Telegram-herald., 1888-12-17

The F.saoas sfiassrcI. who Died R~e~any
Ia PhilzdslphlA


ia PhilzdsfphLA
Fs~ a,en have become more prominent in
a Ssrtals klad q theatrical work thal TIE
.ats Carl nankln. IL was little mors tuaG
- years Oh 80 TIE tine = hs death. bus hs
was 0as " tas foremost ln BIS chosen pr0ses-
a5n as4ro nllassrslsy lie vas mzn =
a4-lrai genius and talent VI family %
tolr 1rstaers uh3 attained d.ssincflon -
niluyrrtas ~ was tae greatest Ten years
ago la.i vus a afnooth faeed bov ci~rking "a
tle P1a Elndls railroad ot1ces ln Columbus,
%. AZ 90 ~ssk
Liks a.. brothers. savs TIE Cucinuar Rn-
euirrg. he Dad a pas ga for auso. and va
bleassz: va = ds~p tsss yo.cs Il renark4Jls
volnias Th- BOYS we're tas sons of judge
" r. Rankin, q Columbus. ~a0, untA tls
time q dis dearh AZ al advanced ass about
tao ysars ago, Nss regarded as one 4 the
brga.~-s criminal lawyers a. tne OHIO bar
The iiankir boys stood vel ~ Columbus.
and ia addition 10 their regular daily employ
meat played in the theatre orches-ra4 They
were IA demand ~ amateur theatrlc2ls and
a. local sut-gtainnents.
About nine years ago. whsn Barlow, Wil-
SCI, Primrose ard Vests rnlnstrals we're at
F,tca. Carl. VIII and i.l-t.-nlade their de5u,
Slta them as ice -Four Rankinsn They ap-
pesrea together ia a musical sketch. and as
either % tas foar could play well nDon any
musical Instrument ever invented. their suc-
cess was instantaneous They made hit
everywhere IA addition. Carl appeared -
eos the ballad singers. aud Lls rendition
o. Rocked n the Cradle ot the Deep 70 Is
-.
equaied OF tie sage The power and culture
OF rs voicc were simply mErveiouS
~ this tifne and FOR year or 40 after
starting orf. Carl had no idea % being funny
y In sort u iean. lsnk facs and deep bass
voi>e he seemed the last man IN ths world for
a c9meian.
IN Columbus. familiar 30 oil youths Of
Csrrs sEs and time, WAS a crazy col6red fell
low who walked around with a jeTAy sort Of
ga. and bis hands spread ont with fingers
aparr a-d AZ full leugth- Cal hit upon the
idsa of Introducing the silly darky ss a char
aczcr IN The Musical Mokes" his imitation
was perfect one and turned out 10 be one Il
tos greatest creations Of minstrelsy, for IL
was laugsed at and applauded from New
York - Ssu francisco Discovering that he
was funny. Carl also became one of the end
r,cn snd achieved success eqaal % nearly
say 0f them now before the public
After heiag out vish the. Barlow troupe a
couple Of seasons toe boys organized a tro1ius
4 their own. which they called Rankiu's
asgatherian Minstrcls IL was short lived.
znd tney wen. back to their first love. con
.snuiuz with thcm until shout six years ago.
when she quartet was irss broken by the
death Of Ritt Rankin, who died az the st.
Charles hotel. in Columbus. OF consumption.
The vacancy Vas filed by taking up johnny
Mosure. . prOmiueot Columbus musician.
Who 6lIsd bis place - one of the -Four Ran
slns7
Three years ago VIII Rankin died IN Phila-
6elphis ot consumption. the same disease tsat
claimed Pitt. Ons after another they with
ere,l and died A few years ago Carl. speak
in~ II the death Of his brothers, said: MY
tnrn y coming .exk know I've got 70 20
M a ~ years
sie remained with the company be starred
or Trh until II broke Mp. and then be went
wsh Barlow sud Wilson, and afterwaid
with Primrose md West Flraliy he became
a partner with Thatcher. wilson and
Raa<4l. Tho isst company be WIS
With vas D'cks.aaers * New York.
us played vith them ur5il be 10
came un TIED for duty. uhsn be re-
tirsd 20 his horuo IN Philadelphia. where bis
mother and sistsr bad gone % live. Fitch
Isasia. fas e'8-~t brother. who was TIE Ia
tsriocutor v.tn tss cd Barlow. Wuson.
rrlurose Gnd Test Ministries. retired from
tas stage snd is nov a. Columbus. the only
survivor Of tse folfr
Old J1dzs Rsnsin. Who had dorue~fi,
trouble. was higniy incsusei when L.s aons
became m4nstse.s fs uan-ci them 70 -
lawyers Before l.se judges death ho g-e, 70
dsnraucs ths boys t. his aclra .n-aucss IA
tee most eloquent and vivid terms.