Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-09-09
fCommunicatei.l
TIL LATE T.. J.. DAVENPORT.

Tee b- EN
The Eastern papers bring us the
new of the death Of this universally
popular actor. Over forty wear ago ]
first saw Mr.. Davenport. He was then
a youhg member of "Old Drufy,''
Cbesnut-street Theater. in Phiiadel
phia. The EUeHing Bqijetia oGice
is built exactly on the site o.
the main entrance Of the old
theatre. Mr.. Davenport was then
"A young man, and his line of charac-
ters were melo dramatic. lie was
great in sailor characters, such as Will
liam, in Black Eyed Susan. Long Tom
Coffin, etc, and >ang the best song and
danced the best hOrnpipe OF any man
on b stage. Among the company
we're James Il. Murdoch, w. f. Bur.
ton, MIR. and Mrs. Thayer-MrS.
Tbayer was the mother of Mrs. Alex
ina j. Baker, well known on this
coast-Mr. and Mrs. w. Il. Wood,
IL. o. Conner and Others | can not now
recall. Murdoch and Davenport. after
Burton, alone rose to real eininence.
Ihoy were both Students, but Daveu
port had the advantage in physique,
Murdoch being hollow chested, weak
and husky of voice, and giving little
promise of the future which he
achieved. 1t makes one feel old to re-
call these men. no older than the
writer, who have ''strutted their weary
hour upon the STAGE and made
= final exit. Mr.. Davenport by
his temperate and studious
habits. grapually grew into favor and
assumed a more prominent position,
until he finally became a leading stock
actor and a man of acknowledged tai.
ent. His versatility, though serving
him in inany cases, was undoubtedly
a back to a more com plete success
"a, a high comedian and finished TRACE
dian. When Mrs. Anna ora Mowatt.
the talented authoress of Fashion"
armand, !" ETC., adopted the stage, Mr..
Davenport was solicited to support her
in her engagements IN England, and
her autobiography everywhere bears
record not only to the conscientious
support he rendered her, but to his
universal success and popularity with
English audiences. On one occasion,
at the Olympic Theater, in London,
Mr.. Davenport was. performing the
ma IRC ~ hbthl Idtiilafiy th II ASH
ion, and some of the audiance Missed
the republican sentiments uttered by
the American farmer. Mr.. Davenport
paused, folded his arms, and fixed his
eyes upon the part whence the misses
came, and waited to see il the audience
would indorse the humanity sentiment
of the gallery. A torrent of applause
said, mo- and the play proceeded
Mr.. Davenport's cool sell possession
probably saving the play. Mr.. Day.
export was a man OF good physique
in his early manhood, a close
student, and a very refined gentle
man, and his Hamlet was one of the
best that ever graced the stage. The
last time | saw him was at the Opera
House, Albany, New York. He
PLAYED Macbeth, but was miserably
supported, and did not play to advan-
tage. In n scene where Macbeth
eXclaims, Sound the alarm" eic., and
in which drums and trumpeis should
be heard from the battlements, MIR.
Davenport waited a few seconds for the
alarm" which finally came piping
from the call boy; "hurray!" Mr.. d..
made his exit in the direction of the
voice, turning his face to the audience
as he went off, with the audible re-
mark, "I>n't that horrible +" Mr..
Davenport must have been, atthe time
of his death. over sixty, but he was the
same man, almost 10 the last. lie
leaves very few successors among
American actors, and none who will
probably run as long. a. respectable
and as successful a course as L. l..
Davenport. l have seen him play
With the best men who have graced
the stage for the past fifty years, and l
cannot recall "A time when he did not
do himself credit, and share the hon
ors of the occasion. j. Ii. 4.