The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-21
ACTOR BARRETT DEAD
The Great Trsgedian Succumbs
to Heart Failure.
TAKEN Ill ON WEDNESDAY.


New York, March 20.-Lawrence Bar
rett, the tragedian, died this evening at
the.Windsor hotel. He was unconscious
but q short time before his death.
His wife and Uf. Chambers, of this city,
were with Mr.. Barrett when he breathed
his last. His last sickness dated from
Wednesday night, when he was obliged to
leave the theater here where he was acting.
1t was said at that time that he was
merely suffering from severe cold and
would be out in a few days, and the same
report was made the following day. Even
yesterday reports from the sick chamber
were very favorable.
This evening DR.. Chambers called at the
Windsor hotel at O'Clock to see the pa
tient, and shortly after announced that he
would remain all night. Death occurred
at 10:45. Heart failure, the physician de-
clared, was the cause Of death.
DR.. Chambers says that on Wednesday
Barrett had cold, and when he returned
home from the theater was seized with a
severe chill. The next day symptoms of
pneumonia appeared, and consultation
was held by Drs. Chambers, Walker and
Oliver, of Boston. Mrs. Barrett was also
summoned.
At the consultation the case was dag
nosed as grave phase of pneumonia, and
complications made it serious, as for two
years Barrett had been q sufferer from
throat disease. Between and this even
ing there was rapid change for the worse,
and when the consultation was held the
sick man was only semi-conscious. For
fifteen to twenty minutes before he died he
was wholly unconscious.
Barrett has two daughters now in
Europe. The funeral will probably take
place in Boston. Edwin Booth was at the
Players Club, in bed, when notined of the
death. He was deeply affected.
Lawrence Barrett was born in Paterson, N.
j., April 4, 1888. His first appearance was in
Detroit, In 1855, as Murad in "Thc French Spy"
After years experience In playing minor
parts, he spent short season In Pittsburg. He
then acted in st. Louis, Chicago and elsewhere
until December 1885, when he was engaged at
the Chambers Street theater, New York, where
he appeared as Sir Thomas Clifford in 'sThe
Hunchback.p He was engaged by Mr.. Burton
early in 1857, and acted under his management
for nearly two years, supporting Charlotte Cush-
man, Edwin booth and other prominent actors.
In 1858 he was engaged for leading parts
at Che Boston museum, and later at the Howard
athenaum, Of that city, where he played with
Miss Cushman, Barry Sullivan, and E. L. Dav-
export. On the outbreak OF the civil war in
1861, Mr.. Barrett accepted captaincy in the
Twenty-eighth Massachusetts, infantry, and
served with distinction. Afterward he acted at
Philadelphia, at Washington City, and then at
ths Winter Garden in New York, where
he was engaged by Mr.. Booth to play
Othello to his Iago. The elder Wallack
considered his impersonation of this char
acter the most striking performance he
had seen In twenty years. Mr.. Barrett then
became associated in the management OF the
varieties theater In New Orleans, playing lead
ing parts, and for the first time acting as kiche-
lieu, Hamlet and Shyiock. About this time he
met Edwin Forrest and was Led to make care
full study of the history and literature Of the
stage, circumstance which afterwards was OF
the greatest value to him. In 1854 he purchased
"Rosedale" &om Lester Wallsck, and after act
ing the leading part in It at New Orleans made
his FIRST tour a. . star actor. In 1867 he
played with great success In Ma
ginnis' opera-house in San Francisco, where
he remained ~ manager of the California thea
ter until 1870, when he again appeared in New
York. Late in 1870 he played with Mr.. Booth in
opposite characters at Booths theater. In 1912