Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-19

!" !" !: ]: !: !
| N<Wf~ call those who trod the
MlS%jy boards long ago. Ny
AHN w memory Of Cooper
| SAA w Kean and Booth is sc
| NV q ~ fixed by the impression
w0 ~ Ol made upon me that
f. can recall their appear.
! ancs most wildly.
never hear Of or read Of the "Gamester," that
gloomy tragedy, without seeing in my mind q
eve fhe stately, graceful form of James Cooper
as Beverly, nor "Othello" without recalling
Charles Kean as Richard Sir Ed,card Nor
timer, Sir Giles Ooerreach, without seeing, and,
| In memory, hearing. the greatest Of them all
\ Booth. John Howard Payne gives a most in
| teresting account of Booths first appearance
at Covent Garden in 1917. He says Booth was
announced for one night. February IL. as
MI Booth Of the Brighton and Worthing
| Theaters" in Richard. Nothing was known of
Booth at that time in London. He had per-
| formed in the humble capacity of messenger at
| Covent Garden, but subsequently he had dis
| tinguished himself at BRUSSELS Brighton,
Cheltenham and other theaters in the provinces.
He was not greeted by full house, but was
very warmly welcomed. Payne says he was
thinner and smaller than Kean but his voice
and manner was the most extraordinary imita-
but applause drowned it and at the fall of the
curtain. when the manager came forward
| to announce midsummer Nights Dream
for the next night cries rose from
| all parts OF the house. ''No! no! Booth,
| az Richard! Booth! BOOTH" And the manager,
nounced that Mr.. Booth would repeat Richard
the next night. The next night the same scene
occurred at the fall of the curtain. This sue
| cess stamped Booth as a favorite. and negotia-
| tons were opened for a fixed salary. Up to
this time Booth had received little over 60
a week. but coming to London he de-
manded London prices. Failing to secure his
price, Drury Lane, through Kean, secured
| him. and with Kean he played long and sue
cessful engagement. Mr.. Payne saws he saw
| him as Iago to Kean's Ottelio. and he saws lit
was grand performance. The new little man
behaved himself like great hero. Kean seemed
| to feel the force of the new conner and per-
| formed up to full height OF his wonderful
power" At the end of the performance Kean
! led Booth before the curtain, and the house
exhausted itself in the widest applause.
THE DAY OF MRS. DUFF.
Ihad the good fortune to meet an old army
| friend, hero of the Mexican war, day or two
after the appearance of the very interesting
| article in The STAR of the 5th. His memory is
| so perfect Of the events OF that long past he
was enabled to recall Mrs. Duff in many of her
characters. His memory of Mr.. John L. Duff,
her husband, was equally perfect. In talking
| Of that period, when Wood Il Warren had the
| Mrs Wood was one of the best and most versa
tile actresses Of that period and Wood was
| and pausing for a comparison-said: SWELL he
| was the Murdoch of that day"-and Murdoch
| still lives to wear the laurels he SO nobly won
In a letter from his daughter, his
| amanuensis. received some months ago,
| she said: HE enjoys tolerable health,
keeping himself constantly employed, and
| is as fond OF his profession ever" His
marvellous voice, the music of which will never
I %A~< h. =.
tains ali its power, and at one time led his
| friends to hope he might be heard again, but
| the time he fixed In his letter for visiting New
York has long past and fear we have heard
| that great elocutionist and reader and actor
| for the last time. Nv old friend remembered
most wildly James Cooper and he regarded
him az one of the greatest actors he had ever
| seen. Howard Payne says: I'm natural grace
Cooper is beyond any actor 1 have ever seen
and he is, too, the Lest Hamlet on the stage
| Wymmes says: Cooper is responsible for the
introduction of the star" system in this coun-
| try. BY his advice George Frederick Cooke
| came to this country. Cooper lived in house
he owned in New York on the corner of Leon
| ard street and Broadway, subsequently, the
| Carlton House. where the tragedy Of the killing
| of Saydam took place, and created the most in
| tense excitement. Though the act was commit
| ted on that crowded thoroughfare the MUIR
| derer was unknown. 1t is said Cooper lost his
| house one night at cards. His daughter who
| PfesiutN ~ tHS w lte HOUSE as tHe %iI6 OF r.
| Robert Tyler, is remembered here as q very
| accomplished and charming woman. Your
| correspondent from New York. speaking of
| Edwin Booth. gives his name as Edwin Thomas
Booth. The name his father gave him was
| Edwin Forrest Booth and SO he is registered in
| 'Wymmes History OF the Stage"
| oLD-TIME RACING IN THE DISTRICT.
| NY old friend is an authority on racing, as
on the theatrieals of the long past. The cap
/ ~ - L
| he told me what surprised me very much that
| the hrst independent second watch used to
| time horses was made at Washington by AN old
| gentleman l remember very well. Mr.. Julian
| Montandon, a Swiss who kept matchmaker 4
| shop in a little One-story building next to the
| corner of 18th street, where there is now hat
| store. He says it was used on the Washington
/ course. The Messrs. Gait Say stop watches were
in use long before, but for racing purposes it is
not unlikely, Mr.. Montanton made such a
| watch. He was a most ingenious workman and
! made for the engineer depar ;ment an instrp-
| ment for measuring the flight of cannon balls.
| which, think, Mr.. Gait now owns This led
/ the captain TO speak OF the introduction Of the
English race horse in the country, the first be-
| ing Diomede, and the fact of there being no
| watches to MEASURE race time except the
ordinary watch of the day. the time of
| Flying Childers and the time of Eclipse,
! q mile minute. was taken by such a watch.
Eclipse. he said. was bred by the Duke
| OF cumberland and sold to Mr.. Wudmau on
the death Of the duke, and by him sold to a
Capt OKeliy, who took the horse to Ireland
| and for some years ran him in the country
| races. When Eclipse was five years old he was
| entered for the Derby and the odds were very
heavy against him, all of which were taken by
| y Kelly and his friends On the day of the
| race Eclipse won the first heat. when OKelly
| announced, FOR certain Odds he would place
| every horse on the field. Such a wager had
numerous takers. and before the start he was
called on to name and place the horses and he
did SO by announcing, Eclipse first, the rest
nowhere" He won, for Eclipse distauced the
field. Eclipse never lost race and with the
| winnings Of the great horse his owner retired
from the turf and became one Of the 'landed
gentry" There are SO many interesting events
connected with the old Washington race
course. the National it was called, and truly
SO, for during the season the north and the
south. the east and the west met there with
the best racing stock OF the country. My old
friend has promised me enough racing lore to
make an interesting column for the readers Of
The STAR
ANOTHER AMERICAN HERO.
I am indebted to correspondent, who, I re-
greet. has not given me his name, for an inter
esting account OF battle which deserves
place under the heading you were pleased te