Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-02
An Indignant Denial from Mr. WI
Florence

Yesterdays Sunday Herald contained letter
from Its New York correspondent, sc. III. b. -
understood 10 be Mr.. George II. Butler the
well-known dramatic critic of Wilkes Spirf Of
the Times in which the following passage oc-
ours IN relation to the favorite actor, ". j.
florence, who commence an engagement at
the National O-night
"a curious story comes across the Atlantic
Nou may remember to have read recently of a
series of articles in London Society, edited by
Mrs Ross Church, Florence Marryatt,) called
the Modern Chesterfield Letters" signed
Lord q. H." Among many satirIcal and Bit
ter Personalities was pen and ink portrait of
Col, White, Guards officer, and a member OF
Brooke's and the Guards club. The indignant
colonel sought satisfaction from the magazine,
and demanded the name of the writer. Il was
finally given a. the Earl OF Desart, an Irish
peer. Col. White, accompanied by two other
Guard colonels one OF them Col. Fraser, pro-
ceeded TO Ireland and demanded retraction or
satisfaction. The Irish Earl, unlike the New
York Irish Alderman, was DO warrior, and SUBJ
missivcly wrote an abject apology, stating that
although he had not written the articles, he was
compelled to be responsible, without alleging
the reason. 1t now seems that VIM. j. Florence,
the actor, who spends his summers in London
and Nice, and who is connection of the Earl
OF Desart, was the real author Of the famous
and obnoxious articles. Florence was visiting
his noble kinsman, fishing for salmon in
literary ability, put into his hands a mass OF
data and matter concerning fashionable society
in London during the season. Florence, willing
W oUhSo ~ uist ihSulSntu ohu 'aliou icldllfc,
put them into fair magazine shape for him, and
Mrs. Church, thinking the Earl ner contributor,
published them. Florence doubtless thought no
more about them after returning home to fulfill
his professional engagements, but the Earl to
save himself from the castigation he was re-
ceiying, gave up the name OF William j. Flor
ence, the actor, as the author, but did not state
that he was his relative. He further stated that
Mr.. Florence came to him first in 1868 with let
tiers OF Introduction from Edwin james, the
bafrister, and ex-Manager Stuart, which COM
mended Florence to his patronage and conf
dence, THESE facts were ELECTED In Dublin by
ttioner i'm the Four Courts, in a civil trial, and
sent here for publication in the New York
Herald, which paper declined to give them
publicity, the intellectual department being
mostly from the Ould Sod themselves. have
seen the manuscript, and the full recital is ex-
ceedingly amusing as showing the utter reliance
of the Earl with twenty thousand pounds q
year on his play acting but brighter and clev-
erer relative"
To this Mr.. Florence has made the following
tart response
THE ARLINGTON,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 1, 1874. )
Ny Dear Sarille:-I wish you would have the
editors of the Washington press deny the inia-
nous report appearing in the Sunday Herald OF
to- day, and written by G. III. B., the new YORK
correspondent of that paper. De mas tltougnt
proper to parade the names or several OF my
personal friends in connection with the scandal
GUS report OF the Earl OF Desart refusing 70 night
Col. Frazer of the Guards.
&c. H. B." will find an opportunity to try the
effects Of his persuasive powers as Col. Fraxer's
champion in answering personally 10 me for his
impertipence and i'll breeding.
". j. FLORENCE.