The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-18
A STIRRING SCENE.
A Thrilling Incident of War Days Of Which
History Makes No Record.

A STIRRING SCENE.
A Thrilling Incident of War Days of Which
History Makes No Record.
St Louis PostDspatch.
Few of those who saw the stately and re-
fined work of Mrs. Jean Clara Walters at
the Grand Opera-hOuse in Gillette's play,
"A Legal Wreck" would have fancied that
time fearlessly faced scene which
blanched the face of many a strong man.
caused grown women to scream and faint,
and produced q general panic In an au-
dience of goodly proportions in one of the
principal theafers in the United States.
Yet such is the sober fact. and Mrs. Wal
tiers to-day recalls the affair and tells the
story of that awful night IN manner
which cannot fail to thoroughly captivate
the iistener-nay, almost bring to him the
realization of an event which must have
impressed upon all those who saw it
memory which the years can never efface:
1t was during the stormy period OF the
''late unpleasantness' that Mrs. Walters
found herself in the then radiant city of
New Orleans. The year was that of 1865
one of the most eventful of the civil war
when the minds of men and women tpar-
ticularly the men and women who hap
pened to be in the South at the time) were
at a tension which nothing but q state of
affairs such as was then existent can pro-
duce. The affair in which Mrs Walters
was the principal actor is one worthy of
historic note, but which, like Others of it's
kind, will probably never reach other
ANIMAL than that of newspaper record. The
manner in which the lady told the story to
Difs pat reporter Yesterday in the
reproduced In cold type She told it dra-
matically, and threw her whole soul into
the recital. The best that cen be done is
to let her tell the tale herself minus the
expression, attitude, incubation and other
personal emphasis and embellishments
which came quite naturally to her as the
story grew upon her.
1T was in 1862" she said, 'that our COM
Bar, who will be remembered by st. Louis
ans as dear old man, was closing the sea-
son in New Orleans. We were playing a
fine spectacular piece called ''The Seven
was occupying the city, and was in COM
mand of the army there. In the play there
was number of young ladies, of whom
was the chief, who, in the garb of Zouaves,
executed pretty drill or march. The cos
tunes they wore. were composed of red,
white and red stripes-rather gaudy. to be
sure, but still very pretty. We were play
ing at the st. Charles Theater, and the first
few nights drew splendid crowds. Every
play, you know. the young ladies executed
their little drill and then stood to one side.
while went to the front and sang the song
Rally Round the Flag. Boys, Rally Once
Again etc. The song was received with
semi-approbation, for you must understand
that the audiences were mixed and there
were great many rebels in the crowd.
Well. everything passed off peaceably for
the first two nights, but on the morning of
the third day Tom Davy, who was then
the acting manager of the theater, come to
me and told me a story which made me feel
funny. He said that the fame of my song
had reached General Butler and that orders
had been issued from headquarters that
would have to sing the national air and
that the young ladies must wear blue
sash-to complete the national cOlOrs, you
know, red, white and blue-Or that the the
alter would be closed up. 1t was all the
same to Inc what song Isang-'Rally Round
the Flag or 'Star-spangled Banner SO /
| agreed. rather than lose the receipts, to
sing the latter song. The news of the order
the house was packed from pit to dome.
I'VE got through with the play I'M
interrupted until the time came for my
song. The girls did their little march and
brought to me. l took and flung it around
me and sang the first stanza of The Star
spangled Banner l felt instinctively that
an explosion was coming. As sure as am
pin drop when began that song. This
painful silence endured until the first
stanza was finished, and then about half
the audience, L suppose, began to hiss. Oh!
it was awful. Suddenly the kissing was
drowned in burst of the widest applause
ever heard.
Then there was lull-the silence of the
tomb fell upon the vast audience-and a
man in one of the orchestra seats rose from
where he sat. In his right hand he held
pistol, which he fiOurished above his head.
Then, regardless of the audience, the actors,
the ladies who were present-everything-
he cried out:
$50 help me God, Pll shoot down like a
| song again.
I'm the Omnous silence which followed
| this burst of irresistabie passion l could
| hundreds of revOlvers which were cooked
| in an instant. The Unien men in the crowd
| covered the confedera tes all of whom were
armed, and the play, song, actors and all
element. The audielsn reaIized that some
| thing terrible was about 70 take place.
Ladies screamed. and Yelled, and tainted.
| Men rose from their seats with flaming
| eyes and swore all kinds of oaths Several
| times l heard my own mans mentioned,
| and did not know but what / would be
| shot myself. l tell you,. my boy. that scene
simply beggars description. | stood there,
made naaD desperate Efforts to play the thing
down, but it was useless People rushed
| for the door, but the authorities had locked
| the portals and insisted that the song be
| sung to the end. If a single shot had been
| fired that night, that theater would have
run with blood. Peace was finally restored
| and finished the song, but can assure
you that did not do it with the dash the
| words called for
swell, l sang it night after night, but the
| scene was not repeated although the feel
| ing ran high at times. remember the only
| one who had word of comfort for me in
| the midst of the riot was old George Chap
| lain, who approached me and told me to
have courage. l followed his advice and
| won the day.
"All sorts of stories were told of me in the
papers. They said l was a Southern sym
because | was compelled to do it. But
| finally the crowd came over to me and all
! North as well as SOuth-were with me and
for me before we finished our engagement