The morning call., 1893-06-07

VINO little after became his wife. But
death soon ended their happy union.
While on his first visit to England. III
1861. his daughter, Edwina, now Mrs.
Grossman, was born. His wife died sud-
denly, while Booth was fulfilling an en-
gagement in New York.
Edwin Booth made his first metropolitan
success in 1860. when he appe ared at the
Winter Garden Theater as Hamlet. A
year or so later he played Hamlet to the
Ophelia of Mrs. Barrow. In 1868 he was
supported by Lawrence Barrett, and still
at the Winter Garden he appeared as
Hamlet. from November "a, 1864. until
March %, 1865. 100 successive nights. This
was probably the longest run that any
tragedy had at that time enjoyed.
Just folio wing this emarkable triumph
occurred an event which startled the civil
lied world and threw a cloud upon
the life of Edwin Booth which
no success however brilliant, no
public recognition, however generous or
enthusiastic. could remoye-the assas-
sination of President Lincoln in Ford's
Theater in the National Capital on April
10, 1865, by his brother. John Wilkes
Booth.
From that time to this Edwin Booth has
never been in Washington and has never
permitted the name of his brother TO be
mentioned in his hearing. He retired
from the stage with the intention OF never
appearing again before the public. Il was
nearly year before he could be prevailed
upon to change his mind.
Another disaster was waiting for Booth.
He wanted TO build in New York the best
equipped theater in the world. He had
about 100000 in the bank and had no
difficulty in finding friends who
wanted to spend it for him. They
told him the sort of house he want
ed could be built for S55O,O0O. He said
go ahead l have 5000, 600, and can earn
the rest easy enough" They went ahead
and when the theater at the corner of
Twenty-third street aud Sixth avenue was
completed it had cost SS50,000 and left
Booth staggering under load of debt. In
the unlucky thirteen years which Booths
Theater survived, pay-mounting and
stage-setting were developed to q point
they had never reached before, and have
not often attained since.
AS an expert in dramatic matters re-
marked: You conIdn't tell supers there
from Booth and Barrett until they be-
gan to speak their lines, because they
were all dressed SO we'll" What Mr..
Booth himself remarked, after four years
of management, was: 'It appears
that it is possible to do thing
too we'll" The house had opened
in 1869 with magnificent presentation of
Romeo and juliet" Mr.. Booth being
Romeo and Miss Mary McVicker Juliet.
The following year this lady became Mrs.
Booth. Her name was Runnion and she
adopted the name of McVicker when her
mother married James II. McVicker, now
of Chicago.
When the financial failure OF Booths
Theater made Edwin Booths load of debt
greater than be could carry. he was per.
suaded to make an assignment, and for
time thereafter he did business in his
wife's name. turning over to her all his
receipts. Her management was not
happy, and it was several years before
Booth succeeded in paying all of his credit
nrs. Mrs. Booth died in 1881, and soon
afterward Booths Theater was torn down.
Edwin Booths last appearance on the
stage took place in Brooklyn a few weeks
after the death of Lawrence Barrett in
1891. His life for fifteen years had been
round of triumphs. After Barrett's death
his health failed rapidly.