Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-11-18
From the Evansville (lndiana) Journal.
A DRAMATIC DEATH.

n DNhWAIAC DEATH.
We have lately seen going the rounds of
newspapers an account, in the main correct,
of deplofable tragedy that occurred on the
boards of the Nashville Theatre some fifteen
years ago. The editor Of this paper wa. on
the stage personating the "Friar," when the
deplorable accident occurred, and as we OBJ
serve one or two slight errors in the account
as now published, we deem il proper TO make
the correction.
A number of young men with one or two
exceptions, printers, engaged in the different
office in Nashville, formed themselves into
aThespian Corps, and rented the theatre with
its scenery, and commenced giving dramatic
representations. They had performed two or
three weeks, when Mr.. J. J. Mclaughlin,
young gentleman from Hopkinsville, KY, of
fine personal appearance, great dramatic ia-'
lent, and energy of character, presented him
sell to the managing committee for a situa.
tion. His offer was accepted, and after assis-
ting IN the representation OF the drama Of
''Rob Boy" 'Bertram, or the Castle of 'Si.
Aldobrand," was announced, and he to per-
form the part of Bcrtram. The day the piece
was TO be performed, Mclaughlin visited the
steamboat landing to bid good-by 10 friend
who was leaving for the East, and was acci-
denally taken off by the boat and carried
some twenty miles down the river, when he
was put on shore and had TO walk all the
way back to the city, where he arrived about
sunset, completely exhausted, and looking
wild and excited to an unusual degree. His
associates. TO whom he had greatly endcared
himself by his frank, manly department., Of
! fered TO postpone the play to some other
evening, but he, TO whom the management
had been given, strongly insisted that there
should be no disappointment and remarked,
with a forced smile upon his countenance,
that if the others were ready he was, and he
would '!pay Bertram as it never had been
played on those boards" He kept his word.
Evening came and the theatre was lighted
and the house was soon filed by the beauty
and fashion of the city. The play had pro-
guessed nearly TO the close and had given
general satisfaction, not only to the audience
but to the performers themselves. 1t is true
Mclaughlin appeared great excited during
the play, and when not on the stage he sought
some corner apart from the others, but no no.
tice vas taken of this, and he was suffered
to commune with himself alone In the end
of the play Bertram stabs himself and dies,
and Mclaughlin not having provided himself
| IL, g., tl.>o >t,I
Spanish dirk from gentleman who had been
admitted behind the scenes. As the tragedy
wore to its announcement his excitement in
creased, and the gloomy spirit of the play
was upon him with power that made a
strong impression Of reality upon the hearers,
and made them shudder as he pronounced
the following, accompanied by the plunge OF
the dagger that brought him TO his death;
:.Bertram hath but one foe on earth,
And he is here" Stajs himscTl
II was at this moment that he plunged the
weapon 10 his heart 1t was doubtless the
result of the excited feelings of the actor
who had too absorbingly entered iute the
dreadful spirit of his hero. We charitaby
suppose that he had no premedtated design
of ending his life with the play; but his com.
plete identification of feeling with the part
he acted, led him to suicide as natural con-
sequence. He drew the bloody weapon from
his bosom, and throwing it from him, fell al
full length upon the stage.
The hallucination, if such we may call il
did not end with the plunge Of the dagger
His feelings bore him along still after some
exclamation of surprise from the tragic monk:
"A dying sentence for him to repeat. He raj
sed himself on his elbow, and went through
it with starting effect. With burst of eNu
tation-
II died no felon's death
warriors weapon freed a warriors soul '
While he was pronouncing these, the las
words of the tragedy, his eye and manne
were fearfully wild the blood was falling from
towards the young gentleman who had per
sona,ed the then lifeless lady Imogeno! Al
soon as the last words were pronounced, he
fell backwards TO rise no more, He liveC
from Thursday night until Saturday morning
when he expired in much pain.
His remains were attended to the grave b,
! his companian, who raised a slabto his mem
ory, on which is inscribed. if we recollec
rightly the last words he spoke upon the stage
The BopY RENDERED FIRE-PRooF .--Tana
) ere, Neapoitan physician, states that III,
human body can be rendered insensible II
/ fire by the following embrocation being ap
piled. One ounce and a half of alum, dis
solved in four ounces of hot water; TO thi
; must be added an ounce of gum arabic.
ELECTION RIoT.-MuRnER.- The Pottsvillt
Journal gives an account of "A desperate hgh
, which took place at Mount Carbon, on elec