The herald., 1893-06-18
HIS CAREER AND CHARACTER
a Finished Story of Edwin
Booths Life.
Some New Light on the Tragedian
by aR Able Critic.
tragedy Died with Him and a New Era
of Theatrical History Begins-sOrne
Incidents of His Life-A Re-
sumo of His Record.

and characteristics of Edwin Booth is
from the pen of Stephen Fiske, the
noted dramatic critic of the New York
Spirit OF the Times.l
Death, however long expected, always
comes with a shock of surprise and sor-
row. This ia especially true OF the
death OF Edwin Booth, which had been
III discounted tor months and anticipated
for weeks, and which occurred at MS
New York residence, about an hour alter
this midnight. Like King Charles, our
only tragedian was long adylng;
but yet we now seem to realize for the
q first time what tremendous losH is IN
u ficted upon the American stage. de
had SO long been before the public and
was 80 intimately connected with ma
tional misfortune that his name had be-
come household word. The con OF a
genius, he inherited and extended his
father's fame. The brother of an as
Basin, his own merits redeemed him
from the ignominy OF his brothers. CRIME.
The sole remaining representative OF
Z the great tragic actors of the past, trag-
d edy itself dies with him, and new era
of theatrical history begins.
Edwin Booth, the fourth son OF the
famous English traeedian, was born at
I Baltimore, November, ID, 1888, and at
Baltimore, by his fathers, in Green
mount cemetery he will be buried. AS
boy he accompanied his father on
starring tours and was literally educated
ON the stage. His play was reciting
poetry, picking the banjo and singing
negro melodies in juvenile theatricals.
AS he grew older he became his erratic
fathers guard, dresser and companion,
and tried to act, as q minor member OF
his fathers company, at So week, but
failed miserably. His formal debut was
at the Boston theater, in 1849. as Tres
sill, in Richard the Third and was sue
cessful. Thereafter he played small
parts during his fathers tours. His
New York debut was at the old National
theater, Chatham street, as Wilfred, in
The Iron Chest, September 27. 1850. A
year later, he appeared as Richard the
Third as substitute for his father, and
was cordially applauded. At Sacra-
mento, in 1852. his Hamlet WAS sug-
gested. He had dressed for Jaffer, in
black velvet, and his father said: You
look like Hamlet-why don't you play
it?"
For five years, during which his father
died, Edwin Booth acted in California
and Australia, sometimes as q star,
sometimes in stock company. He
could play anything, from Dandy Cox in
a negro farce and Legree in Uncle Tom 8
Cabin TO Shylock in The Merchant of
Venice, Marco in The Marble Heart and
Claude Melnotte in the Lady of Lyons.
and WAC uuvel birod as tile 1iery star" !"
His farewell benefit at San Franciaco, in
1855, was as King Lear. In 1857 he
starred through the south, beginning at
po1t hot I'D 10 Mor
Devlin OF Troy, whom he married in
1860, and made his Boston debut. His
success there brought him to New York,
where he appeared at the Metropolitan
theater (Burton's), on Broadway. We
remember him as q slender, handsome,
melancholy, almost shabby young man,
clipping in quietly at the stage door.
At that time he had the idea that, be-
cause his father had drunk great deal
aud been great actor, therefore it was
necessary to drink deeply in order to act
well; but he outgrew this fallacy in
later life. On the night OF his wife's
death, in 1868, he had to be held up
while he mumbled the words of his
part.
After starring for two years in the
west and south on the strength of his
Boston and New York engagements
the Haymarket Theatre, London. in
September, 1861, as Shylock. He lacked
the fire and fury OF his father our civil
war had just begun; his affairs were
badly managed and his English tour
was 9 failure. But it ultimately led to
his greatest succehs, as he formed a part
nership with his brother-in-law, J. s.
CLARK, the Philadelphia comedian, and
they engaged William Stuart, ae their
manager. Stuart was brilliant Irish
mar whose real name was O'Flahertv
and who had been member OF Parlia-
ment. He cleared the way for Booth by
seriee of caustic articles in the Tribune,
ridieuling and attacking Edwin Forrest.
Then, in imitation OF Fechter in Lon
don, he organized q 100 night run for
Hamlet, at the Winter Garden, New
York, In 1864, and this splendid adver-
tissment made Booths fame and for
tune.
Now a wealthy man, thanks to the
partnership with his shreWd brother-in-
law, Booth seemed at the height of pros
perity. when the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln by his brother, Wilkes
drove him into retirement for year.
In 1866 he resppeared at the Winter
Garden, and was enthusiastically re-
ceived. Nobody doubted his patriotism,
and sympathy was added to admiration.
In 1867, when he Was presented with the
Danish medal for his Hamlet, among the
distinguished gentlemen on the stage
were Admiral Farragut and General An
derson, of Fort Sumter fame. The Win
ter Garden WAS burned March %. 1867.
and year after the cornerstone OF
Booths theaterE Sixth avenue and Tweu-
ty-third street, Was laid. In June. 1869,
he married Miss McVicker of Chicago,
having played Romeo to her Juliet at the
opening OF his theater, February Sd
The thester WAS managed lavishly
every play was produced magnifcently /;
and. although the receipts were very
large, the expenses exceeded them.
Thus Booth became involved in finsn
cial failure which annoyed him for
years. and was finally settled by com
promise with the creditors. His fret
starring tour after the failure netted him
$125.000. He revisited San Francisco.
after an absence of 20 years; was shot
at in McVicker's theater, Chicago.
by lunatic; public break,
fast was arranged for him at Del
monico's, and, in 1880, he again
visited England, appearing at the Prin-
cess theater, London, November 9th.
Again he failed to please the British
public, but Irving, the king of the Eng
lish stage, came to his relief, and they