, 1874-02-08


gouo into voluntary bankruptcy will be received
with unrnixcd regret. His failure is blow tt
the cause of true dramatic art, Tor 1t yl be hare
| to find any other individual who, by the exercise
Of genius and the liberal use Of his earnings
can do SO much to elevate the drama as Edwin
Booth hns done. He has boon an enthusiast in
his art, aud, in his Efforts to better it's condition.
has lived life OF comparative poverty and per-
| petual labor, in strong contrast with that OF
most successful actors. The fact tha: oil
his earnings for the past eight years
have been swallowed up in the erection
! and establishing OF his theatre, is
sufficient indication Of his devotion to tho dra-
mltic art While the announcement will occa-
sion surprise tomany, it hasnot been unexpected
by Alr. Booths more intimate friends. Tho SON.
sitivo nature Of the devoted player has shrunk
from tho Disgrace which he has falsely concciv-
ed to attach to bankruptcy, and he has poured
terprise which seemed utterly Unsuitable. IN
deed, almost from the start. the theatre has
| been supported ut his expense, owing to the e1-
| trayagaDce OF the original investment, aud
| the lavishness which has attended it's manage
| ment.
Although the actors name ia now associated
! with the highest achievements Of the stage the
world over, he has been prominently before this
| country only about ten years. He had not met
with that universal recognition subsequently
1nJ 1,;o :~, r;,to
Of which year he became associated
with Messrs. Clark and Stuart in the manage
1nont Of the Winter Garden in New York. In
1866 he bought out C1ark's interest in the enter
prise, and very shortly afterwards the Winter
Garden was burned down. The loss to Mr.
Booth was very heavy. His wardrobe Tas de-
stroyed, and he Was left with about S40 900 with
which to start anew. So far, however, from de-
spairing after this catastrophe, he resolved to
realizo the one great scheme Of his life, which
was to erect in tho metropolis a theatre in which
to present the standard plays OF dramatic liter
atu1e according to their merits. Hs intention
WIS to produce every piece with tho most minute
historical accuracy and impressive grandeur.
Kean had made similar attempt in Lon
don, and had failed; Macready had fol-
lowed his example, and only escaped
disaster by retreating in time. Undaunted
By their failures, however, Mr.. Booth set him-
self earnestly to work, determined that the re-
sponeibili:y Of failure. il such should be the con-
sequence, ahou1d rest upon others. He pur-
chased the valuable property at the corner Of
Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue for IN
enormous sum. and built upon it the beautiful
theatre which benrs his name. Building and
ground together cost $1,000, o0o,-a magnificent
sum, truly. to invest in 30 precarious an enter
prise. His partner WAS Alr. Robertson, OF New
York, manager of the great business house Of
Oakes Ames t. Co., who furnished the capital.
the understanding being that a1r. Booth should
put his earnings into the theatre and pay OFF tho
debt. AND, from tho inception Of the project
up to date, Alr. Booth has poured
all his earnings, minus his own small
personal expenses, into this property
He has been earning aince 1867 about $50, GOO
year, and has, therefore, turned over more than
half q million Of dollars. Els own expenses
we're small, az he has lived life OF faithful
economy. When in New York ho has resided in
rooms in the building, and, when travel
ing, has cut his expenses down TO the lowest
reasonable figure. An idea OF his devotion to
tho project may be gained from the fact that in
one brief season under Mr.. McVickera manage
nent, last year. in Chicago and other Western
cities, he earned upward OF $780, 900, OF which he
drew for his private expenses the modest sum Of
q, 500. The balance was paid in to his, New
York theatre account. Two years ago he bought
out Mr. Robertson's interest in the property, and
since TINT time he has been bearing the burden
alone. The expenses Of the theatre have been
enormous. 1t Was Alr. Booths ambition to put
every piece. upon the stage in style OF unparal-
lelcd magnifconce, and to accomplish this, the
most e1travagant sums have been expended. |
The mounting of IA Winters Tale" alone coat
$4,000: and "Ro1neo and Juliet" Hamlet"
"RicEard Ill.," "M:cbeth,' B" Julius Cesar"
'tMuch Ado About Nothing" "The Fools Re-
vengo," aud other playa which have been pro-
duced with elaborate preparation and effects,
uaEe eacQ c0BL ueaIlJ lne ERlue SUN. IL Ii 8 /
fact worth noticing TINT, while many Of the best
stars now On the stage have played at this the
at1e, Mr. Booths seasons we're always the !
most profitable.
1lr. Booths total indebtedness probably |
amounts to 100000, OF which 100000 is
secured BY mortgage on the theatre
and 100000 is peraonal indebtedness.
The iewelry mentioned in the dispatch from |
New York as worth $4,000 ia probably stage
property. arr. Booth was always anxious that
tinsel and tawdry should be wanting in his then
tire, and his crown for king Richard - alone
Was valued at nearly $4,000 There is probably
no CAUSE for the remark that the management Of
J. B. Booth and the introduction Of the Light
drama arc in any way responsible for the failure
OF the theatre. It is rather due to the fact that
Mr. Booth was paying out to support tho theatre
more than he took in at the bo1-oaice. His
enthusiasm Sas greater than his Judgment, end
he l1ao the misfortune to infuae the came eener-
ous disregardfor money into his associates. Thus
his az I, rsreura ira ufter1r 1nrhnrEn1 STosrru |