The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-30
MACREADY.
HIS OWN INTERESTING STORY OF THE MEMoRAB-.
NEW YORK MOB IN 1S49.
lAfacready Memoirs

1
|
! lMacready MINORS
| Invent gayly, 1 may say, to the theater. and 0
nv way, looking down Astor place, cav one OF th
Harlem cars on the railroad stop and discharg
| a full load of policemen; there seemed to b
myself, esThis is . good precautlon." went I
| my dressing room, and proceeded with the eve
4 ning's business. The hair dresser was very lats
and my equanimity was disturbed. I was ruff1s
and nervous from fear of being late, but 500
composed myself. The managers were delayin
the beginning and was unwilling to be benin
the exact hour.
The play began; there was some applause t
Mr.. Clarke II write Of what could hear in m
room below. I was called, and at my cue wen
on with full assurance, confidence and cheerful
| ness. My reception was very enthusiastic, but
soon discovered that there was opposition, thoug
lees numerously manned than on Monday.
| went right on when found that it would not b
instantly quelled. looking at the wretched crea
lures in the parquette, who shook their fists vic
lently at me, and called out to me in savage iary
l laughed at them, pointed them out with MI
to repeat the inertness OF the previous evening
black board with white letters was Leaned
against the side of the proscenium: ''The friend
OF order will remain silent" This had SOM
effect in making the rioters more conspicuous.
My frat, second, third scenes passed ovel
rapidly and unheard; at the end Of the fourth
one of the officers gave signal, the police
rushed in at the two sides Of the parquette CLOSED
in upon the scoundrels occupying the c-nteI
seats and furously vocferatiDg and gestieulat
iug and seemed to lift them or hustle them in 6
body out Of the censer OF the house, amid the
ing my exit with the Lady Macbeth, and stopped
to witness this clever maneuver, which, hike 8
coup de MAN, swept the place clear at once. Az
well as can remember. the bombardment out
side now began. Stones were hurled against the
windows in Eighth street, smashing many; the
attic; the volleys Of stones flew without intermis
sion, battering and smashing all before them;
the gallery and upper gallery still kept up the
din within, aided by the crashing OF glass and
boarding without.
The second act passed, the noise and the vio-
lence without increasing, the contest with n be.
coming feebler. Mr.. Povey, as I was going to
my raised seat in the banquet scene, cams up to
me, ard in an undertone, and much frightened,
urged me to cut out some Part Of the play, and
sharply and said that L had consented to this
thing-to place myself here-and whatever the
consequence was | must go through W th it it
mnst be done; that could not cat out. The
audience had paid tor go much, and the law COM
PEELED me to give it they would have cause for
riot if all were not properly DONE" was angry,
and spoke very sharply to the above effect.
The banquet scene was partially heard and ap-
plauded. l went down change my dress, the
battering at the building, doors and windows
burial, louder and louder. Water was running
down fast from the ceiling to the floor of my
room, and making pool there. inquired he
stones hurled had broken some OF the pipes.
The fourth act passed; louder and more fierce
waxed the furious noises against the building
and from without; for whenever missile dld
effectual mischief in its discha'g &c it was hailed
with shouts outside stones came in through the
and one struck the chandelier the aud
fence removed for protection behind the walls, the
house was consider ably thinned, gaps of unoccu-
pied seats appearing in the audience part The
fifth act was heard, and in the very spirit of re-
slstance I flung my whole soulinto every word
uttered. acting my very best, and exciting the
audience to sympathy even wi the glowing
words OF fiction, whilst these dreadful deeds of
in our ears and rising to madness al around US.
The death of Macbeth was loudly cheered, and
on being lifted up and told that I was called for.
l went on, and with action most earnestly and
most emphatically expressive of my sympathy
with them and my feelings of gratefulness to
them, I quilted the New York stage amid the
scclamations of those before me.
Going to my room, began, without loss OF
time, to undress, but with no feeling or fear of
apprehension. When washed and half-dressed,
persons came into my room, CONSERVATION on
hose of others. GThe mob was getting strong
sr." "Why were not the military sent for?"
il They were here" "Where? Why did they not
act?" "They were not here; they were drawn
Up in the Bowery.'' "Of what use were they
upon tine eround did thev hsa
lisperse the mob, them" These questions and
answers, with many others, were passed to and
70 among the persons round me while was
inishing my hasty toilet, I occasionally putting
n question or remark.
SJ1d6 1v aor1o ~
Hark what's that 2" asked. The soldiers
lave fred" 'My God |" exclaimed. Another vol
ey, and another The question among those sur
ounding me ('here were, that remember. Rug
lies, Judge Kent, L. Golden, R. Emmett, a friend
# his in some official station, Fry, Seton, Chip
,endale, and think the performer who played
lalcolm, etc. y was, which way was to go out ?
News came that several were killed; and was
eally insensible to the danger in which stood,
nd saw at once-there being no avoidance
here was nothing for it but to meet the worst
Nth dignity, and so I stood prepared.
They sent some one to reconnoiter, and urged
he necessity of q change in my appearance.
vas confident the people did not know my person,
nd repeated this belief. They overbore all OBJ
ecrions, and took the drab surtout of the per-
insisted, too, that must not wear my hat; said,
Very well, lend me cap" Mr.. Seton gave me
lie, which was cut all up the back to go upon my
lead. Thus equipped I went out, following
sobert Emmett to the stage door; here We were
topped, not being allowed to pass. The sfriend"
vas to follow sort Of aid, but we soon lost
i'm. We crossed the stage, descended in O the
Echestra, got overinto the parquette and passing
nto the center passage, went along with the !
hin stream of the audience moving out.
We went right on, down the flight Of stairs,
nd out Of the door into Eighth street. All was
lear in front-kept 80 by two cordons or lines of
olice at either end Of the building, stretched
light across. We passed lifeline near Broad
ray, and went on threading the excited crowd, !
vice or three times mutter,ng in Emmett'e ear |
You are walking too fast" We crossed Bros d. |
ray still thr ough scattered crowd, and walked |
n along Clinton Place till We passed the street |
eading down to the New York Hotel. then |
aid, care you going to your own house ?"
Yes" We reached it, and having opened he |
DOR with atch-key closing it after u.s. he said
You are safe here; no one will know anything
bout you; you shall have bed in ten minutes |
r qparter of an hour; and you may de pend |
pom all in this house."
sat down in the drawing room, talking of the
lcts about US, and wondering at myself and nv |
ondtion, secretly preparing myself for the wors.
esult' viz: falling into the hands of those san.