The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-15
KNEW WILKES BOOTH.
STUART ROBSON GROWS REMINIs-
CENT ANENT THE MURDERER
OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
WERE BOY ACTORS TOGETHER
Parting of Ways Came at St.
Louis When Booth Insult
ed Friend of MIR.
Robson.


in The Henrietta" is fraught with
much interest, concerning, as it does.
john Wilkes Booth the first SLAYER of
an American president:
was not quite fourteen when nv
family moved to Baltimore when | came
10 know as schoolmates John Wilkes
Booth, Edwin Booth and John Slice per
Clark said Mr.. Robson. Edwin Booth
belng several years older than John Booth
ana myself, l saw very little of him
Inc only time ever came in close con-
tact with him was once, when he and
my big brother and ] s. Clark gave
a performance of The Shivering Idiot,
a very sad play in seven acts. in a big
garnet room of my fathers house.
remember there was a placard on our
pack gate which read: Boys. 3 cents:
small boys. cents.
For some slight offense nv mother
had prohibited my appearance in the
garnet that afternoon, but ambition will
mount you know, so up 1 went Edwin
bootn mad the heavy roe, and it was the
outy OF his brother Wilkes to tie him to
tree ana saw his leg off, assisted
by the full strength of our very power
full company 1t was nv part TO raise
an axe. which had been previously coy
ereu with stage blood, and chop his head
on TO slow music-banjo. triangle and
bones. l stepped forward, spoke nv 1T
tie piece as if l meant it and Hereby
raised the axe, when l heard my mother
coming upstairs and calling for me in
tones that promised "a light wind fol-
lowed by sharp gale
L dropped the axe Gnd fled the indir-
rant actors after me with reproaches for
OF eaklng up the show and the audience
SIX boys and three girls-clamoring loud
~ for the return of their admission fee.
saw the elder Booth once or twice
az his home, but have not a very dis.
unct recollection of him. NV mother
used to tell me that at one time he
sea the products of his farm at BeIlaire
l4c. and that she had purchased vege.
tables from him. Years after when
came to know Edwin Booth more init.
Malely, and when we were talking about
MS father he would protest most vehe-
mehtly against current misunderstood
rs of his character.
There is singular; story told of tho
elder Booth, and although Edwin Booth
sad II was absolutely without founda-
N"h, II VIII always be associated with
mat actors name. AS the story goes.
booth, when intoxicated one night re-
FUSED to end Macbeth by the book. and.
becoming Infatuated with the actor who
Yves playing Macduff chased him off the
stage onto the street and through sew
eIaI thoroughfares. Usually this was
supposed to have happened at the old
bo%ery theater, New York AS mat
lei OF TACT, the actor never did ANYTHING
OF the kind, for when he drank too much
ne became, as some men do when under
me influence of liquor, very mild, very
gentle and easy to deal with.
10 further show how false the story
IS Edwin Booth told me that not once
put dozen times, did he meet old men
VINO would say on being introduced. MIR
Do''lh, L saw your father on that cole
pIdteu night, ETC., and then they would
90 on TO tell the story, and in each in
stance a different theater would be
named. We
as boy John Wilkes Booth showed
decided inclination for the stage. and |
can remember number of orr Joint Of
IoFts at producing plays. He had also a
mama for killing cats. and went abou+
II with enthusiasm that was quite re-
n'1rkapIe. One morning when | was at
!" tdhIaSt IN my mothers kitchen I heard
tap on the window, and. looking out.
s." John, his nose f1attend against the
P"-11' hotlonlng -vehemently for me to
SoiIe out. when L did so he said that he
MA some cats that he wanted me to see
g went over to a wheelwrights lot and
Ne showed me two cats that he had tied
uD IN such way that a moyenent of
the one would produce pain to the other
lie seemed to thoroughly enjoy their dis
cofnnoure Another time 1 saw him chase
a cat up through an attic and on to a roof
tAac was remarkably steep; if he had
MADE the least slip he would have fallen
and probably killed himself But he ~ new
er stopped till he got the cat.
IN some ways John Wilkes Booth was
d very remarkable actor. His education
nae not been very complete, and he had
peculiar way of pronouncing certa in
"ofds-the only blemish in his perform
aAce. But his voice was so beautiful. and
ms intensity so great, that when he be-
o"Nhe aroused these mispronounciations
We're not noticed. His Richard TIT, was
the most remarkable meIodramatic niece
o. acting 1 ever saw, and he would
arouse the audience to pitch of enthu-
siaSm that, so far as nv recollection
goes, has never been equalled"
ABOUT four months before the assas-
Sin& tlon of Lincoln 1 was playing in ST.
LOUIS John Booth came there to plav
al engagement The night of his arrival
IL Town ne came to my dressing-roon.
ana We agreed to meet at a restauran MT
after the performance. AS T entered the
pace of meeting, 1 met Lieut.. Martin.
me old soldier of the United States reg
uiar army, whom I knew and liked very
wei Martin and I walked in together
telling, and when Booth came I'D said.
Lieut.. Martin, my friend, Mr. Booth-Mr
Booth, Mr.. Martin.
Martin held out his hand. but Booth
struck 1t with terrific force and said: I
VIII never take the hand of a damned
Yankee and then walked out of the
pace.
was amazed and dumfounded and
so was Martin The lieutenant was no
COW ard, but he SAID nothing, out of con-
SIG ration for me, l think I apoIogized
TIE best 1 could and rushed after Booth
Who was waiting for me on the street.
What in heaven s. name, 1 said. do
yod mean by acting in that wayY
You should know better he replied
than to introduce me to one of lose
= Yankees. We had some words
ara I left him. %
TO show how much of a gentleman
M@rtfn was. he never mentioned the in
CIT, MT to anyone, for if he had 7 am 0nite
sure Booth would have been torn to nieces
Deere he could get out of st. I.ouis
Two weeks before the ASSASSINATION of
PRESIDENT Lincoln l was walking along
Market street, Philadelphia. NV com
pa.lion said:
There is John Booth on the other side
OF the street.
don't want to see him. I said and
w walked on, but as looked at the man
could not help but admire his fine car
age and beautiful face He was pos1-
uFely the handsomest man ever saw
THE CANNY SCOT.
Spare Moments.
= poor ScotchwOman lay dying, and her
husband sat by her bedside After a time
IEe Wife took her husbands hand and
John, We're goin' to part. have been
guide wife to you, haven't r.?
John thought a moment