The record-union., 1893-06-07
EDWIN BOOTH DEAD.
Americas Greatest Tragedian Joins
the Silent Majority.
HIS EARLIEST TRIUMPHS BEGAN IN
CALIFORNIA
Full, True Name Was Edwin Thomas
Booth-Remarlable Achievements
In Interpreting the Master Dramas
of all transformations Sketch
of the Life of the Most Brilliant
Dramatic Genius of the Nation.
special to the REcoRp-UN1ox.

ca great IrdSeulau, EuNlu DOOlL, VIM
had been lowering on the verge OF
shadow-land so many weary days, passed
away at l:l5 this Wednesday, morning,
in his apartments at the Players Club.
The decline In his physical condition had
been very perceptible for several days,
and as long ago as Saturday night all
hope of saving his life was given up.
All day yesterday his condition grew
steadily worse, and at o'clock last even
ing DIR. st. Clair Smith was hastily sum-
moned to the club. After a brief exam
ination of the dying man DR.. Smith pre-
pared bulletin, which was posted in the
hallway, to the effect that it was doubtful
if Mr.. Booth survived the night.
DIR. Smith told one of the members of
the club that the tragedian's pulse was
in the neighborhood of 100 and his tenn
perature over los. There was nothing
that could be done except for the anxious
watchers to sit by the bedside until the
feeble spark of life was finally extin-
guished.
At 10 o'clock another serious change
was noted, and DR.. Smith was again sum-
moned. He did what he could to ease the
dying moments of Mr.. Booth, who, al
though completely unconscious, appeared
TO suffer greatly for lack of air, it being
apparently extremely difficult for him to
breathe. From this time until he expired
the great actor gradually grew weaker.
The restless motion of his hands ceased,
and life finally passed away when his
breath had died to almost an impercepti-
BILE fiutter.
At the bedside were the actors daughter
and her husband, Mr.. Grossman; Booths
brotEer-in-law, Mr.. Magonigle; William
Bispam, an intimate friend, and Charles
tarryll.
Edwin Booth, son OF Junius Brutus Booth,
actor and artist, and his wife Mary Anne
(Holmesl, was born at Bel Air, Md, Novem-
Der 3, 1888. His full name is Edwin Thomas
He was so named in compliment to Edwin
Forrest and Thomas Flynn, the two close
friends OF ms father. He received an irregular
education IN the common schools He was
always reticent as boy, studious and anx-
icus 10 learn, singular in his behavior and
very sensitive.
While still young his father made him his
companion IA his Journeys, and he practically
grew up on the stage.
lie nrst appeared regularly at the Boston
museum, St ptember II, 1919, as Tressi in
Cibber's version of Richard Ill" Up to this
time his father had opposed his becoming an
ac,or, but relented and took him into his own
after his debut for over two years, and made
some clever successes, notably in THE Iron
Chest as Wiltord.
september p, 1850, he appeared at the Ma
uonal, on Chatham street, New York as Will
ford. In 1851, at that house, his father being
taken sick suddenly, Edwin took his place
and enacted Richard Ill Fora novice il was
remarkable performance, ana was hailed as
the augury of a brilliant future.
In 1892 Edwin came with his father TO San
Francisco, where his elder brother, j. b. Booth.
Jr., already was popular as actor and man
ager. In that year the three played a long en-
gagement III Sacramento. One night while
in Sacramento, seeing Edwin dressed for
Jafher in Venice Preserved" his father said
TO him: You look like Hamlet; why don't
you play IT." The remark was prophetic for
Euwln Booth became the greatest sHaniett
the world has known.
In October, 1852, the father left for the East.
the two sons remaining in California Edwin
attached himself to a stock cOmpany playiug
in the Old Sacramento Theater, on Third
street. between and j. While there he made
by the sudden assumption of the lead in .sThe
Marble Heart" profound impression, and
drew thousands from all the mining regions
to see him IN the play, which ran for weeks
Edwin remained in California until the
autumn of 1906, in the meantime making a
side trip to Australia. His life here was one
OF ups and downs, Of successes ana of poverty
The rush, freedom, and almost border char
acter OF sOcietNlhad its effect uDOn him and
he was led into undue indulgence in LIQUOR
yet his closest friends say that he was not I'M
derstood, and that the peculiarly reticent
character of the man, and the reflective ana
almost somber shade OF his life gave an an
pearance OF over-ndulgence often when WIS
appearance only. However that NAV be. he
made brilliant mark in California and as
Mortimer, Richard III, Shylock, Macbeth
and Hamlet, he laid the broad deem tounde-
tons OF his subsequent career.
Long before he left California his Hamlet
was the subject OF critical attention and de-
bate in all quarters. On his visit to Australia
he had as leading lady the talented Laura
keene, and on his return to California he
played at the Metropolitan Theater in San
L. rla,rV pn-.
Sinclair Mrs Edwin torrest). He there re-
produced the marble Heart and his Raphael
was the one great dramatic theme of the dav
On leaving California in 1856 ne was the
recipient OF many, testimonials and OF benefits
ana numerous public and private attentions
Some OF the chief or these were promoted bv
one OF ms earliest and best friends NJ. p. But
Ter of Sacramento.
On return to the East he appeared first in
Baltimore, and then in all the great cities
North and South, his tour being d great sur-
cess. In 1857, IN Boston. as Sir Giles over
reach. he won triumph which he ALWAYS re
garded as tine turning point in his career and
fession in America.
II is not necessary to trace his career since
then in detail Though his fortune has tiuct-
uated, ana he mad gr1efs almost too much to
bear, his artistic progress was always up
ward. He attained in the judgment of the
learned and the lOWly. the critical and the
masses OF the people, the loftiest position ever
reached by any American actor. a plane
higher in American estimation than that at
tanned by any other dramatic artist.
July :. $50, Mr.. Booth married Miss Mary
Devlin OF Troy, y. y. To them was born an
only child, Edwina. December 9. 1861. Mrs
Booth died at Dorchester, Mass, February
II, 1868.
Shortly after their marriage Booth and his
wife went TO England. where he appeared as
Shylock. Sir Giles and Richelieu. under the
management of j. B. Blackstone at the Lon
don Haymarket Theater.
Richelieu Booth mad first -essayed in Sacra
meuto in July, 1896. With that character
his name was almost as closely identified as
with that of Hamlet II won for him in Lon
don the highest praise and loudest applause
OF the critical English.
ON his return to America Mr.. Booth took
the management of the Winter Garden The
alter. New York, soy, and retained il or was
1,sIated 10 II until ii burned down in 1867 1t
was nj this house that his Hamlet ran one
hundred consecutive nights, when the citizens
OF New York cOmmemorated the fact by pre-
seuting him with gold medal At that time
one hundred nights was an extraordinary ex-
plot.
Booth. with his brother-inIaw, Clarke. the
comedian. while the two controlled the Win
ter Garden also managed the Walnut-Street
Theater. Philadelphia from the summer of
1868 to March, 1870. In 1865 the act of
j. Wilkes Booth in assasSinatiug President
Lincoln operated TO depress Edwin Booth
that he resolved 10 retire nom the stage and
never TO return to il, but business straits COM
PEELED him to reappear January, 1866, Wnen
he was received with demonstrations OF JOY
ana deep affection.
April :, 1865. Booth laid the cornerstone
OF his own theaier in New York, ana ne
opened the house with "Romeo and Juliet"
Miss Mary McNicker, stepdaughter OF James