Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-09

there were only sailing vessels, they did no,
expect to hear more than once or twice q
year; but the young man was not ignorant
of the fact that when steam was applied the
trip was lessened to two weeks instead OF
two months, or more. He therefore wrote
to his father in the United States asking
permission to visit him. 1t was promptly
given, with an order to draw draft upon
him for ESQ. The letter below states the
fact:
Addressed to Mr.. Junius Brutus Booth. Tragedian,
st the Theater, Baltimore, n. America.
Copy
LONDON, IS GEoRGE ST., NEW RoAnI
7th of September, Al
BOOTH received this instant your letter
OF LIST Of JIS sGG
that we received of Mr.. J. B. Booth the
amount off draft drawn by Mr.. Booth on
him in favor of V. Makes for so pounds sterl-
ing on the 9th March last as per receipt
given him on the draft" WIN. COOKE & SON.
BALTIMORE, July, ISL.
On the back was written "Virgil Maxey. +"
WOULD NOT BE UNJUsTLY CENsURED.
This draft was not promptly honored and
the following letter from Mrs. Booth to her
husband shows the latter must have written
her attaching to her some blame for the
trouble about the money:
The contents of your letter have made me
III; nevertheless do not lose a minute in
replying. Our dear Richard writes at my
dictation.
You were furious when you wrote; can
not give in to you that am wholly wrong in
this matter because you have paid Mr..
Cooke. 1t was not my fault and | am not
alone culpable for what has occurred. If
should not have confidence in those who
occupy honorable positions whose fault is
il? You have yourself asked me if wished
to draw again on you in the same manner;
If as YOU say they are knaves you have not
owned 1t till now.
do not think as you my dear Booth, that
j will never be paid the ESQ: fortunately, 1
am in London, and we will see if men in
honorable places can cheat with lmpunity.
l have begun TO write to Mr.. Maxey, and
have sent him copy of the proof that you
have paid my draft to Mr.. Cooke.
i wish you ali happiness, and that your
next letter may be less stern. The same as
you have known me. NJ. Booth.
P. s.-I see nothing stupid, as you tell it in
- Good-by. my dear Booth.
YOUNG BOOTH HAD PROPERTY.
The delay in the payment of this draft
and the sickness of Richard delayed all ar
rangemen5s for coming to America until
1912 1t was during this ar that the
young man came near dying. Afterward,
while preparing for his visit to his father,
whom he had not seen since 1926, Richard
left the following will, showing that he was
not entirely without means:
/, the undersigned Richard J. Booth, nom-
mate for my sole heir my mother, Marie
Christine Adelaide Delannoy, wife of Junins
Brutus Brooth, living at Brussels. to whom
leave all my property, real and personal,
OF which ! shall be possessed at the time of
nv decease. x. j. Booth.
Done at brussels the gath day OF septe1n-
Der, 1912.
l, the undersigned, Richard Booth, with.
out profession, residing at Shaerbeck, Rue
Saint Lorraine No. Z, declare by these pres
ents that give general and special author
ity to Mr.. ID. PonoQues, solicitor, residing at
Brussels, for me and in my name to take and
account of Mr.. Martyr on the petition of
Mr.. Lemmain of one of the three lots here
after designated:
Lot D, for the sum Of 10000 francA
Lot E. for the sum of 500 francs.
Lot +, for the sum OF 200 francs.
These presents are made in accordance
with law-as power of attorney.
In good time Richard sailed for America
full of spirit, leaving his mother behind.
He Joined his father, travelled with him for
three years and more, until one night be-
hind the scenes some person accused him of
putting on airs, and called him the ille-
gitimate son of the great actor, haunting
him with the fact that his father had bet
ter family living on ST. Paul street, Balti-
more.
The boy made inquiries, and found it was
true and Immediately left Mr.. Booth and
wrote to his mother the story that had been
told him and insisted that she should come
TO Baltimore and establish his legitimacy.
Richard had not taken to the Protestant
faith, as his mother had thought he would,
but had become a very devout Catholic and
was a young man of most exemplary habits
He became q teacher of languages, but it
was difficult in those days to find pupils
with means enough to pay for private
tuition. Then he was a. quiet man, rather
inclined to the melancholy, and this nat
urally was bar to his success, and life was
very difficult after the break occurred be-
tween his father and himself
As soon as his mother could make her ar
rangements she started for Liverpool, and
in October, 1916, sailed for this country in
the steamer Great Britain. She first night
out she was shipwrecked of the Irish coast,
and the following lines to her sister tell the
story:
Ny DEAR THEREsE-It is to you only that 1
write. You doubtless know that we have
been shipwrecked. We started from Liver
pool at II o'clock in the morning OF the 22d
of September, and had splendid time.
There was excellent company of more than
250 passengers. l do not know how to eI-
press to you the magnificence of our vessel.
con; at o clock splendid dinner, consist
ing of everything you can imagine. do
not see how dinner could surpass this, not
only for its excellence, but for the elegance
of the table. l was not sick, and SO had the
pleasure of proflting by it.
MRS BOOTH IN A sHIPwRECK.
Everything went on smoothly, nothing
could have been better. We had trouble TO
finish tea. We were ell retired in our charm
ing little staterooms (petites chambres a
coucher) when suddenly cries from the sail
ors we're heard from below. Our vessel was
on a sandbank; the engines stopped, and we
were all in the greatest CONSERVATION. The
were ordered to dress themselves
and the terror apparent in the faces of the
officers and workmen of the vessel made it
evident we were i'll great danger. Prayers
were uttered, and everyone commended
to God.
One thought alone occupied my mind
that was my poor Richard. What would
happen TO him when he should learn that
his mother had perished in the waves? He
the innocent cause, poor child! In this ter
rible moment l fell on my knees, with my
beads in both hands. L confidently invoked
the succor of Notre Dame d'Halle ct de la st.
Nufge. a Catholic woman at my side pre-
sented ne with some holy water. A fright |
full spectacle was suddenly presented. |
There were on the vessel 46 children, the |
troupe of dancers who danced at Brussels. |
Imagine the sight Of these children and |
their dreadful cries. L cannot describe to
you this dreadful scene any longer. 1t will
be enough for you to know that We were
thus between life and death from o'clock |
In the evening until O'Clock in the morn |
ing; that our vessel was between two rocks |
and that it was one of the greatest miracles
it was not broken into a Thousand pieces.
write this in the cabin of q miserable fisher |
man.
. If shall start again for America 1 will
write you, my dear Therese, but if am un-
able to obtain my passageI must be resigned
and return to Brussels NJ BooTR.
SEPTEMBER 25 1S46.