The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-05-30
Romeo Coates.

The following is the brief and interesting biography,
which we take from the London Telegraph:
Romeo Coates.-The eSeentric gentleman who
reoiced in this S0briquet has just passed from among
us, and that through one of the thousand ills that
London flesh is heir to. A few days since, Mr.
Coates was run over by a hackney cab! Humili-
ating is the association that he, who was once the
observed of all Observers for the splendor of his
| equlpage, should be sent out of the world by the
reckless driver of street cab What vulgar
leveller of all distinctions is our metropolitan Jehu,
| at 3d. the mile by act of parliament
! Mr.. Robert Coates (who inherited the name OF
| Romeo from his amateur performance of the love-
| sick Montague) was originally wealthy West In
da proprietor and possessed considerable estates in
the island of Antigua. Thus gifted with ample
means for indulging somewhat extravagant taste,
MIR. Coates was, forty years since, man
upon town. of the first order of eccentrcity. He
acquired an extensive outdoor fame, by driving
currice of unique build, which one of Coates's adj
mirers described one of the very neatest things
ever seen in London before or since. Well do we
remember its body, in the form of a cockle-shell,
perhaps more gernane to the Serpentine than st.
Jamess street. The harness was mounted with
two huge gilt cocks, with extended wings and tho
shell body bore the same bird as crest, with the
motto: Whilst | live, I'll crow" The driver
had not, however, the chandelier to himself; for
often when he appeared in public with this eccen-
trio turnout many the salutations of waggish
boys with derisive shouts of" Cock-a-doodledoo."
SOdltS was spI6UQlu dresser, anu WOIe vi ula
velvet coat buttons of brlliants of the first waters
hence he was named " Diamond Coates" Like
many other young men Of fashion of his time, he
had great penchamt for amateur theatricals; yet
his fame not restricted to private circles, for.
about forty years ago, Coates shared with young
Betty the admiration of the town. We have adver.
ted to his performance of Romeo, and in turning
over a volume of the New Monthly Magazine, we
stumbled upon this very graphic account Of another
of Coatess elaborate enactments:
hall
| sentation of Lothario at the Haymarket Theatre,
for his own pleasure as he accurately termed it;
and certainly, the then rising fame of Liston was
greatly endangered by his Barbados rival. Never
had Garrck or Kemble, in their best times, so
largely excited the public attention and curiosity.
The very remoest hooks of the galleries were
filled by fashion while in stage box sat the per-
formers notorious friend, the Baron Ferdinand
Geramb.
"Coatess lean Quixotic form being duly clothed
in velvets and in silks, and his bonnet richly raught
with diamonds, his entrance on the stage was
greeted by such general growing, Tin allusion to
the cocks which, as his crest adorned his harness,)
that the angry and affronted Lothario drew his
sword upon the audience, and actually challenged
the rude and boisteros inhabitants of the galleries,
seriatim or nasse, to combat him on the stage.
Solemn silence, as the consequence OF mock fear
Immediately succeeded The great actor, after the
overture had ceased, amused himself for sometime
with the baron ere he condescended to indulge the
wishes OF an dnXlOuSly eXpeCtdHL huQleuCc AT
length he commenced; his appeals to his heart
were made by an application of his left hand so
disproportionately lower than the seat of life has
been supposed to be placed-his protracted pronun-
citation of the word breach, and other new readings
and actings kept the house in right joyous humor,
until the climax of all mirth was attained by the
dying scene of the gallant, the gay but who shall
describe the prolonged agones of the seducer his
plated hair escaping from the comb that held it,
and the dark crimson cordage that tapped upon
his shoulders in the commissions of his dying
moments, and the cries Of the people for medical
aid to accomplish his external exit Then, when
in his last throes his bonnet fell it miraculous
to see the deflnct arise and, after he had spread
nice handkerchief on the STAGE and there deposited
his head dress, free from impurity, phosophcally
resume his dead condition; but it was not yet over,
for the exigent audience, not content that when
the man were dead, why there an end insisted ON
a repetition of the awful scene, which the highly
attered corpse executed three several times, to the
qualification of the cruel and torment-ovlng as
sembly.''
Coates, too, was destined to participate some
what in the celebrated fete given in honor OF the
rBourbons, in 1911. Having no opportunities OF
learning in the West Indies the proprlety OF beng
presented at Court ere he could be upon more lntl
mate footing with the Prince Regent, he was less
asonished than delighted the receptioe of an in
vitation on that occasion TO Carlton House. What
was the fame acquired by his cockleshell currice,
his scenic reputation, and all the applause attend
classed with the proud, the noble, the great 1t
seemed natural query, whether the Bourbon
name not a pretext for his own Introduction
to royalty, under circumstances OF unprecedented
.plendor and magnifcence, 1t must have been so.
What cogitations respecting dress, and air, and
port, and bearing What torturing of the con-
founded lanky locks, to make them but revolve
ever so little. Then, the rich cut velvet, the dia-
mond buttons-ay, every one was composed OF
brIants! The night arrived ushered by we'll
4 x.1o, l. sb.,h rnl
dan brought precious burthen to the palace, and
the gtterng load was deposited in the royal vesti.
bule ITSELF Alas wuat confusion, horror, and
dismay were there, when the ticket was pronounced
forgery All was done to alleviate the fatal dis
appointment-the case was even reported instan
ter to the prince himself; but etiquette was among
the other restrictions imposed upon his royal high
ness; and, however tempered by compliment and
excuse. 90 the diamons blaze " reached not further
than the hall, and were destined to waste their
spendor, for the remainder of the night, In the I'm
tied apartments of Craven street.
We have heard another version Of the death
scene says the New York Sunday Atlas, when
was at one time current ne was Nlio. TN
ing Romeo to his own admiration and the
amusement of the audience. He went through the
mart. and died in a manner worthy OF Lfston, in
The sIraoedv Rehearsed,'' and the audience con-
clpded that the fun was over TOT the evening NO
sncb thing Romeo Coates, he lay upon the
stare surveying his jewelled dress with great salts
faction. and thinking, perhaps, what the critics
Nould say of his performance the next day, dis
covered. to his great CONSERVATION, that of the
bright and very valuable buckles, that had adorned
his shoes, was missing, lie had no faith IN the
honesty of supes, and felt convinced that if found,
the buckle would know its master nore. There
was no time to be lost The buckle was some
where on the STAGE for Coates had seen it upon his
last entrance He got up Immediately, to the as
tonishment of the audience. Romeo Coates,
intent mon the one purpose, CROPPED about the
STAGE mill the lost treasure met his eye He seized
it~nocketed it-and then laid down and resumed
his deatll-like position Such scene never oc-
Cured before in theatre its effect may be ina
gined not described.
Touch SToF9.-The Buffalo Republic tells the
following rather tough story We are somewhat
skeptical:
90 In Medfield last week, George Fisher trod On
le,t did touch