The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19

Speaking of John Wilkes Booth. Mr..
Gleason kept for many years n broker
sword which that actor had presented to
him.
Booth had broken the sword in a fenc-
ing scene said Mr.. Gleason. land at my
request he brought the hiIt and upper part
of the blade to me.
W often played billiards together.
H was extremely fond OF the game. and
quite expert in three-cushion caroms.
the table his otherwise sombre mood
relaxed. and he became q delighted COM
panion
Il cherished the broken sword. a souve-
mir of one OF his last visits to st. Louis.
To me the relic afterwards became SYM
bolic.
1T represented HIS shattered mental
faculties. Like steel. finely tempered. pol
ished and keen. his mind was snapped in
its overweight fencing with the deep
problems which confronted the Southland.
That John wiIke Booth was insane
when he assassinated President Lincoln /
haven't the slightest doubt
Had he been sane he would have
realized that the great President was really
a friend to the South.
right senses 1 feel sure that John Wilkes
Booth would have done anything rather
than overload the troubles Of the South
land"
To this day. because OF his admiration of
Booth before the Lincoln assassination. Mr..
Gleason can scarcely speak of that event
without showing emotion.
Quoting the speech which Shakespeare has
Ophelia to say regarding Hamlet. he says:
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason.
Like sweet bells tangled out Of tune and harsh.
Mr.. Gleason remembers the elder Booth.
Junius Brutus. whose son. Edwin. he main
tains. was the greatest actor OF the Nine
teenth Century. The veteran has not for
gotten others whose names will live in the
Ls@-n--- - shn Araarsran drannn anH oil 80
whom counted St. Louis as one Of their
principal strongholds.
Sol Smiths son. Mark, made his debut st
the old Pine stree. theater. afterwards
known as De Bars Grand Opera-house, and
proved 10 ne a noble son of a worthy
father. Forrest. James Wallack, the elder
Hackett. Cushman, Ellen Tree. Kean. John
Mccullough, Eliza Logan. julia Dean, Ma
tilda Heron. McCready-these and many
more We're close FRIENDS of Ben De Bar and
familiar to Gleason and Krone.
PAT GLEASON AND LoTTA's
AFFECTION FOR DE BAR.
Gleason. the survivor of those old days,
relates an incident concerning his cousin,
Pat Gleason. and Ben De Bar. which
throws a light on tho character OF the lat
ter and explains why his memoir is so
dearly cherished by Joseph Jefferson. Will
liam II. Crane. Stuart Robson. George F.
De We're. j. b. LeMoyne and the few other
players of De Bars day.
Ben De Bar and Pat Gleason loved each
othel like BROTHERS.
They had been together. De Bar in
charge and Gleason as treasurer OF the St.
Louis, New Orleans and Montreal. Canada,
playhouses. for thirty years. and both had
begun to realize that time. the master,
must soon separate them. for both were
growing old. when one day they met In
Billy Gleason's bar.
Pat Gleason was at the bar. looking sad
and troubled.
De Bar came In. and, seeing his old
friend standing 'Eloomily alone. he went up
20 him, and. in his tender. boyish way,
threw his arms about his neck. saying:
"Ah. p. G., old boy. 1 know what you are
thinking about.
We've been dear friends these long. long
years, and we've loved each other better. 1
think. than most brothers do. but We can't
live always. p. c.. and it seems to me as
II one went the other would have TO 70,
too"
A few months later q strong man wept
when thew told him Ben De Bar was gone.
He roamed disconsolately through the
deserted corridors Of the old theater and
bowed his head because he felt that he at
Last was alone.