The Indianapolis journal., 1885-06-14
THE PERILS OFF AN ACTOR IN ,63.

How an Enthusiastic Soldier Raised the Siege
of Fort Fisher ON the Stage.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
II had one experience in this smoky old town
that will not forget soon," said the veteran ac-
tor, Joseph K. Rowe to reporter yesterday.
What was the experienceF
ut was during the war and everything was
red-hot here. Old Beauregard was expected
every day to come marching up across the hills
from Virginia and burn the town. The city was
full of soldiers, and they ran everything We
were playing here at the time with
the the sstorming Of '" Fort M Fisher sHe 'a''gn t
carried good deal of red fire and spreadeagle,
of course. Henderson thought it would catch on,
and it did There was scene in the play where
the rebel colonel tears down the American flag
and tramples it under his feet with an oath
about the Yankee rag, and lot of that sort of
stuff. The house was about two thirds full Of
soldiers. Officers filed all the boxes, and most
of them had been drinking. That was in the old
Pittsburg Theater on Fifth avenue just above
Wood street / knew how reckless the soldiers
We're, and felt little leery about taking the part
tore down the flag / heard the cooking
OF half dozen revolvers in different
parts of the house. One big fellow in privates
uniform, seated directly in front of the orches-
ira, rose up with six shooter in his hand and
said: Drop that flag, Johnny / dropped it
like a hot potato, and retired as gracefully as
circumstances would permit. How was hissed,
though. l tried to go out and finish my part
but it raised such row that wasn't permitted
to go on the stage to even explain Half the
house didn't even wait to see the rest of the
play. Next day heard a young officer swear
that if that blanked rebel Colonel pulled that
flag down that night he'd put hole clear
through him. WE'LL didn't like the character
and was working for money. The prospect Of
lighting the whole United States army or
that portion Of it in Pittsburg from behld the
scenes, was not alluring to / was young
and eager for glory, but didn't care to be made
martyr of, either for the Southern Confederaey
or the dramatic profession. Consequently in
formed Mr.. Henderson that the flag would not
be there that night for me to pull it down. He
insisted. resigned He pleaded. I.was firm.
Then he talked compromise 1t was finally set
tied this way: super was found who was
highly eated with the prospect Of doing some
thing. So the reading was changed and in the
lines ordered him to tear down the Yankee rag.
This was received with Kisses and calls but the
audience caught on to the concessions made
to them, and let it go, and we had no moro
trouble"
why you can have no idea Of the bitterness
came up here to play Paul Pry." 1t had been
reported that Owens was captain of the New
Orleans Cocktail Guards. Those stories were
frequent at the time about different members of
the profession. Maggie Mitchell, it was claimed
trampled under foot the American flag, aud was
hissedfor it dozens of times. although the story
was q malicious lie. Well, Owens came in one
day on the o'clock train, and went into n bar
ber shop to get shaved While in the chair he
heard young officer swear that If that
rebel came on the stage he should shoot him.