The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-04-09

A Sudden Attack NecesSitates the
Closing Performance and
the Cancellation of
Dates.

Rochester, n. Y, April 4.-The large
audience which assembled at the Lyceum
Theatre last night to see Booth and Bar
ret. in Othello experienced a sad shock and
bitter disappointment. Booth went on In
the first act rs Isgo, and spoke his lines
without apparent difficulty and the audi
ence did not suspect nything wrong. At
the end OF the second act when
il was time for him to go on
again slight dizziness, with
which he had been troubled for two Or
three days, began to be terious and ply
stefan was called in. who examined the
actor and pronounced his illness too serious
10 permit MIN to attempt to go On with the
performance. The doctor expressed fear
that he had sustained shock of paralysis,
VIII ch SO alarmed Mr.. Barrett that be de-
termined to dismiss the audienc,. Mr..
Barrett was greatly overcome BY What he
considered the dangerous illness OF his col
league, and when he stepped before the
curtain it was evident that he was deeply
excited. Mr.. Barrett spoke at follows, biz
utterance being interrupted by his emotion
Ladies aud Gentlemen-I 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 bis condition to. night
is so serious that it is impossible for him
to act. We had hope that he would rally
from this attack and that he would be able
to play his part tonight, bat one of your
physicians. DIR. Sumner, says that it would
be perilous for him to attempt it. Mr..
Booth has sustained a psrtIal stroke Of
paralysis and We fear that this the begin
ming of the end. | can not express TO you
the deep sorrow with which | mAkes this
sad announcement. The world has probably
heard for the last time the 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 to his home. liz pains me to
speak these words. i am scrry to disap-
point this great audience. but the play can
not go on. 1t would be presumptuous for
me to undertake to fill the place of this
great man, whom you have come to see
and hear, and il would be worse than use
less to attempt to proceed further. | know
you will be indulgent, and that you will
fully appreciate the sad plight in which
We are placed. The management will
make, such arrangements as may seem best
for refunding your money"
The condition of Mr.. Booth die not
fully justify this speech. There had been
no attack of paralysis, ami the actor was
suffering no pain. He walked from the
theater to his carriage and was driven to
bis hotel, when he walked without appar-
ent difficulty to the elevator a.d to his
room. Reporters were not allOwed 10 see
Mr.. Booth, and Mr.. Barrett refused to talk,
but MIR. Bromley, business manager of the
company, said that Mr.. Booths illness is
not serious enough to justify alarm. He
said that the company's engagements for
the rest Of this week and possibly
next would be Cancelled, but he
hoped to 60 on as usual after Mr.. Booth
had been given a short rest. The company
arrived in this city yesterday morning and
Mr.. Booth passed the day lying down in
his room, but did not sem TO be suffering
except from the WEAKNESS OF travel.
Messrs. Booth and Barrett left for New
York this morning where he was placed
at once in charge of his own physician.
The Lyceum theater management loses
$1,000, which will have to be made good by
the company. The sale OF seats amounted
to over $1,000. and was the largest sale the
company had had this season.