The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-27
BATCH OF SHORT STORIES
Tales and Incidents Picked Up in the
Byways of Indianapolis.
Uncle Joe" Browns "Reminiscences Of Junius
Brutus Bcoth-The Tough" Young Man
at the Amateur Prize Fight.

"Uncle joe Brown. whose face with its
circlet of white hair 10 a familiar one in
the clerks Office at the court house. Is q
man who has seen most of the stirring
things of the last half century, and been
acquainted with and associated with .
larger portion of the celebrities
of thai period. In referring to
the death of Abraham Lincoln one
day It led TO bis speaking Of the martyrs
assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and from him
20 his Industrious father. Junius Brutus
Booth, who IN Shakspeare's characters OF
King Lear and Richard III was probably
she greatest tragedian hat ever trod the
boards. II knew the elder Booth quite
well.D said "Uncle joe" his eyes closed
and one hand nervously pulling at the
stubby white mustsche. He was the
greatest actor l ever saw and / have
seen most of the great ones of this
sountry and Europe. but his great failing
was that he would get drunk. He was Q
most indifferent man. both as to his sppear-
ance and manners. When l knew him he 70.
sided on q little farm inst outside of Balti-
more, where ne used TO raise garden truck.
lie would take 10 TO town TO sell himself,
clad in rough garments and an old SLOUGH
bat Many Is the time 1 have seen him
standing on the market place in Balti-
more as eager to sell q quart of
berries as any of his neighbors. though
perhaps that night he would make thou
sands OF dollars in the theater in which he
would appear he wouid hang around the
market until it was time to 20 and dress
for his part, and then he would leave his
wagon In somebody's charge, returning
TO find it and perhaps not. He was gener-
ally drunk when he came to search
Tor II. and seldom got home
much before daylight. There is one
btory of bis -intemperance which
always amused me. A certain manager
brought him to Washington to play for one
night. Fearing that he would get drunk
before the performance. he took the actor
20 . hotel about noon, and, inveigling him
into q room, locked him IN 1t and put the
key IN his pocket He then went away
satisfied that when it was time for the
iragedian TO 60 TO the theater he would be
ali right. About 7:50 the manag went
TO release the prisoner. To his consterna-
lying in the middle of the floor dead drunk.
L. remained q mystery for q long time how
be got his liquor. as he had had none on
his person when be entered the room and
no one bad been able to get to him.
Finally Booth himself gave the story away.
de said that he rang the bell and
when the waiter came he told him 10
20 and get . clay pipe and q pint of brandy.
nen the waiter appeared the prisoner
told him to stick the stem of the pipe
through the key-hole. and then to slowly
pour the brandy in the bowl of it. The
waiter did so. and the great Junius Brutus
Booth sucked the 'ire-wster' from the
other end" +
Eight dollars amt no money fur q fight
So amt no money fur q fght-put in
sumpthin' there Of you want to see . fight.D
He was . very young fellow, with an age
Of t~oughness on his face and carried the
contribution-hat In his hand. juggling the
fellows who stood around the ring for more
money. Ii was only last week. about /
o'clock In the night, on Little Eagle creek
bridge. near the Central Hospital for In
sane. Everybody Was cold and danced
around like wire puppets to keep warm.
Finally 30 was raised. and the Young fei-
low was asked to hand ii over to the stake
holders. ICY Esglen~ yelled the slender