Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-04-04
ALARMED
Mr.. Barrett Etartles 4 Buffalo Au-
dienoe with q Pathetic Speech.
MR BOOTHS PARAITTIO sTROKR

The Enalnent Actor Taken III During the
Performance Of Othero at Buffalo.
sysnptams 81 Parnlysis-zEe WIN Prol-
ably Hecover-Lawrence narrett Gets
Ratified.
ROCHESTER, n. Y. April 1. The
large audience which assembled at the
Lyceum theatre last night to see Booth
and Barrett IN .Othello" experienced
sad shock and bitter Disappointment.
Booth went on in the first act as Iago
and spoke his lines without apparent diff
flculty and the audience did not suspect
anything wrong. AT the end Of the sec
ond act when it was time for him to 60
on again a slight dizziness, with which
he had been troubled for two or three
days began to be serious and a physician
was called, who examined the actor and
pronounced his illness too serious to per-
NIT him to attempt TO 20 on with the
performance. The doctor expressed
fear that he had sustained a shock Of
partial paralysis, which so alarmed Mr..
Barrett that he determined to dismiss
the audience. Mr.. Barrett was greatly
overcome by what he considered the
dangerous illness of his colleage and
when he stepped before the curtain it
was evident that he was deeply excited.
Mr.. Barrett spoke as follows, his utter
ance being frequently choked by his
eTnotion:
Ladies' and Gentlemen--T am called upon to
perform the most painful duty of my life. My
colleague has shown SYMPTOMS of breaking
down for three or four days past, and his con-
dition tonight Is 80 serious that II Is impossi-
BILE for him to act
We had hoped that he would rally from this
attack and that he would be able TO play his
part tonight, but one Of your physicians. DIR.
Sumner. says that Il would be perilous for
him 20 attempt II.
Mr.. Booth has sustained partial stroke Of
paralysis. and we fear that this Is the begin
ming Of the end. cannot express to you the
deep sortow with which make this SAD an
n0uncement. The world has probably heard
for the last time fhe greatest actor who speaks
the English language.
We shall Of course cancel all engagements
and hope that we shall be able TO remove Mr..
Booth "a his honR It pains me 70 speak these
words. am sorry to dfsappoint this great
audience nut 4lSd play cannot go on. It would
be presu5nptuous Cor me 70 undertake to iill the
place Of this great man whom you have come
t0 see and hear, and it would be worse than
useless to attempt 90 proceed further. know
you sglIi b. inglulsent aud that ynn will fully
appreciate the sad plight in which we are
placed. The management will make such ar
engagements as may seem best for refunding
your money.
The condition Of BIr. Booth did not
fully justify this speech. There had
been no attack of paralysis, and the
actor was suffering no pain. He walked
from Che theatre to his carriage and was
driven to his hotel, where he walked
without apparent difficulty from the car
riage to the elevator and to his rooms.
Reporters were not allowed to see Mr..
Booth and Mr.. Barrett refused TO talk,
but Mr.. Bromley, business manager of
the company, said that Mr.. Booths i'll
ness was not serious enough to Justify
alarm. He said that the company 3 en-
gagement for the rest Of this week and
possibly next would be Cancelled, but he
hoped to 90 on as usual after Mr.. Booth
had been given brief rest. The COM
pany arrived in this city yesterday morn
ing, and Mr.. Booth passed the day lying
down in his room, but did not seem to
be suffering except from the weakness Of
travel. MessrS. Booth and Barrett will
leave for New York today. and Mr.
Booth viii be placed at once in charge Of
his own physician. The Lyceum theatre
management loses $1,000, which will
have to be made good by the company.
The sale of seats amounted to over s., 900,
and WAS the largest sale the company
has had this season.
Mr. Barrett afterward issued the fol-
lowing bulletin 70 the press:
Since his return 10 the hotel Edwin Booth Is
easier. and the doctor gives every assurance
that q week or ten days Of absolute rest win
restore him % his usual health.
LAWnBECE BAuRETT.