Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-12-17
THE ELDER BOOTH !.
ny hs Qsit Highland and Cane % thia Coant11
His Rsligisss Faith. s


From the So. Louis Repub lican.
tooth, accompa nied BY his vile,
arrived at Norfolk, from tho Isl
land Of Madeirain q vessel, unheralded
and unknown. He made his first ap-s
=pearance in Richmond, and pre-
sented himself to Mi. Gilfertt, the man.
ager, and said that he wished to per-
form. He had no letters Of introduc-
ton, and his identity was very much
doubted, while at the rehearsal, which
he merely walked through the ac-
tors looked upon him as fraud.
But at night he dispelled all doubts
Of his identity in the performance Of
Richard. Now, the question has al
ways arisen why he arrived from the
old country in such q mysterious man.
ner. Ithink l can throw some light
upon the matter. @ {, (. Il
just before Booth left, England he
was playing in Bath. Business was
dull, for he did not draw. Acelebrat-
ed gymnast was performing at the
same time at an opposition theatre.
His name was Signor Antonio, or the
: ''Little Devil" He drew the crowds
by his wonderful performances on the
slack rope. Booth, after his perform
ance, went around to the other show
and commenced Shouting. -
"Mountebank! Mountebank!! Hum.
bug!!! g. dissertation Of the temple OF
art" 49,.
OF course he was elected by the police,
but returned after the performance
and met Antonio. A few angry
words followed, ana they came
to blows; next day they again
met, and q reconciliation took place.
They then had a supper, at which
wine was freely partaken Of They
parted late that night. Antonio, going
home, while passing through park,
heard q pistol snap behind him Ia
f1intlock). It missed fire. Antonio
then turned and saw it was Booth,
who fred a second shot. The ball
struck him in the cheek and lodged in
the back of his head. He fell stunned,
but was found shortly afterward and
taken to his hotel. Booth fed from
England to the continent, and this is
why Booth came to this country in
such a mysterious manner. Antonio
recovered and came to the Unit
ed States, where he played at
leading theatres with much success,
and finally fixed his home in St. Louis,
where he died a few years ago, respect
ed and loved by all who came in con-
tact with him. In his old ago he became
insane. The cause of his insanity was
supposed to be the shot fred by the
hand of the elder Booth. Booth and
Antonio met in St. Louis and became
firm friends, and his son Alfonso, now
has in his possession a watch seal
which was presented by Booth with
the letter "B" engraved upon the anne
thyst on the seal, which he keeps in
remembrance of the drunken freak
which occurred in his fathers younger
days.
Booth'e ancestors were from Spain.
They were OF Hebrew stock, and
their family name was Cabana, which,
in the Hebrew Language, means
Booth. They fled to England
to escape persecution. His literary
tastes and abilities were OF high or
der. He was a linguist, as he spoke
and wrote the French, German and
Hebrew languages fuently. He was 8
great admirer OF the koran and fanlil-
lar with the talmud.
One day asked him: "Are you not
a Jew in religion, Mr.. Booth?"
NO." said he, II am not. l was
born g. Jew, but if one be born in
stable, it is no reason that he should
be horse. I am Mohammedan."
I knew he was a frequenter of syna-
gogues, but he had the highest respect
tor all places OF religious worship, and
never passed one without bowling his
head. His charity was shown by
deeds of philanthropy and humanity,
not talk. "He did good by stealth,
and blushed to find it fame"