Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-06-15
EDWIN BOOTH DEAD.

Edwin Booth, the great tragedian
died Wednesday morning in New
York. His father .Junius Brutus
Booth was himself famous actor
of the preceding generation, and in
1888 Edwin was born at the family
residence at Bel Air, about twenty
five miles from Baltimore, Maryland.
At the age of sixteen he acted with
his father, and gained considerable
reputation. His first visit to the
South was made in 1856, and he was
warmly received by the Southern
audiences. His acting in Europe
also gained him great reputation.
In 1865 his brother J. Wilkes Booth
also an actor of fine talents, assassi-
mated President Lincoln, and for
two years Edwin Booth refrained
from any appearance in public.
Then he played Hamlet in New
York for one hundred consecutive
nights, winning great applause.
He continued on the stage and
was easily the finest tragedian of his
time. He was much esteemed as a
man. The last visitor admitted to
his bedside was Joe Jefferson, be-
tween these two great actors there
being close friendship.
1t was during the season of 1857
9, while Barry Sullivan was making
his first visit to this country, that a
contemporary writer drew a rather
melancholy sketch Of the young
tragedian at the Richmond 4(Va.)
Theatre. Edwin Booth was the
star; his brother, John Wilkes sup
POI ted him. Sullivan occupied a
private box watching the American
actor. Wilkes saw, or thought he
saw, sneer OH the face of the Eng
lehman. When the curtain fell
he flew at Edwin like a madman, de-
manding how he dared disgrace his
position and his country by appear
ing before the English actor in
his condition. rs it not enough"
John Wilkes shouted, ssthat our
fathers reputation should follow us
without such an exhibition as you
have given tonight? When I saw
the Englishman look at you 1 could
have killed you where you stood !!
Have you no shame, no pride in your
profession, no thought of the dis
grace you bring upon your country?"
Then, as the star made some sarcastic
response, Wilkes seized .the first
weapon that came to his hand, and,
maddened with anger, he dashed at
his brother, who could only seek
safety in the seclusion of his dress
ing room.
A few years later, when John
Wilkes Booth, only few minutes
before had committed that great
crime that will make his name in~
famous for all time, the old Boston
Theatre witnessed scene still more
melancholy, in which Edwin Booth
was again slngularly conspicuous.
The play was "Hamlet." The scene
was the rather CHASTITY one in the
graveyard. The tragedian was evi~
IDENTIFY moved by some strong excite
ment, He staggered and would have
fallen into Ophezia's open grave
had not one of the actors caught
him in time. "Bless mel" suddenly
exclaimed an old lady in the audis
ence, "the mans drunk" The wires
that night were weighted with diff
ferent tale-President Lincoln had
been assassinated.
Edwin Booth was an actor not of
the vigorous, but of the subtle
school. His fame will rest not upon
such parts as Richard or OtAezso,
but upon his masterly impersona-
tions of Iago. Shylock, Richeziea
and, before all others, Hamlet. Booth
was, first of all, in looks the ideal
Hamlet. "His small, 1.-THE form,
with his mobility and intellectual
sadness of face and his large melan.
choly eyes," George William Curtis
wrote of him nearly forty years ago
''satisfy the most fastidious imagi.