74                           AN AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF THE

Regiment, under Colonel Johnson, Runyon's Brigade. After one year's service in
the army, he went to Washington, D. C, where he engaged with the Fry Brothers,
then on Pennsylvania avenue, to play on the end and do songs and dances,
for which he received a salary of $io a week. He created a sensation with his
high kicking and his song and dance. He then went to Hitchcock's Variety Hall,
run by William Hitchcock, on Canal street, near the Bowery, in New York,
receiving there a salary of $15 a week. After a two weeks' engagement at that
place Robert Butler engaged him for his famous music hall, known as "444"
Broadway. He then did his song of "Rip, Tear, and Johnnie's Gone Away,"
which was the trade-mark of his success. While playing under Butler's man¬
agement he saw Charles E. Collins jump the "Cure," and Allen was advised to
imitate him. He did so, doing Collins' "Cure" and "Active Boy," in black face.
He was next engaged by Robert Fox, of the Casino, of Philadelphia. From
there he joined Wilson's Minstrels, in St. Louis, after which he went to the
Dearborn Theatre, Chicago. His next engagement was with Kelly & Leon, to
take the place of Billy Arlington on the end. Arlington was one of the greatest
min.strel favorites at that time ever in Chicago. This engagement lasted for one
season. He was next engaged by R. M. Hooley, of Brooklyn, to take the end,
and played there one season. His next engagement was with Seaner, of Will¬
iamsburg, N. Y. The minstrel band was a great success. He then accepted a
four weeks' engagement in Cincinnati. He then returned-to Williamsburg again,
opening with Seaner; then with Kelly & Leon, at 720 Broadway, New York city.
Then went to work for Tony Pastor, doing his famous dance of "Nicodemus
Johnson." He next engaged with Morris & Wilson's Minstrels, of St. Louis.
Returning to New York city, he was engaged^ by W. W. Newcomb, to take the
place of Billy Emerson, on the end. Emerson was to play in St. Louis in a play
called "The Seven Sisters," at the Olympic Theatre; before leaving New York
Emerson made him a proposition to start a minstrel band to be called Emerson
& Allen's Minstrels. "Billy" Manning thought he would like some of that stock
and said he would put up money if they would let him join them. He was
accepted and the band was known as Emerson, Allen & Manning's Minstrels,
then the trade-mark and talk of the western country. Finally Allen sold out his
interest and went back East and was engaged by John Stetson, of Boston, and
taken in as a partner of the Horn and Bloodgood troupe; this troupe made a big
success. He sold out his interest to Stetson and started the Allen, Pettengill,
Delehanty & Hengler troupe; this troupe also met with immense success. The
following season its name was changed to the Allen & Pettengill troupe, when
Charlie Pettengill died. Allen then went it alone and played through the country
successfully, taking in as his partner Louis A. Swisler. Shortly after that he
secured his play of ■ "Schneider, dot House on de Rhine," which met with great
success all over the country. After this, his life had many ups and downs, and
he died in Newark, N. J., January 16, 1885, at the age of forty-two years', and was
buried in the Fairmount Cemetery, that city.

Johnnie Allen was one of the early "Jolly Corks" in 1868.