The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-04-22
TIE BOOTH FAMILY.

family in the Cincinnati Commercial:
In the worlds history no man has more
suddenly achieved q bad eminence and an
of infamy, or given q more
.unenviable distinction to those connected
with him by ties of blood aud marriage,
than the assassin OF the President of the
United States. Such evidence of guilt as
has already been obtained, points conclu-
isively to John. Wilkes Booth, play actor,
las the assassin; and there is an unappeased
curiosity to know what manner of man he
is whose treasonous and bloody purpose
consigned to death one for whom millions
mourn to-day, and doomed himself to be-
more heartily desested and execratod than
(any villain since the days Of Judas lsca-
riot. n
John Wilkes Booth is q cd of Junius
Brutus Booth sr.. by his second wife, who
survives him and now resides with her
Zstep-son, Edwin Forrest Booth, in New
York city. The elder Booth, the father of
Ithe imputed assassin, was an English ira
gedian born in London in the year 1885,
During his minority he played in several
OF the provincial English theaters, with
moderate success, and in 1914 made his de-
but q. Convent Garden Theatre, in his ma
tive city, as Richard III. His personal re.
semblance to that "huuch- backed toad
Sconformed 80 we'll to the stage traditions,
and his personitication of the character
was, In other respects, so striking that he
bat once took prominent rank in his pro-
fessinn, and successfully competed with
Edmund Kean. then the rising star of the
He shortly after played with Kean at the
Drury, aud was subsequent announced to-
appear At Convent Garden.
Meantime an affair occurred which rem.
dered him very unpopular with the public
5aud his reappearance was the signal for q
serious theatrical riot. which resulted in
driving him temporarily from the London
Der the particulars. Jealousy, profession.
Ial or otherwise, stirred up the fiery nature
of Booth, and he attempted the life Of the
obnoxious person, but failed to take it.
The man survived the assault, and il now,
I'VE believe, q resident Of st. Louis. Booth
Remained in England till about the year
|l820, when he crossed the Atlantic, and
made his first professional appearance in
this country at Petersburg, Virginia, and
the year following ct the Park Theater,
New York, on both which occasions he as
ksumed his favorite role of Richard ILL.,
From that time to the close of his life bel
fulfilled engagements in nearly, ii not ev-
ery theater in the United States. and was
Accounted one of the greatest actors of his
kline, though the range Of characters
(which he assumed was limited, and was
he had studied in the beginning of his ca
sresr. Having secured moderate compe-
hence, Booth purchased property near
baltimore, known as ''The Farm where.
during his latter years, he resided, max
ling occasional professional visits to other
ycitles. He made an excursion 10 California
about the year 1850, where he
l Fulfilled very lucrative engagement, and
ION his way home stopped IN New Orleans,
where he made his last appearance at the
Est. Charles, Az Sir Giles Overreach, i'll "A
New Way TO Pay Old Debts" 1t was while
ION his passage from that city to Cincinnati
THAT he died. His remains were taken to
|..The Farm for burial.
Booths habits were exceedingly irregu-
liar. and so interered with his performance
TAT times, that AN actor less gifted would
have forfeited his popularity beyond re-
Idemption. It was rarely that he appeared
sober ON the stage, and toward the close of
his life it required all the vigilance aud art
Rof managers to keep him in condition to
appear on tke stage at all. The stories told
LOT him in this connection are lnnumerable,
land some OF them extremely ludicrous.-
Ills appetite for liquor was absolutely vo-
|racious. Being without money at one time
when in New York. he went to . pawn
brokers shop, literally pawned himself
|for money TO purchase liquor, was regular 4
HI ticketed and exhibited IN window,
Where he staid till redeemed" by friend.
ION another occasion, being announced to
hppear in Philadelphia-at the Walnut
|etreet, we believe-the manager. on the
dav fcr. the performance. had Booth locked
|un. but was outwitted by the actor, who
|hribed the servant to bring . bottle OF
brandy. q saucer and Q clay pipe. Insert
|ing the pipe through the key-hole, Withths||