New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-27
TI1H EDMUND KEA US PISTOL.


Many storirs he toll me of Rean's charity and
81 en- handle ness to his fellow PROFESSIONALS
Zee ally TO those who had Known him in his "harl
up days" but, said Sir John mo appealed to him
n VAN and then after giving some striking
ami OF his unstinted iberality Sir John would
aim with looks of milling Lride at the craven i'm
age of his dead hero. "sneh, sir wns my friend Ed
muni Kcan"
But of all the stories old S John told me, one rv
eted nv attention closest Of them ALL and has out
lived in vivid oistnctiveness all the rest yet it can
lie called story OF Edmund Kean. since be
little than spectator of the strange event
that occurred, but Will endeavor 10 give the story
nearly a. / remember in Sir Johns own words
1T was in the winter me when kean and wore
resting from engagement TO another that we ar
rived very cary one Mon ay morning (bavng to re-
bear-e nearly thirty III les beyond at noon at small
country inn. where alGhted to get fresh horses
and some hot breakfast, which greatly needed. for
the ght air had been per shlngly cold. We entered
directly into large apartment, which served as par
Or bar kitchen, dining and general room OF the es-
tblishme t. There a roaring fire in the large
open rauge, and The kettle sending out steam hiss
ng nj beyond it, SPOUT so we soon were able
to sit down TO a hot AMI substantial meal, and can
tell you we did just ce u IL. The andady herself
attenaei upon us, but whilst she did so we noticed
that she contant went ACROSS and spoke TO young
man who slit at the other side Of the fire
Lace. The young man was very stability and Lightly
dIessed-far too lightly for such weather-and such
ew clothes as he wore travels stained and wet
viii st he seemed almost too i'll and too weak TO
n his chair. After soothing and cheering the young
she would 90 TO the door which was standing
shoulderd man who leaned aga INST the doorpost and
smoked his morning Pile. IL soon became evident
that she was endeavorng TO make up some quarrel
or misunders tandng between the men, but all of no
avail for the older man esemed deaf to all his wife
IeasOnings and entreaues. kean became interested
in the womans proceedings, and presently called the
landladv 10 him and asked her to tel him what was
the mater between the two men. The poor woman,
with tears In her eyes, told us that the young man
their who had been very Wild and had on
several occasions got both himself and his father into
trouble, and that after ong absence from homo he
had returned i'll and destitute to ask for his fathers
.oreiveness and with Promises OF repentance but
the father had no belief in the latter and bad sworn
that be should never. long as he lived, have the
former, AMI bad roughly hidden the prodigal be off,
or be would with his own hands fling him outside
of the house
Kean IA o the woman be Of good cheer. telling
her that he himself would try his power of persuasion
her husband; the poor woman gratefully thanked
him. but alas the actors good Intentions were
never to be fulfilled, for the young man. at this
moment hearing his father exclaim, "H he Is not
him out mex and heels" feebly staggered to his
feet and approached breakfast table. took up
one of Keans travelling pistols which the actor
had taken out of hs travel coat pocket and placed
there on entering the inn. As the young man com
menced 10 examine the pistol kean cxclaimeN:
BE careful, young fellow, that Is a hair trigger"
81 un erstan all about firearms" replied the young
man al have been an officers servant" and then
to added, giving one last look AT MS hthor VINO
was deliberately knocking the ashes out or his pipe
AGAINST the heel Of his boot and on whose iace no
syn O, relcutn. Wis bic, well here goes for
coroners Inquest, and may they make my fauer
foreman of the Jury" saying. he quickly placed
the pistol barrel his mouth. close behind his mont
teeth In upward direction. pulled the t1gTrr
and nth arce a groan fell back dead on his father
n, ath Tho woman gave her husband one terr Die
look OF mingled anguish and Ieproach, and then
flung herself weeping and wainns On the oody OF her
suicide SON" 49, -
Presently Sir John continued: Il remember
n dav or two before poor Kean died he said to me-
.loh1 do YOU recolleos that young fellow shooting
himself one morn ng with one Of my pistols
ansuered him In the affirmative. Il often think OF
n, said Kean, and / often recall the expression OF
that yoman's face az she turned 10 her husband
hou,d meyer 20, get It If we're 20 1--we thousand
ears &C wa he most awful look ever saw on human
face and 1 have often tried 90 reproduce IL wheh
rst I,ok At Iago af er have scOveIed his rcachey