Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-04-27

critical authorities.
He stopped at the Sandwich Islands |
on his return voyage from Ausptralia |
TO San Francisco. and in Honolulu
played Hamlet before the king, the king
sitting in a chair Of state in the wings |
In the last act the mock king of Den
mark was compelled to borrow the
chair from the real king to complete
the scene.
Arriving in San Francisco he reap
peared at the metropolitan theater.
then managed by the former wife of
Edwin Forrest, who had obtained a
divorce from her husband and resumed
her maiden name, Catherine Sinclair
Here, for the first time in America,
was played the part of Raphael in
The Marble Heart. In 1850 he took
leave of California, being cheered on
his way by several farewell benefits,
organized and conducted by one of his
earliest and best friends, NJ. P. Butler,
of Sacramento, and his steps We're
now turned toward the cities of the
east. He first appeared at the Front
Street theater, Baltimore, and then
made rapid tour of all the large cities
of the south, being everywhere well
ceived. In April, 1857, he appeared
at the Boston theater as Sir Giles Over
reach in A New Way to Pay Old Debts.
and his great success on this occasion,
Away regarded by hism as the turning
point in his career, determined him
to persist in the resolute endeavOr to
win the first place as Il tragic actor.
His subsequent career was marked by
many vicissitudes of personal eXpe-
rience, and by fluctuations of fortune
but it was one Of lofty endeavor and
of continuous advancement. On May
IA, 1857, he came forward in New York
at BurtOn's Metropolitan theater as
Richard Ill, and in the following
August he was again seen there in
round of great characters, in all of
which he displayed his brilliant ability.
On July Z, 1860, he married Miss Mary
Devlin, of Troy, n. Y, an actress, whom
he had met three years before in Rich
mond Va, with whom he shortly after
ward made a visit to England. Their
only child, a daughter, Edwina, was
| born in Fulham, December 9, 1861.
After their return to America Mrs.
Booth, sinking under sudden illness,
died at Dorchester Mass.
! While in England Booth appeared It
the London Haymarlet theater under
the management of J. 3. Blackstone,
enacting Shylock, Sir Giles and Rich
lieu. The latter part, with which, al
most as much as with Hamlet, his name
ic, n1 ho1 OF
Sacramento in July, 1856. His first
performance of it was much admired
in London and also in Liverpool and
Manchester, where he afterward acted.
On returning to America Booth
became manager of the Winter Garden
theater, New York, which had been
Burton's Metropolitan, but which Dion
| BOucicault had leased, reftted and re-
named. Here Booth appeared on De-
cember 20, 1862, and with this house
he was associated until March %, 1867,
when it was destroyed by fire. A de-
tailed record of his brilliant successes
at his theater would make Il volume
Here he effected magnificent produc-
tons of Hamlet, OthelIo, The Merchant
of Venice, Richelieu, and other plays,
and here he accomplished the wonder
full achievement Of running Hamlet for
100 consecutive nights, an exploit that
was commemmorated by the presenta
ton to him of a handsome gold medal
suitably inscribed, and offered in behalf
of leading citizens of New York. in
recent days such an artistic feat w,uld
not be so difficult of accomplishment;
al that time it was an extraordinary
exploit Booths brOther-in-law, the
celebrated comedian, John S. Clarke,
was his partner in the management
| of the Winter Garden theater, and they
associated with themselves an old
| journalist and theatrical agent, William
| Stuart real name Edward O'Flaherty:,
formerly of Galway, Ireland, but lhen
an exile. Clarke and Booth were .llSo
associated in the management of tho
Walnut Street theater, philadelphia,
from the summer of 1853 till March,
1870, when the interest of the idlter
| was purchased by the former. Tie
hundred1night run of Hamlet extended
from November p, 1864, till March -,
1865. On April %, 1864, for the benefit
Of the fund for erecting Il Shakespeare
monument in Central Park, Booth PRO
duced Romeo and Juliet and enacted
| Romeo.
The tragedy of April, 1865, compelled
| him to leave the stage, and it was then
his wish and purpose never to return
| to it; but business obligations con-
strained him, and he appeared at the
Winter Garden on Jan. 3, 1856, as
| Hamlet, and was received with accla-
nations by a great audience. 'Riche-
lieu was revived that year with much
SplendOr of scenic attire. An equally
/ fine revival was made in January,
1861. of The Merchant of Venice. In
| March the theater was burned down.
4 little more than year later the cor
ner-stone was laid of Booths theater,
1T the southeast corner of Twenty
third street and Sixth avenue, and on
| Feb. 8. 1869. Booth opened the new
house with Romeo and Juliet, Romeo
being played by himself and Juliet by
Miss Mary McVicker. Booth married
Miss NIcVicl1er on June Z. 1862 and she
died in New York in 1881, leaving no
children. Booths theater had career
of thirteen years. and its stage was
adorned with some Of the grandest
pageants and graced by the presence
of some of the most renowned actors
| that have been seen in this century.
Its story, however ended in May, 1882,
when it was finally closed, it's career