Charley White’s Minstrels

“The attendance last night at White’s Opera House, 472 Broadway, was quite large. The programme, generally speaking, was pleasing and well received. In the ballet divertisement [sic] the performance was very creditable and repeatedly applauded.”

“Charley White has been successful in establishing at the old quarters of Bryant’s Minstrel Hall a first class variety place of amusement. Ever since he first assumed the management he has been rewarded by a good run of houses. The place is rather small, but almost any manager would be satisfied to crowd just such a place as it has been crowded of his. Charley opened the past week with two new faces in the persons of Ben Goldsmith, announced as a clog as well as wooden leg dancer, and Harry Burchard, comedian and ventriloquist. Mr. Goldsmith claims to be the Champion Clog Dancer of America, and challenged Tim Hayes, Dick Sands, or any man in the country, to compete with him for the Championship. By his engagement with Mr. White he was to do a clog dance and a wooden leg dance, but failed to have a wooden leg the night he opened or the following night; consequently he was discharged the second night for inability to perform as he had agreed. We saw Mr. Goldsmith do a clog dance on Tuesday evening; if he cannot do any better than he did then, his chances to compete successfully with Hayes and Sands are small. He dressed fancifully, and wears a pair of red top clog boots, with tassels attached. Mr. Goldsmith is neither a graceful nor artistic dancer, that is, providing he ‘done his level best’ on the evening we saw him dance, and there are a number on the stage who, for difficult movements, quickness, and grace can surpass him. The afterpiece of ‘The Statues’ was very cleverly done by Laura Le Claire, Josh Hart and George Edison.”