The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-23
a SINGULAR MEETING
AN IMPRESSIVE AND PATHETIC FU-
NERAL SERVICE.
Introducing the Life story Of an Old
shnkespearean Actor Who Had
Fallen From AMuence to the Low
est Depths Of Dissipation.

shnkespearean Actor Who Ha
Fallen From Amuence to the Low
est Depths Of Dissipation.
"Nhen this old Shakespearean acto
| that I'm telling you about died, Their
| was n peculiar, maybe a somewhat pa
thetic, scene in the poor room around hi
bier" said an old theatrical man VIII
lives in his memories Of the palmy days
Never mind about his name. He hal
been notable in the support of the hes
of the American tragedians for a grea
many years. lie was never big fgur
in the eyes Of the public, but by sucl
men as Edwin Forrest, first of all, theI
John Mccullough, Edwin Booth, Law
renee Barrett and others, he was regard
ed as valuable man in the interpreta
ton of second heavies in the Shakes
pearean plays"
"Well, along in the early eighties
when he was still able to command Ligt
salaries and attach himself to the support
Of the highest men in the profession
drink collared him. 1t got him terribly
l never saw man get clutched by II
with such suddenness and violence. He
had not begun to drink until late in life
but men of that sort are the worst when
they do get going. This notable actor
and scholarly, dignifed man went square
to the dogs inside Of two years. 4He had
spent all of his savings, which amounted
to several thousand dollars, and he had
lost his home over in one of the Oranges
Of New Jersey. His wife left him and
went to her people in England. He found
himself in the streets, without an over.
coat, without place to sleep, in the mid
die of winter. Time and again his old
friends picked him out of the ditch, got
him into hospitals and sanitariums, cloth
ed him, took an interest in him, carried
him off to their own homes-only to have
him break out worse than ever. He aged
very rapidly. He got to be bad and
hopeless job, in very fact. His friends
reluctantly gave him up, one by one.
Then he landed on Blackwell's island.
II suppose we all turned more or less Of
handspring to get him out of that, and
he was tried over again. He landed on
Blackwelps again just three weeks later.
This time it was decided to allow him to
remain there for couple of weeks any
how. At the termination of that period
the poor old chap was taken off the is
land again, clothed, fed and housed, and
after week he was once more on the is
land.
"After that he was quite given up. 1t
was concluded by all hands that Black
wells, after all, was about the safest, and
best place for him. In general kind
of way l always knew that after the
old man had got way down he had gone
to live with poor, but extremely kindly
Irish family in tenement house down
Cherry Hill way. In fact, had happen
ed along that way once or twice, just by
way of curiosity, you understand, to see
how the poor old fellow lived. 1t was
very clean set Of four rooms-but poverty
where-where the Irish family liv-
ed, and the old actor had little back
room when he wasn't over on the island.
Zone morning along toward 10 o'clock,
in the middle of winter, the news got to
me somehow that the old actor had died
in his tenement room the night before
Immediately upon his release from 80
day term on the island. He had been
pretty kind to me when he was up in the
world, and, while l wasn't particularly
rich, didn't purpose that he should be
buried in potter's field. So I took cab
and went down Cherry Hill way.
II walked up the stairs and knocked
on the front door of the Irish familys
set Of rooms. Fanny Davenport opened
the door and let me in.
"'Why,' I began, with some surprise,
how did you know
"I was with him when he died last
evening and remained until had to rush
off to the theater,' replied the big hearted
woman quietly. I had the undertaken
here last night. Our poor friend is al
ready prepared for burial. He was good
to me. We shall take him to Green
wood
"She couldn't say any more, and it
wasn't necessary anyhow. I had hardly
taken off my hat and gloves before there
was a quiet rap on the door. I opened
It. Augustin DAILY stood revealed. Be-
side him was Father Ducey. We were all
pretty much surprised to see each other.
We had all really come from different di-
rections under initiatives. We talked
quietly for bit, when there was another
gentle tap on the door. l opened it and
let Emma Abbott in. There have been
few sweeter souled women in the world
han Emma Abbott.
"'He was good to me- she said quiet
". after had learned something about
singing he taught me what know about
acting. He was very patient with me.
I just heard
swell, we were complete as party
then. We went into the room where the
Did mamie who had been prince in
generosity, king in courtesy-lay sleep
ng, and father uttered a fervent prayer
Ind then said few words. He, too, had
Known our friend in his better as well us
n his fallen days.
"Daly stepped forward then, and. with
lowed head, he told Of what good man
lie had known this poor old man who lay
lead before US to be. DAILY felt pretty
,ad as he spoke, and he couldn't go on.
"Then Emma Abbott, who had been
lifting over in a dark corner Of the little
I'D bare room, advanced to the foot Of
he casket. She sang ANGELS Ever
Bright and Fair no accompaniment, Of
curse. You recall the sweetness of her
oce? Now, as a matter of fact, neither
DAILY, Ducey nor myself was an emotion
] man, far from 1t, but the tenderness
nd the inspiration of that song as the
ure souled little woman Of the stage
ang it were almost unbearable.
"Then we took our poor old friends |
ody away-out to Greenwood. I've al
Ways thought that was queer meeting
We all had, coming from different direc-
ions in that poor, bare tenement ROOM"
Washington Star.
Vienna Hospitals.