The morning call., 1891-03-21
Laurence Barrett.

tient, and shortly after announced he would
remain all night.
Death occurred at 10:45 o'clock. Heart
failure, the physician declared, was the
cause of death.
DR.. Chambers says on Wednesday Barrett
had cold, and when he returned home
from the theater was seized with severe
chill. The next day symptoms of pneu-
mOnia appeared. and a consultation was
held by Drs. Chambers Walker, and Oliver
of Boston. Mrs. Barrett was also sum
moned At the consultation the case was
diagnosed as grave phase of pneumonia.
and the complications made it serious. as for
two years Barrett had been a sufferer from
a threat disease. Between and 10 o'clock
this evening there was rapid change for
the worse, and when the consultation was
held the sick man was only semi-con scious.
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 notified of the death,
and he was deeply affected.
Lawrence Barrett was born in Boston,
April A. 1888, of Irish partntage, and his
earliest connection with the stage was as
call-boy in the Old Pittsburg Theater. In
1853 he appeared in the French Spy" at
Detroit Mich. remaining there one year,
playing in different parts. The two follow
ing years were spent in st. Louis, Chicago
and other Western cities. His first appear
ance in New York was at the Chambers
street Theater. December, 1856, as Sir
Thomas Clifford in The Hunchback." Mr..
Barrett accepted the offer of Mr. Burton
and opened NJ his new Metropolitan Thea
ter, supporting Charlotte Cushman, Edwin
Booth and other prominent actors. In 1895
he Joined the compan7 of the Boston Mu-
scum as leading man, but for the four fol
lowing years was seen in New York at the
Winter Garden, making steady progress and
playing many parts.
At the outbreak OF the civil war Mr.. Bar
rett accepted Captaincy in the Twenty
eighth Massachusetts Infantry, where he
served with credit until his resignation,
August s. 1868. After the war he was en-
gagged at the Walnut street Theater in
Philadelphia, aud subsequently at Wash
ngtUn. During this engagement began an
acquaintance which ripened into friendship
with the ma:tyred President, Mr.. Garfield.
WHO al that time was a young Congressman
from Ohio. and also with Mr.. Lincoln and
other great statesmen of that stirring era.
From Washington he returned to Phila-
delphia, and subsequently to New York,
when he was engaged by Mr.. Booth to play
Othelio 10 his IaEo. Mr.. Barrett then ac-
crpied partnership in the management of
the Varieties 1heater in New Orleans play
ing leading parts and meeting with great
success. In 1854 lie purchased "R0sedale"
from Lester Walack and after acting its
leading character for a while in New Or
leans made his first tour as a star actor.
In 1861 he visited England, meeting there
Char les Dickens, Mr.. Fechter, and renewing
an old acquaintance with Charles Matthews
and the other principal actors of that day in
London. He revisited England in 1868, 81
and 'S3. playing in the principal cities and
being most favurubly received. In 1868 he
came to San Francisco and took the active
management of the old California Thpater.
which had been built for him. For this
service lie received salary of s18 000a year.
The theater cost half million dollars to
huild, and its success was unprecedented.
In 1870 he opened at Niblo's Garden in New
York, later playing with Mr.. Booth in 0p-
pOsIte characters in Booths theater. He
produced ' Yoriek's Love" at the p. rk
Theater. His most recent successes were
as Lanciotti in Francesca da Rmini."
"Renzi." "Pendragon." The Blot on the
'ScutcheOn aud "Ganelon."
Mr.. Barrett was married September 4,
1859, in Boston, to Mary F., daughter oil
Phillip J. ana Mary F. Mayer He had
three children; Mary Agnes, now Barone
Won Rosler; Anna Gertrude, who married
Charles J. Anderson, brother of Mary An
dersOn Navarro, and Edith NJ. Barrett.
Some time ago morbid growth developed
in his throat and it was found necessary to
perform surgical operation, from he eff
1ects which he never fully recovered, and it
is probable that it was the means of short
ening his life