The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-28
LAST MOMENTS
OF ERNEST RoSSI.

A profound impression of regret was
created in Italy by the announcement that
Ernest Rossi, the great actor, returning
from triumphal tour of Russia, had sud-
denly to stop at Pescara, struck down with
terrible malady.
The regret is not to be wondered at; he
lights of the stage, but, in his case, genius
was accompanied by goouness and ami
ability.
He had been several times before to
Russia, indeed he was the idol of the Rus
sian public, which has always shown
fondness for Italian artists. This year,
however, Rossi went for the first time in
the severest rigor of winter. Although
nearly 70 years old the Italian actor had
preserved an almost youthful vigor. and
the cruelty OF the Russian cold did not
rob him of any of his usual fourishing
health.
One evening, three months ago, he had
acted Othello at the Hermitage Theater,
Moscow. He expected to return home in
his comfortable closed carriage. but the
coachman had been drinking, and did not
put in an appearance. After waiting some
time, Rossi decided to return in droshky,
a little open hired carriage, which let in
the heavily falling snow. He was heated
and excited after the performance, and the
next day fell sick of influenza (grippe).
According to the Russian doctors, this
was the original cause of his malady.
For twelve hours he kept his bed; then
he insisted on continuing the perform
ances, for which he had been paid in adj
vance. No one could persuade him from
doing so. 81 must" he said to his actors,
keep my contract"
For his jubilee, which celebrated fifty
years of dramatic art, he acted in the
Aquarium at st. Petersburg 1.-THE Miser,"
by Pushkin, and an act Of Hamlet" The
public showered honors and rich gifts on
him, but in the midst of the applause and
the ovations he was noticed to totter, and
when he left his dressing-room after the
performance every one in the troupe no
ticed the pallor of the great artist.
The Russian doctors went on counseling
repose. He replied according to his in
domitable temperament, mo, / want to
end like a soldier in the trenches; will
act to my last day."
Whenever he appeared the theaters
were crowded with the elite of the Russian
public. From st. Petersburg he travelled
to Ka rkov, then to Rostow and Taganrog,
and everywhere anxious eyes watched
him growing more frail. His troupe loved
him, adored him in fact, as father and a
master, and he was always encircled by
their loving care.
One evening at Odessa. while he was re-
citing the part of King Lear, he stumble
and fell against the young actress who
was playing Cordoba, and could not raise
himself. He was carried to his dressing
room, where the doctor who visited him
declared him to be afflicted with angina
pectoris. His troupe united with the ply
sicians in begging him to take repose, but
in vain. Two days after, he acted the
leading role in Tolstoi's 'Ivan."
Rossi appeared again at Klev and then
returned to Odessa for his farewell per-
Torrance. The public there adored him,
and 1t is speaking literally TO say that on
| the last appearance they suffocated him
with flowers. During the whole perform
ance doctor was in attendance in the
great actors dressing-room.
| On May Rossi embarked at Odessa on
| the Austria Lloyd steamship Pandora
On board ne became gay again, and sang,
! for he was an enthusiastic musician, and
| those who have once heard him sing have
never forgotten his voice. At CONSTANT
nople, where he had before been received
by the Sultan and had given two perform
apces before the Odalisaues in the harem,
| he went on shore for four days, embarking
! again at the end of that time and going
| by the Pandora to Brindisi. There the
doctors advised him to stay but he per-
! sisted in his intention to take the omnibus
| train for Florence. Toward o'clock in the
| morning he started from his berth, exclaim-
/ ing II am dying, dying" and to the actors
| and servants who rushed to his as
| sistance he implanted of acute pa aims in
his chest, which were aggravated by the
motion of the cars. The bell was rung
! for the conductor and he was begged to
stop the train Immediately, but expostu-
! lated that it would be impossible to de-
scend from the cars by the wayside in the
middle of the night At Pescara the train
stopped and Rossi was carried to the wait
| ing-room, where he was visited by the
nearest doctor, who pronounced him to be
in grave danger. kilograms were dis
patched for his family and for the best
medical advice, and he was given every
| comfort in hotel which adjoined the sta
| ton.
| Rossi himself was not moved by his,
ou1ltIliSS. Ills Oue TeSTGI SeelHGu 10 DO
that he had not died at Odessa when he
tainted in the role of King Lear. cit was
my dream to die in harness, on the stage"
he said. For over week be fingered on,
and then the end came quietly when he
was surrounded by his family. He was
| buried on the 9th inst in Florence, where
his admiring fellow citizens gave him a
magnificent public funeral, at which were
present representatives of the Ministry of
Public Instruction, all the principal
officials OF the city and the province of
! Tuscany, as well as the principal fraternal
and other societies.
Rossi was one of the great actors of the
century. He had played in many coun-
tries, always with success, and 10 young
and struggling actors and actresses he was
at once master and friend. Elenora
Duse and many others testify to what they
owe to him. He leaves fortune of about
two million francs to his wife and daugh-
ter.-From the Italian.