The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-22


genius he subsequently showed on the
stage.
Edwin Booth once said to me: John
Wilkes had the genius OF my father and
was far more gifted han L Many old
actors who saw him in his last years
before his terrible and insan deed at
Washington ave told me that they
e. saw 50 great a performance as
he gave Of richard ILL.," and other
parts"
He was of personal beauty. His pic
ture in THE Era" is that of an ex-
tremely comedy young man. The des-
cription of him by Mr.. Alfriend is well
worth reading:
I'm his early twenties he weighed
about 175 pounds. was a little taller
than his brother Edwin, possessed his
marvelously intellectual and beautiful
eyes, with great symmetry Of feature.
an especially fine forehead and curly
black hair. He was as handsome as a
Greek god. 1t is saying a great deal,
but he was a much handsomer man
than his brother Edwin. He possessed
a voice very like his brothers, melo-
dious. sweet, full and strong, and was,
like him., a consummate elocutionist. In
Richmond while connected with the
theatre ne was a great social favorite,
knowing all the best men and many
Oh the uIeSL WOIu6u. 4ulS IdCully Oh
social success was hereditary, having
been possessed by his father and also
by his brother Edwin. With men John
Wilkes was most dignified in demeanor,
bearing himself with insouciant care
and grace, and was a brilliant talker.
With women he was a man Of irresis-
tible fascination by reason Of his SUI
perbly handsome face, conversational
brilliancy and peculiar halo of romance
with which he invested himself n
which the ardent Imagination of women
amplified."
He had a passion for Shakespeare,a and
his favorite characters were Brutus and
Lear. Mr.. Alfriend thinks that there
is no doubt that his study of and medi-
tation upon these characters had much
to do with shaping that mental con-
dition which induced his murder of
President Lincoln" Once talking with
Edwin Booth of the killing Of Lincoln
Booth said-'I could not approve what
never ceased until the body of his
brother had been found and delivered
to his mother in Maryland. Mr.. AL
friend writes Of h younger Booths
genius with professional authority"
He says his dramatic genius twas Of
the highest order, and had he lived his
superior in Lear and was equalled
his fathers. . The father I never saw,
but nearly every great actor from Ed
win Forrest down to the present day
L have seen and know, and excepting
Forrest and that brilliant erratic genius
Edwin Adams, John Wilkes Booths
genius exceeded them ALL" He was
superior in Lear and never equalled
in Richard III, and would a made
the greatest "Iago,'' Hamlet" Gas
sius,' "Othello," Macbeth Carlo
lanus" and Charles de Moor and sim
liar parts. In plays like The Tanning
of the Shrew" he had achieved distinc-
ton before he died. He acted with a
brilliant dash and sweep that was ire
sistible.' Mr.. Alfriend says that Ed
win Forrest was the greatest Of all
"Lears." Once Forrest said to him:
"Sir, act Hamlet, but by G. I am
Lear" Mr. Alfriend has no doubt Of
Booths insanity when he slew the pres
ident. He says it sis lamentable that
through the insanity which led to that
dark deed in Washington the genius
of John Wilkes Booth was, lost to the
American stage. His t went out in
the darkest night. . 1 believe that
if the truth could be known John
Wilkes Booth in his insanity lost his
identity in the delirious fancy that he
was enacting the role Of Brutus and
that Lincoln was his julius Caesar"