The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-01-25
From the Bangor Daily Commercial.
A Land Mark Removed.

A short time since we briefly noticed the
death at Bucksport, of Capt John Odom.
at the great age Of S5 years He was
remarkable man, and merits at our hands
a longer notice than he has vet received.
| Although his home was in an adjoining
town. and his name and adventures were
as familiar to US in our boyhood as house
hold words, yet we never met him to know
| him until about ten Years ago. He was
then seventy-tive years old, and somewhat
stopped with age He was one of the
most genial. courteous and interesting
men we ever met His manners were
mild aud winning; his voice and tones
most pleasant and agreeable
He was born in 1887. the year in which
4 the Convention met at Philadelphia to
! frame the Constitution. Al the age Of Is
| he went on board ship and followed the
sea Ms hand mate and master for fifty
! years He crossed the Atlantic Ocean in
sailing vessels forty-three times besides
numerous VOYAGES around the Horn and
across the Pacific. For many wears he
sailed out of Richmond and Baltimore
| There he made the acquaintance of many
| of the leading men of the country Whilst
4 in command Of splendid ship at Rich
mond, about the year 1912, he met with
Thomas Jefferson who was then living in
retirement at Monticello. Jefferson con-
celved great attachment tor the young
/ captain, and whenever the two met in
! Richmond together, Odom was always
sure Of an invitation to dine with the great
statesman. Odom's knowledge of the
/ world was so great and accurate, that
1 Jefferson was fascinated with HIM, and
never tired of his graphic account of his
adventures on the sea and in foreign ports
| One day, at dinner, Jefferson said "Odom
| | like you; everything that falls from your
/ lips is fresh and original. | never talk
with you without learning something new
| concerning men and things" Odom's
reverence for Jefferson amounted almost
/ to Il worship
Whilst sailing out OF Baltimore Capt
odom formed the acquaintance Of Junius
Brutus Booth. the celebrated actor Their
| admiration for each other was mutual
| When in port Booth would dine with
! Odom on shipboard. and Odom would
\ dine with Booth at his home, or the ho-
I tel ON the day that the news of Lin
! coins assassination reached us, we were
4 IN frankfort, when we met Capt. Udom,
and he related to Us the following anec-
dote of the father of John Wilkes
Booth had been secured To play an en-
gagemrnt at the Richmond Theatre. On
/ certain evening the manager had an
4 nounred that the great actor would appear
in his familiar character of Richard III
he evening came, and the house was
crowded 10 repletion with an audience
whose expectations had been raised to the
highest pitch. But no Booth appeared
Inc disappointment was great and bitter
The manager apologized gently alluding
10 the failing to which the great actor was
SUBJECT He assured the excited audience
however. that Booth would appear the
next night without fail The next night
came. and still no Booth. He was still
drunk Day after dav announcements
were made, and night after night Booth
/ lIed 70 appear At last riot was i'm
mincnt and the theatre was threatened
with destruction. In his dispair the man
ager sought out Booth in a low 0roggerv.
took him by force, and locked him up in
a room under guard Booth raved. but
the manager was relentless He kept him
in confinement until he became perfectly
sober, and then he once more announced
the great play of Richard for certain
evening. The excitement was bevond all
precedent. All Richmond WAS in and
around the theatre at m early hour The
building was most denSely packed Thou
sands could not gain admission Capt
Odom had secured seat near the stage
The bell rang and the curtain rose. The
great actor came forward looking pale
and haggard after his long debauch.
He was met with a terrible storm of
hl~ses and boots from the long disapppint-
ed audience Meekly and submissivey
IS ~ubdued and repentant child he stood
until the storm passed over When silence
was restored, he made a most humble
bow, tS much As to say: Your censure
Is most Just; but have compassion on nv
intrmify"
Tie then recited in tones of deeper ricn-
ness and power than he had ever before
used, GloSter's soliloquy beginning;
Now is the winter OF our discomfort
Made glorious 10y this son Of York;
And all the cloud that lowered on our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
When the solloquy was ended Booth
was master of the field All anger, all
resentment had departed from the audi
ence. Never before had Booth played,
never after did he play. Richard III. with
such power and effect as he played it that
night. Said Capt Odom. Esif ever man
was inspired Booth was inspired that
night AT one moment the theatre was
Il scene OF most profound and painful 81
lence; at another. of most stormy and tu-
multuous applause. That mighty audi
ence We're as tow in his hand. The actor
swayed and welded them at will.
Then came the last scene, which brings
Richard and Rinh,,onl g.,
the bloody field. Richard exclaims:
slave. have set my life upon cast,
And | will stand the hazard of die
think there be six Richmonds In the field:
Five have slain to-day instead of him.
A Horse! Horse! My Kingdom for
Horse
They fight, and Richard falls in his
gore, and with him falls the curtain.
A long, deep and oppressive silence
followed. Then applause broke forth and
rolled through the theatre like the pillows
OF the sea in a wild storm The calls for
the great actor to come before the curtain
were tremendous; nut no Booth came.
They We're repeated with redoubled force,
but they were unheeded. The hisses and
boots Of the first part Of the evening were
repeated, and that great audience were
like repentant children in the presence of
an agrleved and affected father Then
came another call in tones almost be-
seechlng. Slowly the curtain rolled up
almost two feet. There lay Booth in his
grave Just as he had fallen at the hands of
Richard in the last scene. Slowly he rais-
ed himself on his elbow, and stretching
his neck and face towards the audience
with the most tiendish leer that ever dis
figured a human countenance, he hissed
out between his set teeth Cd d-n
you-how do you like it ?"
For few years previous to the war of
1912, Americans all over the world, es
pecially American seamen, were treated
with the greatest contempt and insolence
by Englishmen. Free trade and sail
ors' rights had not been vindicated by
the red right hand of battle on land and
sea.
In the winter of lSO9-9, which was verv
severe in Europe, Capt. Odom, then in
his twenty second year, and mate of a
ship, was wrecked in the Baltic. He
was rescued, and taken to Stockholm.