Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-01

last Saturday. The building was known for
years as Hughes warehouse" and was built
by Mr.. James Hughes whose place Of business
was In the same building now occupied by Mr..
N d. Shea-the same store, I think. The
manager Of this theater was Mrs. Tmm. The
style Of performances was principally vaude.
villes and musical farces but have seen an
admirable rendering of Romeo and Juliet
with Mrs. Malinda Jones as Romeo and Mrs.
Burke as Juliet, and the "Lady Of LYONS"
with Mrs. Jones as Claude Melnotte and Mrs.
Burke as Pauline
speak ex cathedra on this performance, for
supplied the uniform for Claude when he re-
turned from the battle fields to "outbid you
sordid hucksters" and win Pauline. My military
ardor having oozed. as Bob Acres courage,
out at my fingers end 1 contributed my staff
uniform, epaulette and all to deck the success
ful soldier Claude.
SOME NOTABLE PERFORMANCE.
In connection with that period, or about that
period, 1 find Charley Burke in 1880 played
very lengthy engagement at the "Adelphi''
(now Young's coachmaking establishment and
PLAYED the same night dndfdther Whitehead
| and Nose in Chanfrau's ''Glance at New York "
What an actor he wasi At about the same time
Mrs. A. Drake, a grand actress. played an en-
gagement. supported by Mr. /. B. Roberts an
excellent actor, who played the King in that
StS"t Nocs VI AidAuict ulcutOucQ ldSt week.
Mr. Roberts is now, or was some time ago, pro-
fessor Of elocution in one OF the colleges in
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Drake married Capt. G..
w. Cutter, who was n clerk in the Treasury
Department and poet of some merit. whose
''Song Of Steam" and "E Pluribus Unum''
we're deemed worthy of place in the Poets Of
| America" edited by Mr.. Charles A. Dana.
Between the play and the farce Mrs. Drake, for
her benefit. recited Capt. Cutters poem of "E
Pluribus Unum." Julia Dean was the bright
particular star at that time, and a compli-
mentary benefit rendered her at that theater
led to the publication OF a scurrilous paper
here, "The Scourge." Richard Wallach was
then United States marshal and he had the
courage to prosecute the persons engaged in
the publication and circulation of it, and the
charge of Judge Crawford was so severe and
comprehensive that it ended the publication
here since then of any such literature. The
agent was sentenced to six months imprison-
ment and fine Of $500 and to stand committed
until it was paid, which was equivalent to i'm
prisonment for life. After he had served his
term in Jail he was released from the fine. The
real authors Of the libel escaped These events
crowd upon my memory. recalled by the men
ton Of Julia Dean and that benefit
ABAD YEAR FOR THEArERs.
The year John E. Owens first appeared on
the stage, 1871, was a very disastrous one to
the theaters, the Park, Chatham and Bowery
closed and were turned into concert saloons,
and here Forrest PLAYED an engagement at the
National, under the management and support
OF Miss Manner, to almost empty benches,
and to draw played "Richeieu'' and the Glad
iator' on the same night. Then Iassestro, who
was for years afterward in the Department Of
State, played an engagement, but failed to
draw, though q capital actor and profound
Shakespearean scholar. The theater was then
turned over to a circus company, which pro-
duced 'Mazepps," and Otto MNtty gave a Sc
ries of chariot races and the games Of ancient
Rome. Nothing drew, however, the panic was
overpowering and all the banks in the coun-
try suspended.
l found few DAYS ago memento Of John
Howard Payne. In 1850 Miss jacques appeared
ct the Adelphi in series of scenes from operas
"Norma," "Sonnambula,' &C.. and Howard
Payne was an enthusiastic admirer Of her and
wrote some admirable notices OF her perform
ance for the National Intellioencer She had
| q very fine soprano voice Of great compass.
and Mr.. Payne's notices of her were Justly
complimentary and written con amore and
with taste and Judgment.
SOME NAVAL DISASTERS.
In the article in The STAR of last Saturday
on naval disasters no mention was made Of the
loss Of the Hornet, the Levant and the Somers
On board the Hornet we're some residents of
Washington, among them Parson Andrew j.
Watson and Midshipman Philip Riley. There
could be no cause assigned for this disaster as
not soul escaped The Hornet was seen from
one of the West India islands and suddenly
disappeared leaving not vestige. The Levant
sank in the China sea, l think. Strange, ship
Of the same name in the British navy sank The
Inflated brig Somers, from whose yard arm
Midshipman Philip Spencer and three of the
crew we're hung by Capt. Slidell Mackenzie on
a charge Of mutiny. was capsized off Vera Cruz
Very few. il any, of those aboard escaped. The
late Judge Drake was midshipman aboard the
Somers and while at Havana he was transferred
to another United States vessel, only a short
time before the disaster. 1t was on the same
vessel (the Somers) Commodore Young lost his
two legs by the recoil Of a gun in firing a sa-
lutte. Ill luck seems to have attended this ves-
sci, and Judge Drake told me it was a great
relief to be exchanged.
There was q remarkable disaster occurred to
one of our naval vessels off the coast Of Chile
some few wears ago tidal wave carried the
vessel bodily six to eight miles into the interior
of the country. I think but few lives were lost,
but the vessel had to be abandoned after strip
ping her of her armament. This incident was
not unlike the destruction Of the Nipsc at
Samoa. The loss of the Central America and
the troops she was carrying to California and
the sinking Of another California steamer,
under command Of Capt. Herndon Of the navy,
may be recalled to add to these disasters.
THE LOSS OF THE PRESIDENT
The loss of the President with Rev. George
Goodman, SO well known hero as one Of the
most eloquent pulpit orators, and Tyrone
Power. the celebrated comedian, occurred in
1S41. The steamer disappeared and no trace OF
her was ever found. Lord Fitzroy Lenox was
on board the President. and it is said his father
the Duke Of Richmond. walked for days from
sunrise TO sunset the London road to obtain
news of the President.
The capszing of the yacht built by VIM. T.
Garner of New York, designed to beat all pre-
viously built vessels of her class was a very
sad affair. knew Mr.. Garner. who was uni
versally popular in New York. where he was the
head of the great manufacturing establishment
bearing his name. and his fate caused the deep
est sympathy. The yacht had an enormous
spread of canvas. and friend of mine. Mr.
Allen. who was a designer of yachts spoke of it
as unsafe. and said the first blast of wind en-
countered would upset her. as she was top
heavy. He advised Mr.. Garner to reduce her
canvas. When finished. with Mrs. Garner and
some friends, ladies and gentlemen. he went on
board and had all her sails set for short cruise
round the harbor of New York. I think the
yacht had hardly left the wharf when puff of
wind filled her enormous sails and she capsized.
The guests, among whom was Miss May, the
daughter Of the late ID. May, escaped but Mr.
Garner and his wife we're drowned. 1t seems q
heavy piece of furniture, which had not been
secured, fell on Mrs. Garner and she could not
be extricated. and her husband shared her fate.
The loss of Mr.. and Mrs. Garner saddened New
York society as long any event could sadden
it.
The loss Of the Arctic of the Collins line of
steamers another tragedy of the sea-