The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-06-13
EDWIN BOOTH is DEAD.
The Great Tragedian Passes Away
Peacefully-A Brief Sketch of his
Career.

Peacefully-A Brief Sketch of his
Career.
New York, June Edwin Booth
died at 1:15 O'clock this morning. AT
the time of his death he was uncon-
scious, in which condition he remained
since Sunday last. When tho end
came Mrs. Edwin A. Grosseman, the
tragedian's daughter, had her hand
clasped in that of her father. The
small group who watched the last
moments Of the famous actor had been
silent witnesses of Mr.. Booths last
struggle for life since 10 O'clock, when
they were summoned to the bedside by
the nurse. Death at that time was
hours later before white handker-
chief was seen to flutter from the mid
die window of the room in which Mr..
Booth had lain since April 18th. This
was the signal that DIR. st. Clair Smith
had agreed to flash to the small crowd
of reporters who stood expectant on
the opposite side of the street. The
wave of the handkerchief meant that
the great tragedian had died.
Edwin Booth was born in Belair,
near Baltimore, Md, on November l3,
1888, and was the son of Junius Brutus
Booth, the elder, an English actor
who obtained his reputation, however,
mainly in the United States. He was
named Edwin Booth out of compliment
to his fathers friend, Edwin Forest
and Thomas Flynn, both great actors.
Although the elder Booth Mt first
objected to his son going on the stage
he did finally consent and the young
mans first appearance in any part oc-
CURED in 1S49 at the Boston Museum,
when he appeared us Tressel in
Richard III" He made q success in
this small part and from that time for
ward no question was raised as to his
continuing on the stage. In 1851 he
took the most important step in his
dramatic career up to that period by
playing Richard III in place of his
father, who had been taken suddenly
i'll. This performance gave him at
once the reputation of being an actor
of unusual promise. In the latter part
of 1852 the elder Booth died while on
his way from New Orleans to Cincin-
nat.
Edwin, now left to rely upon his own
intellectual resources, travelled through
California, playing amid a great deal
of poverty and many hardships when
over opportunity offered. In 1851 he
played in company with Miss Laura
Keene in Australia but returned to
the United States the following year
and originated in San Francisco the
character of Raphael in "The Marble
Heart" He also at this time made
his first appearance in Richelieu, which
afterward became one of his most noted
characters.
The incident of Mr.. Booths magnifi-
cent extravaganza in the interest of
dramatic art in causing the erection of
the superb bstructure--Booths theater on
Twenty-third street, New York-ard
the financial ruin which fell upon him
thereafter, because he permitted his
splendid art instinct to carry away with
it his business judgment. All this is we'll
known and appreciated by the Ameri-
can art public, and by the thousands
opened in New York tho club fol.
actors known by the name of "The
Players" the entire expense of which
was paid by Mr.. Booth.
Mr.. Booths first serious illness came
on April 3, 1889, when he was stricken
with incipient paralysis while playing
in "Othello," in the Lyceum theater
in Rochester,. The last four years of
Mr.. Booths life have been passed in
the Players Club. During the sum
mer months of 1891 and 1892, he spent
considerable time with his daughter
at Narragansett. 1t was in the latter
year, while making his annual visit,
that he was SO seriously i'll at her
house. His friends, particularly solici-
tous for his health, just at that time,
had grave apprehensions that he would
not have sufficient strength to warrant
attempting return to New York.
But with cooler weather came an i'm
provement in his condition, and he
appeared in his club in October. From
this time, those who knew him most
intimately remarked the decline in his
health.