Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-11-07
RECollECTIONS OF HIM BY AN
EARLY ACQUAINTANCE.
GUARDED JOHN BROWN
His Dramatic Genius and personal
seauty-A Social Favorite in Rich.
mond Before the Civil War-More
Brilliant Even Than His Brother
Edwin.

tons some accidents not generally
familiar to the present generation Of
readers. Mr.. Alfriend writes:
The difference in England between
Charles Kean and Junius Brutus
Booth drove the latter to America i'm
mediately after his marriage in 1921.
He landed in Norfolk, Va, June 80 of
that year, and six days later, in Rich
mond, made his first appearance on
any American stage in Richard
I'LL. at the Marshall theater, cor
ner of Seventh and Broad streets.
Richmond always a great friend of
the dramatic profession and OF the
drama, received him with open arms
and gave him the recognition that in
sured his dramatic career in this coun-
try.
Junus Brutus Booth was the son of
a successful London lawyer of repub-
liCar principles, who in his youth had
sailed for America to volunteer in
Washington's army, but was captured
and returned to England. In politics
Junius Brutus was an English radical,
deeply sympathizing with all popular
aspirations for advancement, revolu-
tionary in many of his ideas, and there
is little doubt that his son, John
Wilkes, derived much of his own rest
less political spirit and mental radical
ism from the father and grandfather.
John Wilkes, indeed, of all Mr.. Booth 8
sous, We're born in Maryland and edu-
cated in st. Mary's College in that
state
When the John Brown raid occurred.
in 1859, John Wilkes Booth was a
member of the theatrical company
then playing at the Richmond theater.
He was playing under the name of
John Wilkes. On the night that the
First Virginia Regiment was ordered
to Harpers Ferry and thence to
Charlestown he left the theater, pro-
red uniform and musket, Joined
the Richmond Grays, the company of
which was member, and accom-
panied it to Harper's Ferry and
Char'estown, and did duty as private
soldier until John Brown was ex-
ecuted, and then came back to Rich
mond with the command and returned
TO the theater. The managers dis
charged him for going to Harper's
Ferry and CharleStown, and on this
becoming known a large contingent Of
the first Virginia regiment marched
to the theater and demanded that he
be reinstated, which the managers
did.
While at Charlestown the Richmond
grays occupied as their quarters an old
tin factory, and here John Wilkes
Booth slept every night, when he was
not doing duty as a sentinel, with Writ
Harrison, on a straw pallet which was
laid next to my own. Nearly every night
before taps Booth would entertain us
with dramatic recitations from diff
ferent plays. He was very fond of
reciting, which he did in such a fiery,
intense, vigorous, brilliant way as to
forecast that great genius he subse-
quently showed on the stage.
Edwin Booth once said to me: John
Wilkes had the genius of my father
and was far more gifted that l." Many
old actors who saw him in his last
years before his terrible and insane
deed at Washington have told me that
they never saw so great performance
as he gave of Richard III" and other
great parts. In Richmond, as I have
said, he played under the name of John
Wilkes, and never used his own name
until his brother Edwin came to the
city to play Hamlet" He then play
ed Horatio to his brothers Hamlet,
and his name was given i'll the bills
rs John Wilkes Booth. At the close of
the play, when the usual call came for
Edwin Booth, the curtain was run
pj and he came down the
stage leading John Wilkes by the
hand, pointed to him, and said: 81
think he has done well Don't your"
The response from the audience was
cries of "Yes." "Yes!" and thunders
Of applause.
When John Wilkes Booth was in the !!
Richmond stock company he was very
7oung. In his early twenties he |
Weighed about 175 pounds, was a little
aller than his brother Edwin, pos !
essen his marVelously intellectual and
eyes, with great symmetry
f feature, an especially fine forehead
nd curly black hair. He was as
andsome as Greek god. It is say
1g great deal, but he was a much
andsomer man than his brother Ed
lin. He possessed voice very like
is brothers, melodious, sweet, full
nd strong, and was like him a con-
lmmate elocutionist. In Richmond
lille connected with the theatre he
as great social favorite knowing
Il the best men and many of the fin
st women. This faculty of social
lccess was hereditary, having been |
by his father and also by his v
other Edwin. With men John e
likes was most dignifed in de I
eanor, bearing himself with insou-
ant ease and grace, and was a bril- I
INT talker. With women he was C
an Of irresistible fascination by rea- f
n of his superbly handsome face, II
nversational brilliancy and pecu- fl
II halo of romance with which he in Il
sted himself and which the ardent n
agination Of women amplified.
He was great admirer of those
eek and Roman characters that are W
emed opponents of popular liberty c
d heroic patriotism. In this he went T
most to radicaIism. Of the Bru- ST
ses he was an especial admirer. and la
shall never forget his recitation of a
utus' speech in Julius Caesar in 0
Tense n3 hiS cbara in he