The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-18
HERMANN DEAD.
GREAT MAGICIAN SUCCUMBs TO
HEART DISEASE.
Appeared at Rochester on Wednes-
day Night, and Was Apparently
in Good Health When He Com
menced His Journey.


Rochester. n. Y, Dec. 17-Professor
Alexander Hermann. the magician. who
appeared at the Lyceum theatre last
night, concluding an engagement of
three performances. died this morning Of
heart disease in his private car while
on the Buffalo, Rochester & P!ttsburg
road on his way TO Bradford. Penn,
where he was to open an engagement
this evening.
Professor Hermann was as we'll as
EsH2l when he left this city this morn
ing al 1850 He had passed the night in
MS private car. and was in bed when
word was sent from il to the station
master at Great Valley that he was III
and the attendance of a physician was
desired. Before a physician could get
10 the car Hermann was dead. The
car was taken on TO Salamanca with the
BODY. When he took leave of Manager
Pierce, of the Lyceum, after the per-
formance last night. Hermann was in
apparently perfect health. He was enter
tanned >at the Genesee Valley club later
and seemed 10 be all right when ac-
companled 10 his private car by several OF
MS Rochester friends,
One of the last acts of Mr. Hermann
was TO extend financial aid to stranded
theatrical company in this city. The
American Cousin" company broke up
al the Academy here last week. and yes
terday Mr.. Hermann was made aware
OF the fact and Immediately teleDhoned
the hotel where the company were
stopping to send him the bill of $50 and
to tell all the members TO come to his
show last night and he would have
their railroad tickets to New York all
ready for them.
Alexander F. Hermann was q German
His father was a celebrated physician
in his way. and had very large practice
in Paris. where he settled soon after his
marriage. Hermann was born in Paris
about 80 years ago. His father was one
OF the best magicians in Europe but
made no use of his powers in public.
Herrmann's eldest brother adopted magic
as profession when a boy and wanted
Alexander to act as his assistant. His
father objected and Alexander was kid
mapped by his brother and taken to st.
Petersburg, when he was II years of age.
clever than his brother. and at the age
OF Il he ceased to act with him. went
alone to Spain and made his debut before
the queen.
From this time Hermann was the recog-
nzed master of slight-of-hand magic. He
made his first appearance in America. at
the Academy of Music. New York, about
q years ago, and since then he took out
his papers of citizenship and fixed his
permanent residence in this country. He
made three tours of the world and
possessed medals and tokens from the
rulers of almost every nation; He spoke
Spanish German, French, Chinese and
Russian as we'll as he did English.
He wrote a great deal for newspapers
and magazines, built two theatres, was
interested in many theatrical ventures
and made and lost a great deal of money
in Wall street. He always travelled in
his own parlor car, and carried from four
to five horses in a car built for their
accommodation. He owne5 one of the
largest steam yachts in the New York
Yacht club and a park and villa on Long
Island. and belonged to over 100 clubs
ir Europe and America. He leased Nc
Calls Opera House in Philadelphia in the
a nf changed
Herrmann's theatre After holding the
playhouse for year, he disposed of it
t. other 9ersons. He took the old San
Francisco Minstrel hall in New York,
fitted 1t up at a large expense and also
renamed the place as Herrmann's
theatre. The building was badly dam
eyed in January, 1891. by a fire which
destroyed the Fifth Avenue theatre.