Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-05-05
Mistellaneous.
Sketch of John Wilkes Booth
the Murderer of the Presi-
dent.

John Wilkes Booth, who is directly
accused of the assassination of President
Lincoln. is one of the sons of the eel
ebrated Lucius Junius Booth, the CO.
temporary and rival of Edmund kean.--
The elder Booth came to this country as
q star actor, and finally SETTLED upon
farm near Baltimore. Mary His
eccentric habits, strange extravagances
and wasted life are familiar to most of
our readers. BY different wives the elder
Booth had four sons, named, in the order
of their ages, Junius Brutus, Edwin,
John Wilkes and Joseph. The three
oldest brothers adopted the stage as a
profession The younger studied medic
inc, and was last heard Of somewhere In
Georgia.
John Wilkes Booth was born in 1888,
near Baltimore, in the same vicinity as
the noted rebel Harry Gilmore. He was
named after John Wilkes, famous Eng
lisL tragedian. At the early age of Six
teen he went upon the stage, and in 1886
made regular debut at Philadelphia
He inherits the well known Booth face
talent of the family. After starring for
while in the Provinces, We find him. in
1S59.60, the leading actor at Montogom-
cry, Alabama. There he was regarded as
etrihe crazy. In 1850 he wounded him
self in tho foot with pistol, and came
North to recruit his health.
Soon after his arrival there, discover
Al L. L. lu,
decided success. he determined upon
debut in New York, and made his first
appearance in this city at Walack's old
theatre-now the Broadway-whch was
then under the management of Miss Mary
Provost He opened in Richard the
Third, playing very tamely till the fight
ing scene at the end of the drama, when
he welded his two handed sword with
such aim and and vigor as to astouish the
audience. Tue stage combat had never
been better performed. One evening,
reused to intense excitement, he attacked
Mr.. Il. l.. Titon, the Richmond of the
occasion, so violently as to knock him
into the orchestra, nearly breaking his
arm. After two or three nights Of Rich
ard, Booth played Shylock, and failed
The unnatural son, in Schller's Robbers,
was his third role, and, after acting it,
he went to Boston, where Re was better
received.
When the present war began John
Wilkes Booth avowed himself an ardent
secessionist, and he always persisted in
his disloyalty. So many actors shared
his opinions, however, and expressed them
almost as strongly, that his sentiments
gave him no particular notoriety. His
brothers Junius and Edwin were and are
most decided Union men, and several
quarrels have arisen between the brothers
on account of these differences. They
acted together, however, at the Winter
Garden, on the 23l of November last
for the benefit Of the Shakespeare Monu-
ment Fund, aud attracted one of the
largest and NEST intellectual audiences
ever assembled in any theatre. The play
was Julius Caesar. with Edwin Booth as
John Wilkes Booth as Marc Antony
an actor John Wilkes could not COM
.re with either of his brothers, although
s resemblance to them in form, feature,
ice and manner, was remarkable. This
as his last pubic appearance in this
ty.
Some months ago John Wilkes Booth
ceased acting on account of bronchial
affection, aud since then he is said to
have accumulated considerable money by
oil speculations in Western Virginia. OF
late he has passed large portion of his
time in Washington, with which city and
its theatres he was perfectly familiar
About eight or ten days ago he was in
New York, drinking profusely. Rumor
says that in his drunken moods be has
often declared his intention to kill Pres.
dent Lincoln and that he often exhibited
nicked bullet. which he said was to do
the deed. The truth Of these statements
may be ascertained by the police upon ill.,
qury Of his associates here but it is
certain that he talked in u wild, reckless
way about the war, and that his sympath-
les were entirely with the South. OF
this, we believe, he made no. cealment,
and it is reported that his brother Edwin
turned him out of the house :. short time
ago in consequence of his reasonable re-
marks. Still no one who knew him was
prepared to believe him a cowardly as
ssssin.
In person John Wilkes Booth is
young fac-simile of Edwin. 1t is need
less to say, then, that he is rare speci-
men of manly beauty. Not tall, but
most gracefully formed, with regular
features, large dark eyes. dark brown
hair and perfect complexion, this young
man possesses the chsrmes of Adonis and
almost the strength of Hercules. He
dresses with exquisite taste, and his Or
binary manner is quiet, reserved. digni6ed
and geutlemanly. He is unmarried and
much given to amours. 1t is said tnat
he is an opium eater; bat it is only GER
tain that he frequently drank to excess.
Although so slightly built, ninety five men
out of hundred would be no match for
him at fighting. He is dead shot, a fine
fencer. thourosh horsemau, and a mas
ter of the dagger or bowie-knife. His
personal bravery has been unquestioned,
and many of his friends have wondered
why he did not ioin the rebel army, in