The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-10-09
stage. Fencing.
Cecilia Logan in New York Dispatoh)

l. ne nuInUeT Vi WOunuS TeCelfeJr III
stage fencing is almost countless n
Edmund Kean was brilliant swords
man, and extremely proud of his extra
Ordinary skill. In the bitter days of bis
early struggles for bread ore than fame
he used to teach fencing He would
slip his overcoat over his stage dress
after the performance and step into a
tavern adjoining the theater, where his
pupils, would be waiting for him He
also taught elocution, and taking lessons
from him was facetiously called, "a word
and blow with Kean''l al, - s.,
On the stage. like the elder Booth. be
fought With fierce earnestness. One Rae
asked him one morning at the rehearsal
Of Richard III, where shall / hit you,
sir, to-nieht7"o, i,s-E d,jw er-.a
Where you can Z" was Kean's reply
s In the fight Rae, fought till he nearly
tainted with weariness, ard could not
hit him until Kean permitted it,, ss
Kean gave offense to the Americans
by, abusing and deriding them on the
passage to the United States, and having
horne q great deal of that sort of inso.
lence from George Frederick Cook, they
determined to teach Mr.. Kean a lesson,
hence the. riots in the old Park Theater
during his engagement All sorts Of re-
fuse was thrown at ,him-rotten, apples,
eggs, vegetables, and the like. The play
Of Richard III could not be heard for
the noise, and the actors went through
1t in dumb show, but, when it came to
the combat between Richmond and
Richard, the fighting was so terrific that
it caused lull in the storm. the irritated
audience held their noise and their breath
-they had even threatened 10 lynch
Kean, in cold-blooded Boston-but his
fencing that night was that Of q madman,
and held them spell bound; the Rich.
mond bad really to flght for his life.
With the decay Of the classical drama
fencing like that Of Kean and Booth has
passed away. There are good feneers
still on the stage, but none Of the realis-
tic fighting as of .yore. Every actor,
big and little, then could fence, and well.
too-every utility man expecting to be
called upon at moments notice to play
Richard or Laertes. When Macready,
Booth, Adams, or any star Of that con-
stellation was expected 10 q theater du
ring rehesrsals, and long after, would re
sound the clash OF swords, and the air
would be thicker ofsparks than the sum
mer woods OF firenies, M : ds ''s
Coney and Blanchard, in addition to
acting good melodramas with their
splendidlv trained dogs. did some mag
nifcent lighting, principally with the
broadsword ~ - la"3 z
The lagos used to tremble when old
Booth, as Othelle. would lnnge at them
they were afraid he would kin his man.
He seemed to try to In playing Rich
ard one night, instead Of allowing him
self to be done for by Richmond, he
overpowered him. drove him clean out
Of the stage door, came back. and died
on his own sword -
Never but once did he meet his match
He was playing Richard at the Pearl
Street Theater to the Richmond of Will
liam Duffy At rehearsal Booth told him
to be on his guard at night, for he felt in
fighting trim
"Never you fear" said Duffy e"you'll
find me fuliyup in the part"
% At night B 10Th. as usual, got terribly
excited in tue combat, while Duffy kept
conl and collected "a 3geaa grs nj
Booths lunges, thrusts and cuts we're
something fearful Fire few from their
swords at every blow, the audience hur.
raining at the wonderful passes
ie Finding he. could gain no advantage,
Booth resortedl to a fayorite dodge OF
his. ''playing down. as tits called--that
is, driving his opponent into the corner
Of the stage, where, having no room TO
6ght freely. he could be easily disarm-
ed e3ai!0ti 81 d Ee8ii7 3 s,.7s : S..s,,-.
io Duffy seeing bis game, made feint,
whipped the sword out of Booths hand,
hurled it bevond reach over his head,
and stabbed him. Booth then reluctantly
compiled With the authors instructions
and died ] egs., eqEsg qt1.5 al. .i..a4.si,
Booth cauld 6sht as we'll with his lef'
as With his right hand, as, also could John
Wilkes oEoi ri s's4s 6a Ga sod I