Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-07
Real Tragedies Of the stage

Ii is a singular fact that actors are more
subject to apopleHy than people of other
professions. Many deaths have resulted
from this cause, even on the stage, when the
actor, full of life and spirits. was delightlng
the audience
Bsddeley, the original Moses, in the
'School for Scandal" was standing waiting
to make his entrance for that part one night.
He was struck with apoplexy and fell dead at
the wing
SpIller. an actor who hourished in the
days of Quin. fell dead rs he was acting
part in the Rape of Proserpine.
young actor named Bond, was playing
in Zara, a piece produced by Colley Cibber-
In lifting his hands over young couple,
saving, '.Bless you, my children :" he in
stantly expired.
A rival of QUINN named Hulett, act
ing Falstaff, and shouted and ''spouted" SO
that he broke blood vessel, which ended
his career then and there. In every instance
the audience was unaware that anything Sc
rious had happened until after the perform
ance.
Cashel was one of the many actors who re-
ceived their death stroke on the stage. He
was struck with apoplexy while acting
Frankly. in Tho Suspicious Husband, was
carried off the stage and died at the wing.
LIFE OF yICIssITUpRs.
strange vicissitudes. He was full of talent,
and theatres could not do without HIM but
he WAS given barely snlary enough to keep
him from starving. Garrlck was very Jeal
GUS of his popularity, and finally managed to
oust him from the London stage. Mrs. Bar
ry accidentally stabbed Palmer one night
with real dagger. II made a very serious
wound. He recovered only to be plunged
into the deepest affliction by the loss OF his
wife and a favorite son.
He was also in financial distress which
greatly harrassed him, so that he SAID even
when acting he could not keep the dead nor
the living from his mind. He went to Liver
pool from London, and was playing good
engagement there. The Stranger was put
up. and in acting this his sorrow was not
simulated. He fell dead on the stage after
uttering the words. there is another and
better world" he was the original of Jo-
| seph Surface Dick Dowlass and Capt. Abso-
lutte.
| TRAGIC DEATH OF A YOUNG ACTOR
In our country, numbers of singular deaths
have occurred in sight of the audience. Seye-
| raj years ago a comedian playing the
part of Tony in The French Spy" 1t was
| during Madame Celeste's first tour West and
South, and occurred in Louisville, Ky.
| have been unable to ascertain the name of
the man. In one scene Tory. lies down.
Some soldiers enter, look at him, and pass on
with the remark, "Oh ! he's dead Tony
| Immediately assumes a sitting attitude, and
| fires at the backs of the retreatipg soldiers,
springs up and starts to exit right first en-
| trance. He held the shank OF the gun out.
and the bayOnet pointing toward his body.
In making his exit he turned to see If he WAS
| followed. the butt of the gun struck the
wing, and the bayonet was forced into his
| bowels. He died instantly.
THE MURDER OF EWING.
| Brief mention has been made in these pa
pers OF Mrs. Ewing, who murdered her
| husband 1t WAS in 1912, and the following
letter to Sol. Smith is interesting. especially
the last line:
"AIoBILE, Saturday morning. Dear
Sol: We are all hOrS di combat here Our
theatre was the scene of terrible affair last
night-the murder of one of the actors, a
Mr. Ewing who was acting with us, in My
Old Woman" the part of Col. Girouette.
After the first act, Miss Hambhn, also per-
forming in the same piece Victor, the page,) |
went into the dressing room and stabbed the |
young man. Of course were obliged to |
dismiss the audience. Truly yours,
81. b. BucKsToNE."
She WAS the wife of Ewing. who had given |
her cause for jealousy. They had an alter |
cation in the dressing room on the subject OF |
the woman. and becoming enraged beyond |
self-control she drew from her belt the dag |
ger she was to have used in the play. and |
plunged it into his body. The wound proved
mortal. She was nevertheless acquitted In |
consequence of the judges charge to the /
jury. 1t was unique. and hinged on the prob
ability Of the mans dying OF heart disease,
If he had not been stabbed. As he WAS really |
afflicted with that malady. the jury conclud-
ed that he might have died anyhow.
TOUCHING APPEAL.
Mrs. Ewing appears to have repented. The
letter is addressed to Mr.. Sol. Smith, and is
dated New Orleans, May %, lsi5.
"MB. Sol. SNIIH.-Dear SIR /; l wrote to
you last winter and sent the letter by Mr.
Ewing, my husbands father-the sorrowing
and bereaved father. You refused TO see
me.
Had you come would have thrown my.
self at your feet, and with streaming eyes
and bursting heart. begged you for an en-
gagement-for something TO do to support
myself and father honestly. And now ] beg
as you are father, husband as you have
children OF your own-to give me something
TO do. | may have done wrong, but, oh III
mercy do not cast me OIL Give me, l beg
you, a chance to regain what have lost. II
you have cause to complain OF me then cast
me of and give me that name WAS not born
broken. You knew me when was happy
oh do not desert me in my misery.
II have no one to speak for me-no one TO
say a word in my behalf.
Il feel as though my heart would break.
l do not ask you to believe my simple word,
but Try me- put me to the test. Let me come
and work i'll the theatre. Give me anything
you please-I will not complain.
"On my knees l beg and pray you-with
sl hal |
whole world curse me, oh do not you de-
sert me turned me on all and every side,
and every one shrinks from me as from
leper, whose every breath comes filed with
pestilence and disease.
Tell me. is this the way to win a woman
back to virtue ? Is this the way to succor II
triendless and unprotected woman.
'Oh. what shall | do if you refuse me your
countenance?
next winter. for | am an outcast and heart
broken woman. l have not u friend in the
wide world. Save me- oh save me from de
spair, and will pray God to bless you for
ever, for l will stand firm in the right path,
If you will give me an opportunity. Respect
fully, "CHARIoTIE EWING"
Mr.. Smith does not say, in his .'autobi-
ography," whether he gave her anything to
do or not but in the year following We find
her in the company in Corpus Christi. Texas,
in the camp of the army under General Tay-
lor.
THE STORY or A DRAMATIC MURDER.
Sol. Smith tells dramatic story of the
murder Of his brother Lemuel, an actor. 1t
did not occur i'll the theatre but in a drink
ing saloon in Augusta, Ga Some words
took place between him and man named
Flourney, who drew "A pistol and shot Lem
uel.
He fell mortally wounded. and expired
shortly after without giving any of the par
ticulars of the affair. He was only q years
Of age. very popular actor. and greatly
beloved. The coroners Jury brought IL u
verdict Of guilty Of wiliul murder. but
Sol addressed the prisoner thus
Before God, man, charge you with mur-
dering my young brother. The sleep of the
innocent will never more be yours. You are
II murderer, and will eveimOre carry the
mark OF homicide upon your brow from
time forth in this world you will never sleep
again"
Flourney WAS acquitted on the plea that it
was duel Two years after Sol was accost-
ed by an abject looking wretch. who stood
before him in an attitude Of supplication 1t
was Wm. Flourncy.
"Why do you follow me ?" said Sol.
'Because ! want you 10 shoot me right
here"
mo, it is not for me to punish you. was
the reply.
at is not punishment ask you to inlct
that have received already. full meas
ure , IT in vengeance | wish you to take for
your brothers muder upon hls murderer | !