The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-04-28
From the NeD York Herald.
Sket oh of John Wilkes Booth.

Kean. The elder Booth came to this
country as a star actor, and finally settled
upon farm near Baltimore, Nd. 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, Juhius Brutus, Edwin, John
Wilkes and Joseph. The three oldest
brothers adopted the stage as profession.
The younger studied medicine, and was
last beard Of somewhere in Geurgia.-
John Wilkes Booth was born in 1888,
near Baltimore, in the same vicinity as
the noted rebel Barry Gimor. He was
named after John Wilkes, famous Eng
lsh tragedian At the early age Of six
teen he went upon the stage, aud in 1856
made regular de.M at Philadelphia -
lie inherts the well-known Booth face
aud figure, and some of the dramatic tai.
ent of the family. After starring for
while in the provinces, we fad him in
lS59.'6O, the Iea'ling actor of Moutgome-
ry, Alabama. There he was regarded as
trlfe crazy. In 1860 he wounded him
self in The foot with pistol, and came
North to recruit his health.
Soon after his arrival here, discovering
that his brother Edwin was achieving O
decided success, he determined upon a
debut in New York, and made lis first ap.
pearance in this city at Wallack's old
theatre-now the Broadway-which was
then under the management of Miss Mary
Provost. He opened 10 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 vim and vigor as to astonish the au-
dience. The stage combat has never been
better performed. Que evening, reused
to intense excitem ent, he attacked Mr.. E.
l.. TlltoD, the Richmond of the occasion,
SO violently as to knock him into the or
chestra, n arly breaking his arm. After
two or three nights of Richard, young
Booth played Shylock, and failed. The
Herald said Of this performance, that
youth might be an excuse for his errors,
but there was no excuse for presentlng
them to metropolitan audience. The
unnatural son, in Sch Hers Robbers, was
his third roe, and, after acting it, be went
to Boston, where he 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 notorlety. His
brothers Junius and Edwin were and are
most decided Union men, and several
quarrcs have arisen between the brothers
On account of these differences They act
ed together, however, at the Winter Gar
den, on the 23d of November last, for the
benefit of the Shakespeare Monument
Fund, and attracted one of the largest aud
most intellectual audiences ever assem-
bled in any theatre. TIE play was Juli-
US Caesar, with Edwin Booth as Brutus,
Junius Booth as Cassius anl John Wilkes
Booth as Marc Antony. As an actor
John Wilkes could not compare with
either of has brothers, although his resem-
blance to them in form. feature, voice and
manner was remarkable. This was his
last public appearance in this city.
Some moths ago John Wilkes B nth
ceased acting on account of bronchial "a
fiction, and since then be is said to have
accumulated considerable money by oil
specuations in Western Virginia. Or
late he has passed large portion of his
time in Washington, with which city and
lis theatres he was perfectly familiar
About eight or ten days ago be was in
New York, drinking profusely. R NOR
says that in his drunken moods he has
often declared his intention to kill Presi-
dent Lincoln, ard that he often exhibited
nicked bullet, which, he said, was to do
the deed. The truth vi these statements
may be ascertained by the police upon in
qury OF his associates here; but it is Ger
tain that he talked in wild, reckless way
about the war, and that his sympathles
were entirely with the rebels. Of this,
we believe, he made no coDcealment, and
it is reported that his brother Edwin turn
ed him out of the house short time ago
in consequence of his reasonable utter
ances. Still no one who knew him was
prepared to believe him cowardly assas-
sin. Iu person John Wilkes Booth is
younger fac simle of Edwin. 1t is need
less to say, then, that be is rart 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 pos.
sesses the charms OF Adonis and almost the
strength of Hercules. He dresses with
exquisite taste, and his ordinary manner
is quiet, reserved, disuifed and gentleman.
ly. lie is unmarried aud much given. to
amours. 1t is said that he is an opium
eater; but it is only certain that be- fire.
quently drank to excess. Although SO
slightly built, ninety-fve men out of a
hundred would be no match for him at
fighting He is dead shot, q fine fencer,
q thorough horseman, and master Of
the dagger or bowie-knfe. His personal
bravery has been unquestioned, and many
0f hil frIanle have xy,ndorod -, L.. EJ