The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-11-12
MEMoR1ES OF McrLLouGH.



Tom Kccne's Theory of the Great Ao-
tors Madness,
"Thc madness of Mccullough, ~ OBJ
served Mr.. r. w. Kecnc the tragedian,
during his last visit to Chicago to n re-
porter for the Inter- OccdU, "is the mys-
terry of the stage. had close profes.
sional connection with him for over ten
| years, and was leading man with him
for five years during those days when
the California Theatre was under his
management and sharing in the gen.
eral hospitality born of the Comstock
bonanza. There was not at that time,
! firmly believe, n man soundet physi-
cally or mentally than Mccullough. |
am speaking of the years "a, rs, '7G
and n. before he commenced starring.
| lie had noble presence, and in the
classic drama had few equals on the
boards. As u man he was generous to
fault, lived high, and was given TO
turning night into day. This tendency
during the days of his management of
the California earned him the sobri
quot of genial John and to II ! ut.
tribute his present pitiablc condition.
lie never allowed himself nccdful rest
He would come off the stage, and in
stead Of going to the hotel he would
run round all night with the boys. lie
was not drinking man, but he dearly
loved company, and hardly ever seemed
TO care TO go to bed as long as he could
spend the hours with boon companions.
In time he became like Notairc, who
forgot to go to sleep and indeed in
somnia alone, believe, was the
beginning of the end. Then. again,
John had u good many troubles of
financial nature that his best friends
knew but little of.
"Whilc he was in California;"
"Ycs. You know Ralston, the
banker, was one of Johns greatest
friends, and it was to Ralston John
owed his getting the controlling inter
est in the California Theatre Company.
Ralston made over to Mccullough
eighteen shares of the theatre stock,
which at that time was valued on the
market for 1861 900. John gave his notes
for the money, and paid back to the
bank over $40, 900 of the amount. When
the bank failed and Ralston commit
ted suicide in 1873, on ovcrhauling the
accounts the books failed to show a
single payment made by Mccullough
His notes had not been destroyed and
the bank still held them. Mccullough
had nothing to show for his payments
and he had to shoulder the whole debt
again. This preycd upon his mind
greatly at the time, but rs the theatre
was making plenty of money he soon
succeeded in getting his head once
more above water. When John started
out to star he was not success, and
lost money steadily for several seasons.
lie was very hard student and seemed
at times TO feel bitterly the defects of
his early education, or rather lack. of
education. The hours not claimed by
study and the stage were spent in so
cial enjoyment, for the man had many
friends and was cursed with the defect
OF never being able to say no.
'Of course you have heard the ru.
mors floating around as to the cause OF
McCullough's madness
81 have, and can affirm that there
is not an iota OF truth in any OF them,
Mccullough. was man run OF All the
hre ana passion OF vigorous mahnoou'
tine. His life was as pure rs that of
the average man who does not claim to
be the most exalted saiut or the yilest
sinner
~ ,b;nl, Il voe q ebop,o and q die.
grace, continued MI keenc, 'the
manner III which Mccullough was
treated by his friends. When his mind
first gave way had he been put under
the care OF specialists in mental dis
eases his reason might have, perchancc
been saved. But what was done? Tho
poor fellow was allowed to wander
aimlcssly from New York to Chicago,
from Chicago to st. Louis, and all over
the country, making an exhibition oil
his infirmity MS painful TO the public rs
il ought to have been distressing tC