New-York tribune., 1871-12-29
OBITUARY.
TIE DEATH or MIR. HACKETT.


parted the rpeness Of time and tho full maturity OF
experience with all his h0nors gathered and all the
poses and possibilities Of his career fulfilled d death.
therefore. s one OF those Dercavemehts D wnch
the mind submits--witb deep sorrow. indred-but
with natural resignation. Nothing OF thAt con
steruation, nothing OF that bitterness OF grief. with
which we contemplate life that seems prernaturey
broken can mnge with regret for the loss Of thA
admirable artist and most original and interesting char
acter. H6 had finished bis work He mad enjoyed IN
liberal abun lance tho rewards OF success and tho hoo
ors and privileges Of weIl-earned fame Nothing
left for him but rest-and ihto 'hAt ne mas eDtred
MOmus himself Is dead"
The record of Mr. Hacketts e has been fully writtsn
by his own hand-n ana Autobiography which he published
several years ago. which has enjoyed wide circulation
among the readers Of theatrical literature Other pens
ike wse have narrated the chief ncde t OF his career
II IL by no unfamiliar topic. lie was born In
New.York. at No. u Wiam-st. on the 18th OF March,
1900 His father a Iolander and had been a lieu
tenant in the Life Guards Of the Prince OF Orange
His mother was the daughter OF the
Abraham kcfeltas Of jamaica Long Island--
| clergyman Of great ability and learning OF
whom 1t said that In the discharge Of his ministerial
duties, he often oicated In three different languages
From these II natural that the boy should
inherit great sturdncss OF physical constitution and
strong impulse toward intellectual pursuits. While no
yet little child his parents removed to Jauacs.
where. I'm 1905, he became a pupil at the Union Hall
OF much local repute. He remained hero ten Year,.
In 1915 he entered Columbia College, where
however, he studied but one year In 1917 he
law student in the office OF Gen. Robert BOgardns:
and 1t ia Obscurely nmated that at this time be first
dabbed in theatrical pursuits In 1918 he engaged his
services clerk in the grocery business In 1919 ho
married Miss Catharine Leesug9, singing actress at
the Park Theater whom he withdrew from the stage.
From 1920 to 1926 he remained in mercantile pursuits.
living part OF the time in Utica and part Of the time IN
this city Unsuccessful specuations during 1926 led to
bankruptcy, and he thereupOn reverted to hs
early taste for the drama. Mrs. Hackett re-
appeared ou the Tth OF February. 1876. at
the Park Theater. az the Countess. in The DevPs
Bridge" and as Marian Ramsay On the lst OF March
following Mr. Hackett made his first appearance. at the
.ae lQusc aud IN the character OF justice hoooooe"'
The effort failure. On the 10TH however he msde
a second endcavor enacng sylvester DagJer~o'd.
aud introducing limitations of Mathews. kean.
and other actors. These were remarkably
clever. and they at once drew attention
Ia the actor who thereupOn determined to perseycre p
the newly chosen calling. His third appearance on the
18th June made in the Yankee character OF O"oe
Ben and the French character OF norhedu IN monsieur
Tonson." Success continued to attend him. His promo.
first seen on the 2jh OF October 1926 made an emphato
hit Toward the end OF that year he went to England
making his first professional appearance in London. Al
Coveut Garden April C. 1897. little later he acted as
the Surrey Theatcr, and gave very successful imitation
Of Edmund Keans Richard ILL., Ills notable fact BY the
way that although y" Hackctts best ACHE vementS ana
most ustrious 'riumphs were won in comedy ms
aspira,ions were almost invariably directed toward
tragedy Upon his return to America he appeared III
several ne parts one OF which was rip Van Winke-in
which, for many years, he held proud prominence III
public favor. His pcrsonation of TINS character "aS
based directly upon Irving's sketch and It was truo
and marveIousy strong reproduction OF tho common
place good. d.naturcd, vagabond. whom in our time.
.lal,, nf lei
alteration OF circumstances the pflislon of sibtr
interior spirit Of poetry and perfect nethpu-'i'o"
int higher ream Of the ideal and lnahe poem o."
well AZ fact. Those who recall Mr. HacKetts acons'
at the point where Kip Van Winkk hears that MS ~'e
s dead will remembey touch OF nature IA ever
was seen. Facial expression voice, and geSt'ire-t""
nourpfuI, half physical remnisceDce the convulslVo
the aress involuntary uterance-all concurred 70
reveal the deep sincerity Of that love which was tbo
maus second nature, and which dignihed his wretched-
ness his rags, and a., degradation. This. and GER
tain bits OF his Monsieur Maiiet ana his Faista1.
displayed Mr. Hackett for shat he really wasn orr
ginal. natural unique actor In domestic drama The
public at the time to which we last referred, had fully nc
cepted him artist OF this elias and II WAS not I'LL
lights had arisen in time. and the powers OF
the veteran began to wane beneath the chill OF frosty
age that his grip upon popularity relaxed In 1879
and $780, he for time. associated with the manage
ment of the old Bowery and the old Chatham Theater"
1t about this time that lie first played iusaH In
1882 he made second visit to England, and IN iso s4s.
and be made other visits to that country and quite
successful professional tours In 1887 he managed the
old National Theater In NewYork: and in lsi9 he
lessee and manager Of the Astor Place Opera House.
when certain ruans OF the city adhercnts OF Forrest
attempted to drive Macready from the stage. and
thus occasioncd bloody and disastrous riot. Mr..
Hackett lost upward Of A,OOO through this out
rageOus demonstration Of the mob. In 1854 Mr
Hackctt Introduced Gris and Mario to the Ameri
can public, presenting them in NcwYork at Castle Gar
den 4th Of September In that Subsequently,.
on the I'd Of October following the New-iork Academy
Music for the first time opened to the public aud
these artists appeared there under Mr. Hackcs direc
ton The professional Of the actor, during the
last has been marked by no cOnsdera
BILE vicssitudes. He continued to actin au
itinerant and somewhat ftful and obscure nannes
toward the last-till about two years ago, when ne
finally abandoned active employment. His first wife
died In l84o They had three sOns OF whom the second
John X. Hackett, Is well known as the Recorder Dir,
Hackett contracted second marriage. about three
years ago. and his young wife-and child OF TIVE
ycars-sryive him. Tho sickness that carried him Oh
is said he the first serious ament that he ever sur
fered His disease drOpsy. complicated 10y disor-
der OF the lungs.
Mr. Hackett, actor, will be remembered chiefly
by his FalslaG This last seen IN NewYork when
the veteran played his last here. at Booths
Theater from November 10th to Dccemer 25h. 1859 He
acted both in Henry the Fourth aud The Merry
Wives of Windsor" His FAsaf was wonderfully
symmetrca blending Of intellect and sensuality Inc
externals were perfect. The burly or'n the rouhd'
rddy face the rimy fringe Of gray whisker the bright
uenetratnc merry eyes, the Of even white teeth.
the strong hard voice. the pompOus gross selfish ami
NAL demeanor. tempered at times by willy sasaoiV
and the perfect manner Of an old msnoI'ne
world combined to make this admirably dlsnc' Oh"
natural embodiment. IN all that relates to form' 40
the spirit OF the work there wide differences
,oa, on,n,onas s always the case with reference ."