Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-08-16
AN 0LD-TIME RIOT.
IA TERRIBLE AE'FRAY IN NEW
YORK FORTY YEARS AGO.
Filter Rivalry Between Actors For.
rest and Macrcndy Ends in u
Murdcrous Conflict Between
Soldiers and Citizens.

Clinton Hall, on Astor Place, New York
As to be torn down. Many years ago it
was known as the Actor Place Opera
House, and in the squares and streets
| nround it forty years ago, Il riot, which
has few parallels in the annals of any com
munity, took place with the result of
killing or wountiing upward of two hun
dred citizens and citizen soldiers.
The riot, says the New York World.
.nfosc out of the bitter rivalry between
Edwin Forrest and Charles Macrcadv.
the English actor. The luminosity be-
tween the two actors had existed for
years. 1t had manifested itself on both
sides OF the Atlantic-in London and in
Edinburgh, in Boston, in Philadelphia,
Baltimore and other cities Of minor i'm
portancc. In all these places, however,
the contest had not gone further than
acrimonious cards in the newspapers and
threats OF suits for libel, which never
came into court. During the progress OF
the professional duel between the two
tragcdans the bittcrcst national prcju-
dices and passions in England and in
America were aroused. One of Forrest 5
starring expeditions in London was II
failure. He was Missed and hooted by
the partisans of. Macrcady Macrcadv,
ON the other hand, met with an equally
disastrous financial failure in the United
States. Forrest charged his rival will,
conspiring against him abroad Macrcadv
brought II similar charge against Forrest
in America.
AT last they met in New York. One
morning in early May, 1919, large post
crs covered the city announcing that
IMacrcady would appear us Macbeth in the
Opera House, and that Forrest would
make his bow TO the public at the same
time III the same character at the Broad
way Theatre. The two announcements
coming together looked like dcclara-
ton oil war, and were so regarded by the
partisans on both sides. Long before
the time for the performance to begin an
immense crowd surgcd around the Opcra
llouse III Astor Place. II was Il curious
mob-wcll dressed and lily at;ircd men
and women, some in silk and some in
soilcd and torn r;limcnt. The house was
filled i'll IN instant. Before inc curtain
rose half the audience were stamping
furlously when the orchestra WAS not
playing. 1t WAS an ugly, vicious,
stamp and every one forcsaw
trouble. AIacrcady looked out ON the
audience from the wings, and be-
came apprchcnsivc. His fears were
shared by others. There was II PROPOSE
ton TO postpone the performance, but
Macrcady would not listen to it. When
Duncan came on, the crowd, mistaliinr
him for Macrcady, Missed and hootcd
PcrceivinS their mistake, they became
quiet. The boxes loudly chccrcd when
Macready appeared. The cheers were
drowned with yclls, and not Il word of
what Macreatly said could he heard. Mrs.
Pope, AS Lady Macbeth, was greeted with
ribald abuse. Rotten eggs and other
missiles were hurled at Macbeth when he
again came on the stage. But Macrcadv
went through with the play to the end.
Next day the respectable portion of the
community was ranged on the side of
Macrcady, and Il letter, signed by Wash
ing Irving, Charles King, General George
u. Morris, General II. S. Cummings,
Moses Ii. Grinncil and large number of
other gentlemen urged NIacrcadv not to
throw up his engagement, and pledged
him their support.
Tins letter was answered by the other
side III the following inll;mmatory
poster on all the dead walls of the CITY: