The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-05-12
Story about the Booth Family.

We have been placed in possession Of
some facts relative to the Booth family,
which are, at this time, exceedingly
interesting. They differ from the
generally known and accepted history
of the family. Our informant receiv-
ed the particulars a few years ago,
from the lips of personal friend who
had an intimate knowledge of the
inner life Of the family, and regarded
the Advancement of the boys in their
profession with much satisfaction and
pride. 1t has been generally under
stood, and the family encouraged the
belief, that Junius Brutus Booth
was legitimately married to the lady
who passed in this country as his
second wife. Indeed, when some
seven years ago, the announcement
of the death of the first wife
Mrs. Mary Booth, in Baltimore, was
made in the Ne,g York Chppcr, (the
dststement that she had been divorced
I heih4 'fnbde, the sons united in a
!. card, which was published in that jour
| pal, ,fsttlng forth that their father had
Y Mad but one wife, and that was then
/ 4h0flieph Then (and now living the
Kut atispoMrs Rosale Booth, from
1 whom he had never been divorced. =
sHoweXsr5 this was incorrect.
I Tile elder Booth was married maj
lat tie time he last appeared at Coven
l4tAt5enls theatreI While there he
char eedto meet in the Covent Garder
nsas;lI st'a flower girl named Resale
!, VIE Regularly sold flowers to marke
fcnstCners i'll that quarter of London
She possessed rare personal attrac
IsH6Hs, ehHd was, in fact, exceedingl,
beautf1pts Booth cultivated an ac
lHIpaip nee with her which ripencd int,
ljntini,y and resulted in an elopement
Boot at once taking passage t.
( Amdvica, whore the fair Rosalie wa
v&rsseentea as, and passed for his wife
.l8XJ6irfirst wife Booth had one child
at. thAtupe of his desertion of her-al
ffaat; Mhen she ascertained wher
r ootK had gone she also followed
d1t8nEiHE the child with her, and sub
Il 5ai 9nlt1y took up her residence i
4 Rsltbnpre.
4 This child, when arrived at man
estate, adopted the profession of tn
law, and Richard Booth, Esquire, wa
afterwards known as a prominent an,
influential member of the Boston bal
He never 80 much as recognized th
other children of Booth, and for year
did not speak to his father. 1t wa
probably out of consideration for th
child, that the elder Booth did not su
for writ OF divorce from his vii
Mary; if indeed there were an
grounds upon which he could hope t
obtain the desired legal seyeranc,
, without which, it seems a second maj
riage was out Of the question. He
, troubles and trials led her gradual
into habits of dissipation. ST.
became almost as incorporate as Boot
himself, and it was custom with he
when in liquor, to haunt the Baltimoi
, markets for chance-meeting wit
the woman who had usurped he
place in the heart and home of her hui
: band.
, These encounters were as niue
avoided by the one, as sought for /
the other. Mrs. Booth assailed Rosal
with violent, often coarse Language
and opprobrious epithets, which ii
other never resented but cut short /
g the speediest exit. The fact CROWN
= out of this condition of affairs is, thu
4 the children. -Junius Brutus, Edwi
Forrest, John Wilkes, Joseph and I'll
sisters are of illegitimate birth; an
! it is fact which would probably hay
i died out with the few who were priv
$ to it, but for the great crime which hi
a quickened public curiosity and III
locked the secrets of the family charne
house, whose gates had been so secur
J ly closed and guarded by the childre
= in their struggle for professional ran
and social position, that even leg
inquisition could hardly have force
:. them aar. They were all great
attached to their mother, and it WI
their custom, while fulfilling engag
= ments throughout the country to rem
: their funds to her in trust, except
/ much as was necessary to defray the
pesona expenses.
. The City of Cork left New Yor