The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-25

while among the keener spirits IN the
crowd horrible suspicion commenced TO
dawn that the whole thing was "sell."
The suspicion speedily became q certainty,
and with wild yells the "sold" rushed into
the churchyard and endeavored TO force
their way into the sieepe. II was queer
sight Respectable family men, WaII-street
brokers, and quiet individuals who would
not for the life Of them have been mixed up
in "mob riot" were unwilIingly carried
into the churchyard in spite OF their frantic
gesticulations, many Of them batless. The
hubbub continued for some time, but, like
all things, ended, after which Sotbern and
two confederates crept quietly from behind
the Lawrence tomb and deDurely walked
up town. Sothcrn endeav0red to persuade
the public that be knew nothing OF u. and
sent the following card tn the Herdtd:
"GRANERcY PARK HOTEL.
L" To he Editor Of he Herdd:
"Wiil you kindly state that am not re-
spon.ible for the 6glng hoax at Trinity
church on Wednesday last. Believing with
Washington that it is wrong 10 tell story,
| VIII simply state that Florence did il.
"Yours, &c., +. A. SoTHERN.'
This led 10 series OF farcicll incidents,
and to n general certainty Of Sothern's con-
nection with the hoax.
THOSE FEARFUL AMERICANS.
John T. Raymon tells a good story OF a
| scare be and Sotbern got up when in Paris
playing Dundreary. Mr.. Raymond says :
s.The celebrated bilI-poster OF Paris and
London. Willing by name, was in the green
room. and made some remark rs coming
from Soihern concerning me, which pur-
pOseiy construed into most grevous in.
suit Dasbing impetuously into SOthern's
dre,sing-r DOM, which was just OIL The
oreen.rOOm, | demanded in loud tone that
could be beard by everybody instant satis-
faction or his life, whispering 10 Ned to
keep up the joke. Always as quick a. light
ming TO take hni, he presently emerged,
kicking me out OF his apartment Into The
centre OF the now-thoroughly alarmed peo-
nle in the ercen-rOOm. | rushed on 10
get a knife. swearing vengeance. Every
body appealed 10 me to be quiet, and tried
TO hold me back, while | contPnded that
nothing but his Iife's blood would wipe out
the insult. or course the play had to con-
tiuue. but the actors were almost afraid 10
go on the stage, looking on me as a wild
American, who, with bowie-knife in hand.
was about TO commit a horrible murder.
Meanwhile Sothern had quietly sent note
telling me tn slip into his dressiDg-room
again, get some stage blood there, lock the
door. and that as soon as we came OIL we
would have a 'ttme.' | followed the in
struclions, and after the act he came down
and Joined me. The people in The green
room were on the alert, and between Ned
and mysclf we gave their listening ears the
benefit OF q full chorus OF mOans, grOans,
imprecatlons, struggles, and other sounds
OF distress. among which every now and
then my knife could be heard sticking
into some conveniently soft substance that
sounded very like human body. Willing,
whose remarks had been the cause OF all
this commotiop, frightened almost tD death,
rushed after the gendarmes. When the lat
ter cime they demanded entrance IN
French. A low groan was the only re-
sponse. Believing that one or both OF us
was nearly dead, they burst open the door.
| Willing was the first man to rush in, and
was followed by the soldiers and such OF the
company as were not on the stage. You
can imagine their feelings when they saw
Sothern and my self covered with blood "
| ing upon the floor, with the CORY knife near
BY, the entire apartment in confusion aEd
bearing evidences OF desperate struggle.
O.. Poor fellow SAID one, has be got a
pulse!' He must be dying was the re-
mark Of another. SO for some strefchers.
'Wbat awful fighters these Americans are J
! sDon't touch the blIder and other similar
expressions w.re also 20 be heard.
willing, with bOrror-stricken face.
stooped over and felt OF Sothern. Ned par
TALLY raised his head and feebly whispered.
a glas, Of champagne qmck.' The poor
bill.po,ter didn't stop for a glass. bat
! knocked of the neck of bottle. and in his
haste. to the great disgust OF Dundreary,
nearly chOked him TO death as he poured IL
| down. At This instant lifted my head in
the same way and family called, Some
wine. 1907 Then we both rose up on our
elbows and asked for more wine, and then
TO our feet, until finally. with hearty laugh
at the success OF our joke, we invited the
whole party to join us in potation."
TRICK sHOwER.B BATH.
In St. James street Sothern had very ele-
gantly.furnished aparI mentS, which be was
fond OF lending to such OF his friends as
wished TO spend night in town. An
acute observer, however, noticed that no
friend from the country ever occupied these
rooms twice, and very respectable ghost
story was once worked up on this founda-
lion. The secret finally leaked out that no
sooner aid the guest stretch. himself on
Sothern's luxurious couch than his weight
on the bed started small edition OF the
deluee and hundreds OF tinv streams OF
lavender water poured down from the cell
ing on the unhappy individual, drencbing
him to the skin.
A PUT.UP JOB.
The former manager OF the st. James
Theatre, London. recalls an odd adventure
with Sothern as follows:
Walking down Regent street with me
one day, he said you 90 ahead couple
of blocks, Fiske, aDd III go back. but we
will both take the Atlas omnibus l FOL
lowed his instructions, and entering the
omnibus found Sothren sitting in the dag
onally-opposite corner. i naturally looked
at him with some curiosity to knowwby be
had sent me two blocks ahead. Perceiving
this, he assumed very herce ana
beIligerent expression, and exclaimed !:
Are you staring at me, sirE Tne
omnibus was filled with several ell
derry ladies, two quiet gentlemen who
looked like clergymen, and farmer from
the country. / took the cue at once, and
replied, 'No; if I wanted to stare at any,
body / would stare at better-looking man
than YOURSELF AT this Sotbern's indlgna.
ton apparently became uncomfortable, ana
II required all OF the force OF the clergymen.
seconded by the farmer, to keen him In his
seat and prevent him from throwing him
self upon me. Finally be Insisted upon
stopping the bus, and invited me to step
outside and either apologize then and there
for the insult or fight him on the spot.
pretended to prefer to do the latter; but
said | would remain In the omnibus,
whereupon Sothern took of bis yerciat
a,,d b.nded IL to the nearest old maid