The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-23
CRISPS REST IN TEXAS.
AN UNHAPPY THEATRICAL TOUR OF
THE LATE sPEAI<ER's PARENTS.

AN UNHAPPY THEATRICAL TOUR OF
THE LATE SPEAKERS PARENTS.
The ex-SpeaIer's Father, Mother,
and Two sisters Travelled with the
Company Through the South, but
| Mrs. Crisp Was Taken suddenly Ill
and Died at Waco, Where She Was
Buried-Her Husband Lies in an
Unknown Grave at Dallas.
Dallas Correspondence st. Louis Republic
The death of ex-Speaker Charles f.
Crisp recalls to early residents of the Dali
las of to-day pathetic chapter in the
history of the CRISP family" as the mem
bers were Familiarity known in this section
a quarter of century ago. Five persons
constituted the family" of which the
late ex-speaker was then regarded as the
most obscure and the least promising in
the race OF life, but who later became not
only the most conspicuous Crisp Of all,
but won distinction which placed him
among the nlustrious men of American
public life.
1t was III 1872, when Dallas was number
ed among the frontier towns OF Texas with
it's population of 1000 to 1.500 inhabitants,
housed in few primitive huts on the
banks of the Trinity river or few score
unpretentious frame cottages scattered
quarter to a half mile back from the
stream, with the business concerns Of the
place surrounding the court house square,
that the CRISP family" the first regular
theatrical company to come this way,
49,. MT
at the old Craddock hall, Main and Austin
streets, now a magnificent business block,
with Odd Fellows and Masonic lodgerooms
in its upper stories. The CRISP family
consisted Of w. H. Crisp, his wife, two
daughters, and one son, Charles f. One
of the daughters was named Jessie and
was admiringiy called by the public and
| billed on the play programmes as our
| LESLIE" The name of the other daughter
cannot be recalled or learned by the writ
| err
The Crisps were supported in their stage
work by several professional actors and
actresses who travelled with them, the
comDany receiving assistance in minor
| narts from members of local amateur dra-
matte associations in towns in which 1t
nlayed. The repertoire was made up of
PLAYS rarely presented by the histrionic
| profession of to-day, and ran from the Sc
| rio-comic to the tragic. There was Ten
NIGHTS in a Barroom, Rip Van Wrinkle,
The Gfbonainsy East Lynne, The Lady
of LYONS Oliver Twist Hamlet, Macbeth,
and other Shakesperean productions, these
latter usually furnishing the heavy piece
for the farewell performance OF the week 5
engagement. T..
Texas and were hailed by the play-goers
public as "old friends" A mournful ter
mination had this visit, for the two leading
figures of the company-Mr and Mrs.
Crsp-met the grim reaper, and their aust
still rests in Texas graves. Mrs. crisp
died first, at Waco; w. H. her husband,
died at Dallas. The grave of Mrs Crisp
is known and well preserved, and fair
hands frequently strew flowers above the
mound. The exact spot that contains all
that is mortal of the illustrious late ex-
sneakers father is unknown. IL Is one
of a dozen or more of anonymous graves
neglected. sunken and unidentified in the
ia cjtv cemetery. on Akard street, about
three blocks from the palahal /Oriental
hotel and which was abandoned as a re-
| ceptacle for inanimate mankind nearly or
quite fifteen years ago when Dailas began
10 spread out in city fashion and encroach-
ed upon cemeteries, wagon yards corn
fields, and cotton patches IN assuming met
ropolitan proportions.
II was after a weeks engagement at
Dallas that the CRISP family proceeded
TO Waco to play like engagement there
Waco was known in those days as the
seat of social and literary culture OF TEX
as, and Mrs. Crisp was strong FAVOR
tie because Of among other excellent wo-
manly qualities, the manner In which she
nortraved the part of Lady Macbeth"
But misfortune overlook the company,
and 1t became stranded. Mrs. Crisp was
taken sick and after lingering several
weeks between, life and death, her spirit
took its flight on June 26, 1873. Her body
was buried in First Street cemetery.
This bereavement caused the disband-
ment of the CRISP family combination.
The children returned to the old family
home in Georgia, but the head Of the or
ganization, W. Ii. Crisp, determined to re-
main in Texas, with hope of being able
to improve his material condition, and
| possibly make a fortune In the develop
| ment of the young Southwestern common
wealth. He came to Dallas for the-pur-
pose Of looking around" perhaps perma-
nently locating. Fate decreed that he
should do the latter, for in few weeks
he followed his wife TO the realms of the
| unknown Mr.. Crisp boarded at the old
| Crutchhed house. Main and Houston
streets, the most famous of air the North
Texas hotels of its day. II has long since
| been dismantled and on its site stands a
| stately business block.
Across the street still stand but In
marked process Of decay, the little two
story brick building known as Cochran g.
Walkers drug store. In an upper room
Of this building, after suffering a few days
with a case Of pneumonia, practically
| alone and almost neglected died In SEN
| TENDER, 1873, w. III. Crisp, actor and
father of Charles +. Crisp. late congress-
man and speaker Of the House OF Repre-
| sentatives.
Among the residents Of the Dallas OF
to-day who remember well the Crisp incl
dents of 1S72-1S73 are ex-Mayor w. G. Con-
nor. DR. Arch Cochran, and Undertaken
Ed G. Smith. / was talking with them
] the other evenlng and all agreed nnnr, Ihn