Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-20
Unexpected Termination of the Popular
Actors Illness.


apartments in the Continental Hotel in Philn-
delphia at $50 o'clock last evening. His death
was a surprise to those in attendance upon
him, as all indications during the afternoon and
evening pointed to steady improvement.
Those present when the famous actor passed
away were Mr.. Florence's sister-in-law, Mrs.
Barney Williams Of Brooklyn; his sister, Mrs.
Norman Wyard of Washington, and DR.. Patrick
Donnellan. DIR. Pancoast who had charge of
the case. left the hotel about 7 o'clock, secure
in the thought that his patient was doing as
well as could be expected. Mr.. Florence's
brother. Police Inspector Conlin. left for New
York at clock with the same impression.
Mr.. Florence VAS very weak in the afternoon
and toward evening he slept most of the time
Death came very peacefully. The patient made
no sound whatever, and the first irtimation
the watchers had of his death was that he
had ceased to breathe.
The fact OF Mr.. Florences death was not gen.
orally known until about the time the theaters
closed. The lobby of the Continental soon
filled up with theatrical people and others, who
stood around in groups discussing the
sad event. A message Of sympathy sent to
Mr.. Florence by the Clover Club. which held
its monthly dinner last night. reached the hotel
after he had passed away. 1t expressed a hope
that his recovery and convalescencc would be
speedy.
As soon as possible after Mr. Florence death
kilograms were sent to Inspector COnlir. who
retains the family name, to Mr.. and Mrs.
Mitchell and Mrs Shepherd, and all other
relatives well. Mrs. Florence also
cabled, but not to the extent of the full It'd
lngs The message read: Husband worse.
Don't hurry" She is expected to leave Eng
land tomorrow and will not reach here in sea-
son for the funeral services. Other kilograms
were also sent to Joseph Jefferson. Mr.. Flor
ence's professional partner, and to others OF
his closest theatrical friends. The body WAS
Immediately placed in charge of an undertaken
and will be forwarded to New York today.
From there the funeral train will probably pass to
Albany, the dead actors birthplace, where in
terment will be made. Inspector Conlin and
his brother returned to tie city between and
3 o'clock this morning, much shocked and
Frustrated by the unlooked-for news.
MR.. FLoRENcE's ILLNESS.
Mr.. Florence though suffering from a severe
cold, completed his work at the Arch Street
Theater in Philadelphia last Saturday night.
He had been ill for several days, but bore up
and filled a number of social engagements, con-
GLIDING after Saturday nights performance by
attending a supper given by him to Mr.. and
Mrs. Kendall When he retired his valet
noticed that the actor was extremely i'll, and at
once summoned DR.. J. s. Donellan, friend of
long standing.
DIR. Donelian realized the gravity of the
case and early on Sunday called Drs. Pancoast
and Da Costa into consultation They at once
diagnosed the case as one of acute pneumonia
and from the first but little hope was enter
tanned Of the genial actor 8 recovery. His rela-
tives were summoned and early Tuesday morn
Ing priest was called in to administer the
last rites of the Catholic church.
Then the sick man seemed to rally and the
hopes of the watchers rose. Their patient was
unconscious part Of the time but his fund Of
humor would not be exhausted. and when he
was conscious he joked with his faithful nurses
and refused to believe that the sands of his life
were SO nearly run out. He was tenderly cared
for by Mrs. Barney Williams and Mrs. Wyard,
sisters Of Mrs. Florence, and his brothers, who
never left the hotel until convinced that the
actor was on the road to recovery. Commo-
dore Tooker, the veteran manager was also a
constant attendant up to the last.
Mr.. JEFFERSON HEARS THE NEWS
my God. you don't tell me- was the ex-
clamation which fell from the lips of Joseph
Jefferson when informed by reporter for the
Associated Press that his companion and bosom
friend Florence was dead. Mr.. Jefferson had
just retired to his dressing room from the last
act OF The Rivals which was being played at
Grand Rapids, and was seated upon one of his
huge property trunks. He seemed at first
almost overcome by the sudden announce
ment. but recovering his cOmposuro continued,
Are you sure it is true?'
The dispatch upon which the information
L,
and Mr.. Jefferson was informed accordingly,
| and at once started for the newspaper offices,
hoping against hope that the evil news might
DE false. He spent the greater part of the re-
naming hours of the night reading the dis
patches relating to his friend as they came from
he wire and relating incidents of Mr.. Florence
career.
FLoRENcE's LIFE AND CAREER.
Mr.. Florence was nearly sixty-onc years OF
age. He was born at Albany, N. Y, in July.
1881. HIS name originally was Conlin, but he had
| adopted the stage name of Florence. legalizing
his right to the latter by an act OF assembly.
| Florence was in his day one of the youngest
| stars that ever bowed from the stage. lie was
scarcely twenty-one years when he filled such
| an engagement at the National Theater in New
York and met with a gratifying reception.
Three years prior to this he had made his first
| professional appearance at the Richmond The
alter as Peter in THE Stranger. and acted at
Nlblo's Garden and at Providence. when he
played Mdcd,.T to tho elder Booths Macbeth.
| About January l. 1853 in his twenty-second year.
| he married Miss Malvina Pray, and while his wife
| acted the Yankee Girl, he assumed the role OF
| the Irish Boy with decided success During a
season in June and July, 1858, Mr.. Florence
| appeared in Writing on the Wall. Eva, the
Irish Princess" 1.-The Sicilian Bride" "ONeill,
the Great, The Drunkard's Doom. and other
| pieces.
London welcomed him and his wife with large
houses for fifty nights at Drury Lane, and he
| followed up the triumph with many perform
ances elsewhere throughout the united king
dom. At home again IL New York they had
| three weeks of immense business and then he
made a professional tour of the CO .ntry. In
| 1868 Mr.. Florence, under the management oil
A. W. jackson. at the New York Winter Garden
Theater, produced for the first time in this
country 'The Ticket-of-Leave Man," and Inc
had probably played this piece 1900 times
since. The production Of Caste" and NC
| Thoroughfare" at the broadway Iheater, New
York, gave him IN opportunity for the creation
! of two of his most successful characters
| Georye q Ahoy and Oerreizer. Subsequent to
that period he played many brilliant engage.
ments, including highly prosperous one al
Booths Theater. New York, and another in
| which he proved his un1uestionable talent as
| of Gold.H
With q capital 1'ootlles, Captain Cutie and
Boo Brie,'ly 10 his credit, it in 1874 that he
| struck what proved to be his bonanza. in Ber
Wolffe's play. ''9he Almighty Dollar" which
became known later on az 1.-The Mighty Dol
lar" This gave way for the revival of nc
1horoughfare," "Dombey 4 Son. and Ticket
of-Leave Man" and such tentative efforts a,
were represented by ''Facts.'' little more
than two years ago Mr.. and Mrs. Florence an
nounced their retirement from the stage nj
joint stars. Mr.. Florence concluded then wha
mad been long talked of--the Jefferson-Flor
ence conbination-and on October 10, 1885,, the,
made their joint appearance at the New Yorl
Star Theater III 'The Rivals" jefferson taking
| Bob Acres, Florence, SIR Lucits " Trigger, anC
Mrs John Drew rendering Mrs. MaiGprop. Thi
was the last season Florence was to remain IL
.tZot H. AaA n An.