Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-24
THE STAGE.
Last Days of the Great Actor. Junins
Brutus Booth.
What is Doing and to be Done on the
Conte nporary Stage.
Interesting Notes and Personal Gossip
of the Pla! ers.


Hit aae Miss
Shortly after the burning OF the Bow
cry theatre in FEBRUARY, 1883 &C entertain
ment at the Park theatre was proposed
for the benefit of the sufferers in that
long remembered catsstrophy.
Merchant of Venice" was announced,
With the elder Booth as ShyIock sud Tom
tlynk's pretty wife s. Purtis. A large
audience assembled and Mr.. Booth. after
having dressed himself, disappeared Just
as the stage manager was about to ring
up for the first act. One of the stock
actors, Clark by name, was substituted.
Flynn went IL search of Booth, whom he
discovered at fire on William street.
near Wall, laborIng with all his strength
at the brakes of fire engine in the en-
deRvor, he said, 10 save other peoples
property from destruction"
Flynn took him in c. arge, and after
wards made an engagement with the sen
or "alleck (whum they had known in
Englandl for Booth and himself to PLAY
IN conjunction week tor one hundred
dollars night.
At the termination of that engagement
With W alieck, Booth and FLYNN embarked
on the steamer Nepture for the suutb. on
4 professional tour. After they had been
a. sea few days, Booth went to Ffynn
with an air of profound mastery and
SAID: Flynn, when we reach the spot
where poor Conway was lost at sea, tell
me, as L have message for him"
William Augustus Conway. a very com
petent trsgedian and an old friend of
Booths had some time before that com
nlltted suicide by throwing himself into
the sea from tbs deck of vessel.
III go below" added Booth. "ard try
to sleep. Tom don't forget to call me
when We reach the spot, for I long to
hsve 3 chat wi h Conway
OF course Flynn did not disturb his
erratic friend, but when the steamer
reached the bar off Charleston up came
Booth, exclaiming, I'm just going to see
Conway" and leaped overheard. The sea
vas running high, but boat lowered, and
with the greatest difficulty Booth was
saved from s tragic death,
After ha had been secured in the boat.
his first words were: 81 say, Tom, LOOK
cut. You're q heavy man; be stsady, for
if the boag should upset we'd all be
drowned"
About O'Clock one morning during that
Charleston engagement Booth found his
way to Flynn's room at the Planters
Hotel. The room was on the ground
floor and Booth got in by climbing
through a window. He went straight to
the chimney piece, armed himself with q
cast iron hre-dog and inflicted severe
wound over Fiynn's right Eye.
Flynn spraLg from his bed Mortified
| and say his friend in the act of aiming q
second blow, which, in trying to avoid, he
received over the left eye. Finding that
he YES face TO face with mailman, Flynn
escaped from the room with Booth in hot
pursuit. They finally grappled and fell
The heroalean strength of Booth giving
aim he advantage. In the melee Booth
received q blow who broke his nose and
permanently disigured his noble counte
nance.
With this event his theatrical career
| practically ended. He continued to act
spasmodically few years longer, and
often manifested some OF the fire and
energy of his youthful days, but his face
had been despoiled of its beauty and his
matohless voice had taken on a nasaI
! tone.
During the last ten years of his life,
| says his daughter, Asia Booth Clarke, she
| passed a considerable portion of his time
| in the midst of his family, occasionally
| making professional tours with a careless
| disregard of. fame, which may be &C
| counted for by the depressing conscious
| ness of the accident which had marreG
| his face and voice. Still he played annu
| ally in Boston and New Orleans, in which
! paoes he was an establi5hed favorite
| He INDUCED his philanthropio incina
| lions unrestrainedly, and the Particular
| of some charitable visit or donation
would frequently be disclosed to the
| family by tue grateful recipient. Little
! deeds of kindness were of almost daily
| occurrence with him. He delighte tc
seek out the destitute and unfortunate
aud aid them by sympathy as well as by
| his bounty"
| Mr.. Booths last New York appearance,
| was at the old National Theater, Septen
| Der 10, 1851, when he played Shylock anc
| Mr.. Edward Mortimer.
In June, 1852, he went to California
| where he attracted OVERLOOKING houses
| Ia the autumn of that year he suddenly
| resolved TO return East. He had fire
| quently expressed his intention to retire
! from active lite and as a sad intimatiOI
! that the ide' weight with him he gave
| r clard's dIadem to his eldest son, cay
| ing that he would never need it again
He had engaged passage on the Brother
! Jonathan and on the morning of starting
! while anxiously uperintending the ship
| ping of his baggage, he was annoyed by
! the dllatOry manner of a rough, surly
| sailor who was doing the work, and kind
/ ~ urged the man tn show more elacrity
| Observing, however, that he obstinately
| moved slower, and was dis posed to be in
solent. Mr.. Booth sharply inquired
"What are you employed for? VINO are
| your"
The seaman, with vicious look, gruff
ly replied: Il am thief"
Mr.. Booth, with quick intuition OF
character, Instantly responded: Give me
your hand comrade, Dm a pirate
The fellow looked absshed, yet, evident
~ recognizing a superior spirit, extended
his hand i'll silence.
Mr.. Booth lRuded at New Orleans,
where he stayed six nights. His last ap-
ptarance on any stage Was at the St.
Charles theatre, New Orle; n, Friday eve
ming. November 10, 1852, when he was
seen as Sir Edward Mortimer, in 'The
Iron Chest" and as John Lump, in the
musical farce, Review or the Wag of
Windsor" His support on that occasion
included Maggie, hemble, Mark Smith,
Ben De Bar, Mrs. Stone, Estelle Potter
and Mrs. HowalI.
Being greatly exhausted after the per
formance, it is conjectured that he con-
tracted q cold, which rapidly grew worse
He took passage for Cincinnati on the
steamer j. s. Cheno#eth, and becoming
in q few days very feverisb, he drank
freely of the Mississippi water, which
aggravated his malaoy. There was no
physician on board and he would not
trouble the captain to procure the at
tendance Of one, but with that patient
endurance which had ever characterized
him, bore his suferiDgs uncom plainipgly
and alone. His disease turued to CON
sum ption of the bowels, of which he
died on Tuesday, November 80, 1852, in
MS 57th year. The stew I'd of the steam
er rscolleots his last words to have been:
PRAY! pray"
sHERfDAN'S FIRST MEETING WITH GRANT
His Arrest in Missouri, and How He Came to
Enter the Cavalry.