The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-03
AN 0LD-TIME RIOT.
A TERRIBLE AFFRAY IN NEW
YORK FORTY YEARS AGO.
Bitter Rivalry Between Actors For
rest and N1acready Ends in a
NIurderous Conflict Between
Soldiers and Citizens.

Clinton Hall, on Astor Place, New York,
is to be torn down. Many years ago it
was known as the Astor Place Opera
House, and in the squares and streets
around it forty years ago, a riot, which
has few parallels in the annals of any COM
munity, took place with the result of
killing or wounding upward of two hun
dred citizens and citizen soldiers.
The riot, says the New York World,
arese out of the bitter rivalry between
Edwin Forrest and Charles Macready,
the English actor. The animosity be-
tween the two >actors had existed for
years. 1t had ma2ifested itself on both
sides of the Atlant,c-in London and in
Edinburgh, in Boston, in Philadelphia,
Baltimore and other cities of minor i'm
portance. In all these places, however,
the contest had not gone further than
acrimonious cards in the newspapers and
threats of suits for ,;bel, which never
came into court. During the progress of
the professional duel between the two
tragedians the bitterest national preju-
dices and passions in England and in
America were aroused. One of Forrest S
starring expeditions in London was a
failure. He was Kissed and hooted by
the partisans of Macrcady. Macready,
on the other hand, met with an equally
disastrous financial failure in the United
States. Forrest charged his rival with
conspiring against him abroad. Macready
brought similar charge against Forrest
in America.
At last they met in New York. One
morning in early May, 1S49, large post
ers covered the city announcing that
Macready would appear as Macbeth in the
Opera House, and that Forrest would
make his bow to the public at the same
time in the same character at the Broad
way Theatre. The two announcements
coming together looked like declara-
ton Of war, and were so regarded by the
partisans on both sides. Long before
the time for the performance to begin an
immense crowd surged around the Opera
House in Astor Place. 1t was curious
mob-well dressed and lily attired men
and women, some in silk and some in
soiled and torn raiment. The house was
filled in an instant. Before the curtain
rose half the audience were stamping
furiously when the orchestra was not
playing. 1t was an ugly, vicious,
stamp and every one foresaw
trouble. Macready looked out on the
audience from the wings, and be-
fame apprehensive. His fears we're
shared by others. There was PROPOSE
ton to postpone the performance, but
Macready would not listen to it. When
Duncan came on, the crowd, mistaking
him for Macready, hissed and hooted.
Perceiving their mistake, they became
quiet. The boxes loudly cheered when
Macready appeared. The cheers were
>draEned with yells, and not word of
wba. Macready said could be heard. Mrs.
Pope, IS, Lady Macbeth, was greeted with
ribald abuse. Rotten eggs and other
missiles we, hurled at Macbeth when he
again came on Tie stage. But llacready
went through with the play to the end.
Next day the respectable portion of the
community was ranged Hap the side of
Macready, and letter, signed by Wash
ing Irving, Charles King, General George
P. Morris, General T. s. Cummings,
Moses q. Grinnell and large number ct
other gentlemen urged Macready not to
throw up his engagement, and pledged
him their support.
This letter was answered by the other
side in the following infammatory
sposter" on all the dead walls of the city: