Evening journal., 1891-06-16
GENIAL FRITZ IS GONE.
Oeath of tAe Famous German Dialect
Comedian, y. ". Emmet.

Oesth of tAe Famous German Dialect
Comedian, y. ". Emmet.
NEw YORK, jane i6--Joe Emmet, the
comedian, died at the Storm King House,
cornwall-on-the-H Hudson, yesterday after
aoon OF pneumonia. He went there in bad
aealth about a week ago, but his condition
WAS not considered really critical until
Saturday. Joseph Kline Emmett was born
yf Irish-German parents in St. Louis about
ifty years ago. He made his debut Ia
public life as the drummer boy Of Mis-
souri regiment in the Federal service dur
ng the War OF the Rebellion.
After the war he played the snare drum
IN the orchestra OF theater. and soon de-
Veloped a talent for singing and dancing
and for mimicking the German English
iialect. His first successes were made
nnder the management Of the Esher Broth
srs, who ran a variety theater in st. Louis
and the then famons Palace garden In Gin
,innati
In Cincinnati Mr. Emmett played an
engagement Of several months duration
nnder the nom de plume Of Joe Ganfrau, ~
plagiarism OF Frank Chanfraus name.
Besides doing the straight business" in
the olio, he used TO sing and dance German
serio-comi songs like Putty Beetle kath
rine with the Roden Hair" a parody on
Pretty Little Susan which was then all
The rage. He became a great local favorite
and attracted the attention Of Uncle Dick
Hooley, OF Chicago. He made great hit
In Brooklyn and not long after he appeared
Ia this city with the then famous and pop
nlar Dan Bryant
Al that time Gus Philips. "Oofty
tiooft, who is now lying very sick at ~.
Nincent's hospital, was the wit of the
Americus club and contributor to the
New York Clipper, in which he published
a series of personal sketches under the
title Of walking Down Broadway They
gave Emmett an idea which he utilized in
a song II Walk Dot Broadway Down"
He sang this dressed as German peasant
girl, with Gretchen plaits, short skirts aud
sabots. Large bustles we're In great vogue
with the ladies Ia those days, and Emmett
wore Que Of excessive proportions, and no
one who ever heard him sing this song and
saw the walk be took during its chorus
will ever forget the comical, laughter fore
ing effect he produced.
| II was not, however, until Mr. Emmes
met Charles Gaylor, the dramatlst who
wrote for him "Fritz. Our Cousin Ger
man. that he really met with general
popular favor. The play WAS first pro
duced In Buffalo, and made an instan-
taneous success It's profits were inn
mense.
Mr.. Emmett was the first American actor
10 make big money In England. Edwin
Forrest, James Il. Murdock, II. L. Daven
port, Edwin Booth, Charlotte Cushman
and Mrs. Anna Cora Mowatt had all
achieved more or less fame In Great Brit
ain, but the men had not reaped very sub
stantial financial rewards. Mr.. Emmett
took London by storm, and ever since he
has been as popular and as profitable as
Toole himself all over Great Britain. He
played several tours through Australia,
and wherever the English language ID
spoken by 10000 people Joe Emmett has
been q stage idol, :
Tho mans nSssnetism was simply mar
yelous. Possessed OF a handsome form "
splendid set OF teeth, pair Of roguislT.
Laughing eyes and a most captivating
\ smile, Joe Emmett would not be on a stage
five Winutes before every man, woman and
child In the audience would have an idea
| thA he was playing TO him or her alone
His voice, though slightly nasal, was very
melodious and as he threw bis whole soul
into his work with an abandon that WAS
delightful, the results he achieved were
unapproachable by all imitators, aud he
naturally had many.
He married at the outset Of his stellar
career. and for many years he was a model
husband At times he was bibulous in
his habits, and then he was uncontroll-
able. Mira Emmett procured a divorce
from her husband couple Of years ago
on statutory grounds Even then her hus-
band settled half million of money on
her They had one son, Joseph K Emmett
Jr, who Is married, and was with his
father when he died. Mr. Emmett intro
duced many popular melodies TO the stage.
His lullaby has hushed thousands Of lttle
ones 10 sleep. He heard the air in Swit1er-
land and had words written for It, Ha
also was the first to sing Sweet Violets''
and "rhe Cuckoo Song.
Several years ago he bought a tract OF
land on the hillside above Albany, and on
it he erected chalet OF most exquisite ap-
pearance. Ever picturesque in his love OF
color and Of strange costumes, his hums
was the most picturesque of any on tho
Hudson. In his heyday be wasted the best
drawing card known to the theaters lla
could make more money than any man
who ever appeared on any stage. He prob.
ably earned during his career 81 ,50o. 200.
Many will sigh when they learn that poor
| Toe IL dead