The Redwood gazette., 1893-06-15

were watching knew it. Grouped.
about the bedside were Mr.. Booths
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs.
Ignatius Grossman; j. H. McGonigle,
superintendent of the Players club and
a brother-in-law of Mr.. Booth; William
Bisham, close personal friend of
Grossman, and Charles H. Carrel, one
of the Players clubhouse committee.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
Edwin Booth was born in Bel Air. near Bal
timore, Nd, and was the son Of Junius Brutus
Booth the elder, an English actor, who OBJ
tanned his reputation. however, mainly in the
United States. He was named Edwin Thomas,
out of compliment to his fathers friends, Ed
win Forrest and Thomas Flynn both great
actors. The boy Edwin had but few oppor-
tunities for education but he took the best pos
sible advantage Of these, with the result that
he gained for himself an excellent education
while still lad Although the elder Booth d first
objected to his sons going on the STAGE he did
finally consent, and the young mans first ap-
pearance in any part occurred in 1849 at the
Boston museum, when he appeared as Tressel
in Richard Ill" He made a success in this
small part, and from that time forward no
question was raised as to his continuing on the
stage. His capacity, indeed. so demonstrated
itself that he W IS presently PLAYING Cassie in
''Othello" and Wilfori in 1.-The Iron Chest
his performance of the latter character being
highly commended
During two years Edwin continued to play
with his father in different cities, making his
first appearance in New York, September q.
1850, at the National theater, Chatham street.
in the character of Wilford The following year
he took the most important step in his dramatic
career up to that period by playing Richard
Ill" at the same theater, in place of his father,
who had been taken suddenly ill. This per-
formance gave him at once the reputation of
being an actor of unusual promise.
At that time the elder brother OF Edwin, j.
B. Booth, was manager of theater in San
Francisco, Cal, and the two went thlther and
played with him in the popular pieces OF the
day. In the latter part of 1852 the elder Booth
died while on his way from New Orleans to
Cincinnati Edwin was now left to rely upon
his own Intellectual resources and he con.
tinued to travel through the state of California
playing, amid great deal of poverty and
many hardshps, whenever opportunity offered
Even at this early period of his life he had al-
ready added to his repertoire the characters of
Shylock, Macbeth. Hamlet, and his great part
OF Sir Edwin Mortimer in 1.-The Iron Chest -
In 1854 he played in company with Miss
Laura Keene in Australia, but returned to the
United States the following year and orgi-
mated 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 charac-
ters. ;
BY this time the name and fame of Edwin
Booth had travelled to the Atlantic cities of the
United States, and there was exper' enced
everywhere. between San Francisco and New
York, the greatest possible desire to witness
the powerful impersonations of Americas new
and obviously great tragedian. Accordingly
in 1857 Mr.. Booth went to Baltimore and
played at the Front Street theater playing Aft
erward through the principal southern cities
with the greatest success. In April of that
year he played in Boston Sir Giles Over
reach in IA New Way to Pay Old Debts -
and created furor. In the following
month he appeared at Burton's Metro
politan theater. New York. where he aroused
the greatest enthusiasm, and within another
year he had achieved by sheer power intelii-
gence and art the highest position on the
American stage-a position which he never
after lost, so long as he regularly followed his
profession.
During his professional career Mr. Booth ap-
peared number of times in London. where he
played with Henry Irving, and also in Ger
many, where he was highly praised by Emperor
William For a number of years Mr. Booth
made starring excursions throughout the
United States, In partnership with the late
Lawrence Barrett. until the latter's DEATH
e"iiE III Ao'i. Since lidI tiUle MI. bOotn ap-
peared infreQuently having lea retired life
BURIED IN BOSTON.
BosToN, June 10.-The body of Ed
win Booth arrived in this city at $50
Friday evening, accompanied by Mr..
and Mrs. Grossman and other members
of the funeral party from New York.
Without special incident the remains
were transferred to a/hearse in waiting
aud the funeral procession was soon on
its solemn journey to Mount Auburn.
At the cemetery some 400 or 500 of the
dead actors friends had assembled and
about the grave were placed large
number of beautiful floral offerings
Death of Warren Leland.