Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-02

M<W'
In the Philadelphia Inquirer, Louis
n. Megargee, the brilliant and reliable
New York correspondent says: "Ihe
New York Herald was, evidently inno-
Gently, lured into the publication tLls
week of story, entitled Edwin Booth
and His Prosecutors in which 1t was
claimed that the distinguished actor had
been made by "a disreputaole news
paper man and person connected Win
the stage the object OF conspiracy TO
extort money. The publication In ques-
ton INDUCED in all sorts OF vague
rumors about secret connected Win
Mr.. Booths life, but did not give the
names Of the people who, it was alleged,
had attempted to use this direful inIor-
nation for Matchmaking purposes. The
Herald, however, intimated that unless
the conspiracy, which, II was claimed,
had driven the tragedian from the
stage, found an immediate ending, q
further publication would be made.
The next day the Dramatic Nel0s, In
seeming kindness, republished the Her
aid story as a 'canard, and gave the
names of the two gentlemen referred 10
as Frank A. Burr and Steele Mackaye,
but, in explanation, recited an account
of meeting in Mr.. Mackaye's apart
ments in which the matter referred to
was incidentally made the subject OF the
conversation. An account of that gath
ering has already been published in the
Inquirer. Briefly told, it was to the
effect that Colonel Burr had discovered
in Baltimore tombstone which record
ed the death of Agatha Delanoir, wife
of Junius Brutus Booth" Following
the story which this suggested Colonel
Burr learned that there had come TO
this country woman claiming to be the
abandoned wife of the father OF Edwin
Booth; that she was treated with con-
tumely and neglect by her husband, and
that in letters which she left behind her
and which are now in Colonel Burr's
possession, the fact was revealed that
Edwin Booth and all the other children
born of Junius Brutus Booth In this
country were of natural origin. The
publication In the Dramatic NelCS indig-
nantly refuted the idea that any effort
had been made to put this information
to an improper use. However, it had
this effect: The mysteriously referred
to scandal in the Herald article was
openly disclosed and the identity OF the
anonymous alleged conspirators was
made public. More than this; by the
Herald article Stuart Robson, who has
heretofore been generally looked upon
as a man of lovable qualities, was quo
ted as saying in reference to the alleged
conspirator connected with the stage
"that from what he knew of the man he
believed he was fully capable Of the viii
lainy attributed to him." These words
alone would have been sufficient to de-
tach Steele Mackaye from the affair had
it not been for the revelation in the
Dramatic Nelos. As this matter is liable
to have public sequel Of some kind l
am glad to be in position to speak au-
thoritativelY concerning some features
of it. The HerdId'S story, so far as 1t
concerns Mr.. Booth, is an old one.
Eight or nine years ago the narrative of
the discovery of Agatha Delanoir's
tombstone in Baltimore cemetery was
made public over Colonel Burr's sigma
ture in the Philadelphia Press. Suisse
quently he came into possession of a
mass of correspondence written by this
woman, and which bears upon its face
the evidence OF the domestic infamy Of
Junius Brutus Booth. Anyone who
reads these letters will not question
their sincerity. These misSives are all
we'll written and most interesting. Yet
they are not material proper for publ
cation, and never were so considered.
The genius Of Edwin Booth is not af-
fected by them, nor has any suggestion
to that effect ever arisen until the Her
aid article was printed. Counselor
Charles w. Brooke was mentioned as
having been present Ia Mr.. Mackaye's
apartments when the letters of Agatha
Delanoir were read. asked him to-day
for his recollection of the occurrence.
He said: 81 remember the occasion
very distinctly. Mr.. Maekaye asked me
to come to his apartments In the Alpine
building, on Broadway and Thirty-sec-
ond street, to listen to the reading Of a
play which he had written. There we're
a number of gentlemen present, includ-
ing Colonel Burr. Late in the evening,
for no other reason than to interest the
Iut0 buoIO kdbuCIOui OOlOuCl OuII pro-
duced the letters of Agatha Delanoir
and read them. They certainly formed
most interesting chapter in the pri-
vate life of Junius Brutus Booth and
were considered in nc other connection.
| remember distinctly that Mr.. Mackaye
said that while the letters constituted a
very important feature in the life of the
elder Booth, their publication would be
an act of infamy, because the conven-
tional view which would be taken Of
them would mark stigma upon Edwin
Booth, the best loved actor on the
American stage. There was no sug-
gestion made of putting the documents
before the eyes of the public and moth
ing would have been heard Of the mat
ter but for the publication which has
Just been made But such revelation