The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
Abandoning Skull
Famous Actors Head and Its
Appearance in New York.

In the latter part Of January, 1873, tn
late Augustin DAILY. manager Of what wa.
then the New York Fifth Avenue Theatr'
on Broadway, New York City. was sit
ting in his extemporized Office up stair
in that old church building when
stranger sent in his card. The manager
Cid not know the name. What does IN,
man want?'' he ask ed Hes got a curl
osity he wants to show you" That ap-
peared TO catch the managers attention
for even at that date he had a keer
relish for the curious. The man was ad.
mitted He was a slim. middle-aged, and
rather seedy gentleman, with a roUn6
bundle done up in paper under his arm
He began 70 bow with his hat in his hand
and me manager cut him short by saying:
Wei. what he~A your"
4 have got" said the man, "the skull
Of George Frederick Cooke 1 thought
you'd ike to own it," and with that he
put the bundle down on the manager 5
desk
Mr. DAILY leaned back in his chair ard
gave away 20 an inquiring stare Of per-
plexity
You don't mean George Frederick
Cooke, the great actor?"
Yes do" said the man. IF you will
listen to ne I Viii show -ou that have
the skull Of that illustrious parsonage
properly authenticated"
Manager DAILY had a vein OF superstition
In him. He gave a great deal Of weight,
as theatrical persons are apt to do, 10
signs and omens. He has himself told
how ne was led TO select that old church
for theatre BY reading a poster adver-
uSeneut IN front Of Il which contained
the words In large letters. cold Here"
Ee had just got on mis- feet after the
Twenty-foUrth street fire. Alike" prom
ised 10 have a successful run. and he did
not want any grizzly omen crossing his
path. 1t was only NO nights before the
appearance of this man with a skull that
Al incident had occurred in the green
room Of The new theatre that looked IN
canny. 4 part Of the Old flooring had
given way and let two or three Of the
actors down INTO what was said to be an
cid bUIying vault Of the church. The cir
ouGlslance was hushed up and the Ioor
strengthened.
Then came q stranger out OF the vast
unknown with a skull under his arm.
Mr.. DAILY squlrmed little uneasly and
impatiently. The man was either a crank
or a mendicant fraud.
Look here. my friend" said the man
aver. you need not unwrap your bun
die. George Frederick Cooke is buried
down in s.. Paurs churchyard. He was
put there solemnIy with many civic hon
ors and the proper religious rites. I'd ike
TO know how it comes that you are walk
ing around with the mans head under
your arm?"
All OF which is very simple and is cas-
ily explained If you VIII but listen 10 ne"
and the man pat his hand or the bundle.
NO" said Mr. DAILY 4 haven't got
tiAe I'm not running an anatomical
museum-don't expect 70 put on Hamlet,
and have no use for a skull, especially
that one"
All, Hamlet" exclaimed the fellow. 1T
is the play Of Hamlet that viii explain
all"
This was 100 much. Mr.. Daily got up
opened the door, and said. See here.
haven't got time TO discuss Hamlet now,
and it isn't in my line Of goods, so you'll
have to excuse me-
Then the man went away crestfallen.
with his bundle under his arm.
/ heard Mr.. Daily narrate this occur
renee in '73 more than once as a curious
example OF the kind OF cranks who poster
theatrical managers. But one day long
afterwar,ls-it was in 1898. in that snug
museum Of his in Twenty-ninth street.
with its sea-coal fire and stacks OF curios
he turned 10 me. and, apropos Of some
thing that was said about George F-eder-
lex Cooke. he remarked, by the way, do
Won remember that fellow that came to
me in 3 and wanted TO sell me George
Frederick Cookies skuu2'
Very we'll" I replied; did you ever
hear of him again %
''No-not directly There was some
thing curious about that affair. I never
told YOU"
why. the man really had Cookies skull
ander his arm. As near as can figure it
ont. he was dead honest and had the
regular goods
First. who was George Frederick Cooke?
To that question IL may be answered that
he was the only actor whose grave be
came a kind Of professional shrine. II YOU
30 down now TO s.. Paurs churchvard.
1n Eesey street ana Broadway. and push
your way through The dead leaves aud
over the old graves. you viii come upon
his monument. CONSPICUOUS. and in spite
Of It's age IN good condition, unlike most
Of the others The plot is about nine fest
square. and IN the center of il rises the
shaft that Edmund Keau erected there in
1S2l. on it Is inscribed the date of the ac-
tors death: December 26. 1912. Aged 81 WIS.