Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-08
THE DEATH OF EDWIN BOOTH
1t Occurred in New York at
LIS Yesterday Morning.
SEVEN WEEKS SEVERE ILLNESS
The End Was Peaceful After
Long Suffering.


New YoRK, June MIR Edwin Booth,
the actor, died at l,ll O'Clock this morning
IN his apartments in the Players Club, in
this city.
Mr.. Booth had been unconscious for
many hours. His strong natural vitality
alone kept him alive for several days. He
had been unable 10 take any solid food.
Bubsisting on beef tea kllmysa and dis.
titled water The humid weather bore
heavily on him and added to the diticulty
OF breathing, which was feature of his
illness.
1t was apparent early yesterday that Mr.
Booth could not survive the night Az 10
o'clock last night the trained nurse il
charge of the patient called Mr.. aui Mrs.
Grossman and the other relatives inn the
sick room and they remained untll the
final scene. The end came so peacefully
that dissolution was scarcely prrCeptiDc.
Mr.. Booths present illness began on
Wednesday, April 18th, Just seven weeks
ago, when Mr.. McGungle, his brutherln-
law, who is superintendent Of the Players
Club, not having heard from Mr. Booth
al II o'clock in the morning, opened the
door of his sleeping apartment and found
the tragedian lying in bed, unconscious
Physicians gave it as their opinion that
he had been stricken with paralysis during
the night. Mr.. Booth rcgained conscious
ness the next dav, and his condition i'm
proved so that il was said the attack was
simply vertigo, TO which Mr.. Booth had
been subject The patient improvement
continued gradually till about Two weeks
ago it was proposed to take him to Nara
ganSett Pier, X, L., where his son.in laW
has a cottage. Last Saturday a change for
the worse set in and Mr.. Booth gradually
sank until the end Mr., Joseph Jefferson
called TO see his distinguished lcllow-actOr
on Monday and remained at his bedside
about 10 minutes, but it is doubtful ii
Mr. Booth recognized him. Mr. Jefferson
was the last visitor outside of the imme-
diate family who was admitted to the sick
room
MR.. BOoTh's BRILLIANT CAREER.
Edwin Booth was born in Hartford
county Md, % miles from Baltimore,
November 18th, 1888. His father Junus
Rrutu5 Booth, the elder, purchased an
estate there in 1922, and for 80 years made
it a retreat when he was not occupied on
the stage. He also had home on Exeter
street, i'll Baltimore city. Edwin was
named Edwin Thomas, in compliment to
his fathers friends, Edwin Forrest and
Thomas Flynn
The father and son were fondly attached
to each other from the first, the boys ret-
cent and sensitive nature appealing
strongly to the fathers eccentric genius.
II was thus natural that Edwin should be
his fathers companion in his professional
tours, ayd on one oil these Edwin made
hls first appearance on the elstage, playing
"Trcssel' to his fathers Richard Ill" at
the Boston Museum. September 10th, 1919.
The elder Booth long opposed Eiwin'S
becoming ali actor, but finally yielded,
and after the young man had played some
minor parts, deterniaed to try the boys
metal. which he did by ieigning illness
and forcing him to take his place as
"Rchard Ill. on few hours, notice.
This occurred at the National Theatre,
Chatham street. New York city, iu l6jl,
and the boys success in the first attempt
OF q leading part was hailed as an indica.
tlon of great talent.
In the summer of 1852 Edwin accom-.
panied his father to san Francisco where
his elder brother Junus Rrutus Booth,
Jr. had established himself as All actor
and manager The three acted together
with great success for three months. One
night at Sacramento, seeing Edwin dressed
for "Jatfer," in Venice Preserved the
father said: you look like Hamlet Why
don't you play itY" In October, 1852, the
father left for his Maryland home with
the intention Of retiring from the stage,
but died on a Mississippi river steamboat,
Edwin did not return Fast unit 1856 In
the meantime he visited Australia. Al
first lie played parts of all kinds and had
severe experiences with poverty and hard-
ship, soon his merit gained recognition
AMI he achieved local fame. He returned
at once TO his home in Baltimore ana ap-
peared at Front street Theatre.
In April, 1857 he appeared AZ the Boston
Theatre as Sir Giles OHefreach in "A
New Way to Pay Old Debts and his great
success on that occasion determined him
10 persist in the resolute endeayor to win
the first place as a tragic actor. In 1860 Mr..
Booth made a tour in England, where his
acting was much admired, especially in
'Richelieu.' On his return he became
manager OF the Winter Garden Theatre, in
Naty Work rifV and Fnu1ntnpI
1867, achieving the remarkable run Of 100
consecutive nights III ''IiGmlct' From
that time the character OF the ''l'rinre of
Denmark was identified with Mr Booth,
and he played It Ottener than any other
actor that ever lived
On February I'd, 1859 Mr.. Booth opened
his great undertaking. Booths Theatre,
at the southeast corner OF Twenty third
street and sixth avenue, New York city
This grand theatre had Il career OF l..
years and its stage was adorned with some
OF the grandest pIgeants and ,lacrd by the
presence of some ui the most rGa0uned
actors that have been seen in thl. country
The enterprise Was almost invariably
prosperous, but unGCpnumiCal manage
inent carried its owner into bankruptcy.
He began his career over again, pald on
his debts and earned another fortune.
In 1880 and again IN leN2 lie visited Great
Britain and acted with brilliant success III
London and other Cltlcs. He went 10 'Ict.
many III the autumn Of los ana was there
received with extraordinary enthusiasm
Mr.. Booth WAS latteriy associated Witt
Lawrence Barrett, The nrsi illmesS which
interfered with Mr. Booths protessi0na
work occurred at Rochester, n. y, AVri
Sd, 1859, when Mr.. Barrett, becoming
alarmed, announced from the stage tina
Mr.. Booth would probably never act again
The attack proved to be slight and Mr.
Booth appeared again III a rev days anG
outlived Mr.. Barrett
MIR. Booth gave his last performance at
the Academy OF Music, in Brooklyn, \
u, April Sd, 1891, just two years after The
Rochester attack. Since then be has madt
his home ut the Players Club, in New
York city, which he built and equipped
for the Use OF actors. His last appearance
in public was ON April 81, 1886, when b,
attended Alexander Salvinis performance
at the Manhattan Opera House, IN New
York city.
Mr.. Booth was twice married. His frs
wife was Miss Mary Devlin OF Troy, y. y.
M actress whom he met in Richmond
Va. They were married July 7th, 1850
Ind their only child, Edwina, was born il
Euham, England, December tth, 1851
Mrs. Booth died at Dorchester Mass, + eb
ruary 2lst lS63. The daughter is now Tn
gife of |. X. Grossman. MIR. Booth
Iecond wife was Miss Mary McNiGker, I
whom he was married June fth, islib. Sh
died in New York in lsSl, leaving IL
lhildren.
Grave Robbers.
Some unkn persons dug hole abou
I've feet deep in John Cameron's lot u