, but the story seems to have ended there.
And then there was the long-lost relative -Charles H. Davis of Baltimore, whose wife claims to be the only living relative (niece) of Mr. Davis. Two wills and one long-lost relative, all seeking claim to the Davis estate.
However, there was one more scandal surrounding the Davis estate – hidden treasure. On March 11, 1900, the Pittsburg Press reported, “[Huddleston] was not aware of the whereabouts of Mr. Davis’ jewels.” The article continued, “The husband of Mrs. Simpson, it is said, will come to Pittsburgh to look after her interests and will engage counsel for the purpose. Attorney Johnson does not believe there was a later will than the one filed. He added: ‘While I have not yet seen the diamonds owned by Mr. Davis, I believe I know where they are. I advised him once to rent a box in some safe deposit vault and place his jewels in it, and I am satisfied that I can find this box. I propose to make a search of every safe deposit vault in the city, and I think I will be successful.’ No person has seen the diamonds and the real hiding place is still a mystery.
Davis’ life and passing could have been produced as a play, one that surpassed performed at the Alvin Theatre.
To be continued…
