The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-28

LA JUNTA. Col. Feb. 25.-The actor
and playwright, Steele Mackaye, ar
rived at La Junta over the Santa Fe
road yesterday morning at 9:2J in the
special car of George r. Peck, general
counsel for the Santa Fe company. Mr..
Mackaye was accompanied by his wife, a
nurse and DR.. H y. Parker They came
west from Chicago. Mr. Mackaye was
supposed to be suffering from nervous
exhaustion caused by overwork, and
was on his way to San Diego, Cal He
was feeling quite badly when he arrived
here and the car was detached and left
here until 1920 this morning, when his
party started south, as Mr.. Mackaye
seemed to be resting easier. He rapid
~ grew worse and died before the train
reached the next station. He was con-
scious to the last, bade all those around
him goodbye and said they had done
all they could for him.
The special car was sent back to La
Junta on the next train. The remains
were taken to Undertaken Manley's and
embaImed. and will be sent to Chicago
tonight DR.. Parker and DR.. Finney,
the Santa Fe surgeon at this point, held
an autopsy and found the cause OF
death to be a cancer in the stomach.
| Some of the best physicians in Chicago
had examined him and all decided his
ailment was nervous exhaustion except
one. who declared it to be a cancer
The deceased weighed about 220 pounds
and was ffty-one years old. He leaves
a widow and six children. five boys and
one girl, all grown.
sketch of His Life.
steele Mackaye was born at Ft. Porter,
now a portion Of the city Of Buffalo,
about forty-seven years ago. His father
was the protector and organizer Of sew
| eraI Of the express companies of Amer
lea. At the age of sisteen the over
exertion TO which Steele's intellectual
precocity had urged him resulted in
general physical collapse, and trip
abroad followed. While slowly convalesc-
ing i'm France he occupied himself with
painting and modelling. AT the breaking
out of the war of the rebellion he re-
turned to his native country and en-
listed as a common soldier, and before
the war was over was gaZetted major.
Returning to France at the close of the
war. he resumed his artistic studies, re-
solving to apply himself to dramatic art.
| Francois Delsarte.
Returning TO America by way of En-
gland he was persuaded by Tom Taylor,
in London, TO assume the title role of
Hamlet in a grand revival of that
play which was TO be given at the
Crystal Palace under the direction of
that distinguished dramatist. The sue
cess of Mr.. Mackaye'S Interpretation of
Hamlet was so great that the en-
gagement was prolonged far beyond the
originally decided time. Probably moth
ing but another serious illness, which
have marked crisis in Mr.. Mackayes
career. diverted him from a lifetime of
Shakspearean interpretations. Recover
ing. he produced in collaboration with
Tom Taylor. two plays in London with
marked success - 'Arkwright's Wife"
and "Clancartv." With Charles Reade
he collabO-ated a play entitled zeal
ousy." In 1873, while at work with
George Elliot upon a dramatization of
"Silas Mariner" he was recalled to Amer
lea upon important business, where he
has lived ever since, working necessarily
for the stage, as the teacher, lecturer, in
utor. manager. playwright and actor.
Following is a list of his productions in
America:
1872. Marriage" 1875. Rose Michel"
1876. Queen and Woman" 1871 "Won at
Last 1873. Through the Dark" 1879.
"An Iron Will" 1850. Hazel Kirk" 1881.
y +
1885. In Spite nf All 1856. THE Drama
of CiviIiza tion;" 1886. "Rienza" (recon-
structed and rewritten for Lawrence
BarretO; 1887, Anarchy" produced
again the same year as Paul Kauvair'O:
1888. "A Noble Rogue" 1889 AN Ar
rant Knave;' 1890, col. Tom;" 1890.
Money Mad
The successful operation of the double
stage with which the Madison Square
theater was equipped, was Mackaye's
first recommendation as an invention
He also invented the orchestra curtain
and the folding chair.
His experiments in electricity eventual
" put Mackaye on new system of
scenic representation. This system is
that now exhibited at the scenitorium.
in Chicago, and that which the ill-fated
spectatOrium was designed to accomo-