Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-11-12
JOHN ar.ourronan DID,


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The Old Actor Succun1bs 10 HIS
Strange Disc ase-His Life.
John Mccullough, the tragedian, died
at l y. m. Sunday at the residence Of
his wife, 219 East Thompson street.
Philadelphia. On Friday night last his
condition assumed threatening aspect,
and the long-expected crisis had come.
Saturday was passed quietly by the
patient, his mental faculties were brighter
than at any period of his illness, and he
took cognizance of all that passed
around him. A few minutes before 8
o'clock, Monday morning, his attendant
was giving him medicine, when suddenly
the muscles of his throat refused to per-
form their functions, they having be-
come in an instant paralyzed. Tho
patient became unconscious and remained
80 until he died.
During the morning Mr.. McOullough's
two sons came into the sick room for
last look ut their father, and stayed only
n few minutes. His wife stayed with him
until he died. At the last moment his
wife, his sister, Mrs. West, DIR. Engel,
and the nurse were the only persons
present. II has been decided to hold q
post-mortem examination, and o full
synopsis of the case, an important one
from medical standpoint, will be made.
While the tragedian lay dying RSun-
day morning, groups of neighbors stood
in the rain around the doors, and
anxiously awaited the latest news from
the sick room. Much sympathy was ex-
| pressed for the family, and the utmost
precautions were taken to prevent all
noises in the street.
| No arrangements have been made for
the funeral except that his body will be
| placed in vault at Cedar Hill cemetery
to-day. Robinson, Crane, Florence
| aud Colyer and other fellow actors and
friends propose erecting monument to
his memory, and until location is
selected the body will remain in the vault.
The disease which eliminated in MIR.
McCulloughs death Sunday had been
slowly developing for two or three years
prior to his absolute breaking down on
the 30th of September, 1884. During the
season of 1SS3-S4 his friends noticed he
was not he man he had once been, but
thought that the foundation of his
trouble was overwork combined with
rather high living and that rest OF a
few months and change of scene would
fully restore him. So, early jill the sum
mcr of 1888, he went to Europe, spending
n good deal of time ut Carlsbad, and re-
turning to America on the 9th of Sep
TENDER of the same year. On that day
he met number of his old friends in
New York, and dined with them conyivi-
ally ut Delmonico's in the evening. On
the following day he went to Coney
Island, where, toward evening, he was
found wandering aimlessly about OH the
sands. His friends took charge of him and
took him TO New York, where 1t was ex-
planned that his trouble was due to the
excitement and conviviality incident to
meeting his old friends, combined with
the heat, which at that time was intense.
Notwithstanding these explanations,
there were persistent rumors that the
actors health was sadly undermined, and
the repetition of these rumors in the
newspapers were source of much annoy-
ance to the subject of them. He said
that he would speedily put an end to
them by reappearing with all his old
strength on the stage. Under the bust
ness management of MIR. Joseph Brooks.
he set out the following week for Mil
waukee where he was to open the season.
He played an engagement of one week
there, with nothing in his manner to pro-
woke special comment. Then he went to
Chicago TO open M engagement at
McNicker's Theatre. Here he played for
one week sufficiently well to escape criti-
cisin, but on September 30th, while play
ing in his masterpiece, "Virginius,n he
utterly broke down. He wandered in
and out from behind the scenes, stam-
mered, forgot his lines, and made n spec
tacie of himself that the audience at
| tributed to intoxication. He was Missed
and hooted numerically, until apparently
in great agony he advanced to the foot
| lights and cried out
"rhis is the bcst-mannered audience 1
ever saw. If you had suffered as 1 have
You would not do this"
The next day an advertisement an
nonnced that performances at MrYicker's
would he postponed indefinitely, and At
the same time MIR. Brooks cancelled all
McCullongh's engagements for the sea-
son: lie never appeared upon the stage
| again.
| Efforts were made to induce him to re-
turn to the east and rest during the entire
season. This he refused stoutly to do at
first, but finally went to New York and
remained some time with his friend Mr..
Conner in the st. james Hotel. Mr..
Mccullough soon began to manifest
symptoms of violence, and his friends
there, the Leland Brothers of the Sturte-
want House and Mr.. Connor of the st.
james, with whom he alternately STAYED
as the whim seized him, declined to be
any longer responsible for him, and on
Saturday, the 26th of June last, he was
quietly taken to Bloomingdale Asylum on
the pretense of going for drive. He
accepted his confinement conttntedly and
did not leave the asylum again until quite
recently, when he was taken by his rela-
tives to Philadelphia. ......
| Mccullough was born on the 22d of
November, 1887, at a little place called
Coleraine, near Londonderry, in the north
of Ireland. His father was a small farmer
and poor. When Mccullough was Is
years old he set out for America. and
landed here with less than half n dollar in
his pocket. He was of extraordinary
physical strength, however, and had no
difficulty in earning enough money to
take him to Philadelphia, where he had a
brother who got him work at chair
making. He became intensely stage
struck. He joined an amateur dramatic
company, and was considered by
its members rather prodigy. This
fiattery fixed his determination to become
professional actor. William L. Frede-
ricks, the manager of the Arch Street
Theatre, was easily persuaded to give him
an opportunity to appear in minor parts
at the salary of 81 per week. His first
Appearance was in the part of servant in
The Bellies Strategem." This was in
1857. His progress for time was not re-
markable, as his educational advantages
had been very small, and he had much
that was elementary to learn.
1t was two or three years after this that
Mccullough was cast for a minor part in
"NIetamora,' in which Forrest was to
play. This WIS the beginning of his good
fortune. Under Forests by no means
tender instruction ut rehearsals he not
only caught his first insight into the For
restian school of acting, but he had the
good fortune to win the then great TRACE.
dams friendship. Forrest pushed the
Young aspiraut at every opportunity.
MeCullough's zeal and energy We're unde.
niable, and rs Forests favorite support
he soon had not only IL material increase
in his wages, but some degree of fame.