Welcome to
Stately Barrett Manor
The "Desperate Guy" on the cover of this 1918 piece of sheet music is "Little Billy" Rhodes, probably best known as the bad guy in Terror of Tiny Town. He also had an uncredited role in The Wizard of Oz as Munchkin Barrister.
I've no idea whether or not the signature is genuine, but it's an interesting addition to the ephemra collection.
The co-lyricist is Arthur Freed, who went on to co-produce The Wizard of Oz, and from there many outstanding MGM musicals.