North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-04-26
Sketch of John wilkes Booth the Murderer
of the President.

John Wilkes Booth, who is directly accus
ed of assassination Of President Lincoln, is
one of the sons Of the celebrated English ac-
tor, Lucius Junius Booth the cotemporary
and rival OF Edmund Ke all. The elder Booth
came to this country as star actor, and f.
nally settled upon a farm near Baltimore Md
His eccentric habits, strange extravagances
and wassed life are familiar to most Of our
readers. By different wives the elder Booth
had four sons, Junius Brutus, Edwin, John
Wilkes and Joseph. The three oldest broth
ers adopted the stage as a profession. The
younger studied medicine, and was last heard
from 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 English tragedian.-
At the early age of six teen he went upon the
stage, and in 1856 made regular debut at
Philadelphia. He inherits the well known
Booth face and figure, and some cf the dra-
matte talent of the family. After starring for
a while in the provinces we find him in 1859
go, the leading actor at Montgomery, AIaba
ma. There he was regarded as trlhc crazy
In 1860 he wounded himself in the toot with
pistol. and came North to recruit his
health.
Soon after his arrival there discovering that
his brother Edwin was achieving a decided
success, he determined upon debut in New
York, and made his first appearance in this
city at Wallack's old theatre, now in Broad
way, which was then under the management
OF Miss Mary Provost. He opened in Rich
ard the Third, playing very tamely till the
| lighting scene the end of the drama, when
he welded his two handled sword with such
vim and yigor, as to astonish the audiance
The stage combat has Dever been better per-
formed, One evening, reused to intense ex-
| element, he attacked Mr.. E. L, Tilton, the
Richmond" Of the occasion, so violently as
| to knock him into the orchestra, nearly
breaking his arm. After two or three nights
of Richard" young Booth played "Shy lock-
and failed. The unnatural son, in Schlller's
Robbers was his third role, and after acting
it he went to Boston and Philadelphia, where
he was better received.
When the present war began John Wilkes
Booth avowed himself an ardent Secessionist
and he always persisted in his disloya!ty 49,
So many actors shared his opinions, however
and expressed almost as strongly, that his
sentiments gave him no par tlcular notorlety
His brothers, Junius and Edwin, were and
are most decided Union men, and several
quarre)s have arisen between the brothers on
account of their differences. They acted to-
gether, however, at the Winter Garden, on
the 23d of November last for the benefit of
The Shakespeare Monument Fund, and at
tracted one of the largest and most intellect
ual audiences ever assembled in any theatre.
The play was J,lius Cesar, with Edwin
Booth as "Brutus," Junius Booth as "Cas-
sius," and John Wilkes Booth as ''Marc Anr
tony" As an actor John Wilkes could not
compare With either of his brothers, although
his resemblance to them in form, feature.
voice and manner was remarkable. This
was Ills last public appearance in this city,
Some months ago John Wilkes Booth ceased
acting on account of brodchial affection. and