The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-03
MRS. GILBERT DIES AT ADVANCED AGE Was Among Best Known Act
 reSses in America HAD A CHECKERED CAREER End Came Without Struggle and Was Primarily Brought on By
 Cold Bath Which Caused
 ApopIexy.
HAD A CHECKERED CAREER

Chicago December 2.--Mrs. George H. Gilbert, the oldest actress and one of the most famous on the American stage, died suddenly in her apartments at the Sher- man house today. Her age was s.
 The end came without struggle and there was a smile upon the aged woman s face as she breathed her last About her with tear-dimmed eyes stood her maid, Mrs. Margaret Sweeny, Harry Powers, Frank E. Aiken. manager of the theatre. and the attending physicians. A few hours before her death the noted actress had risen. declaring she intended to devote the day to shopping.
 T must get out and buy Christmas presents for the child actors and actresses of New York" she said to her maid.
 ''But, Mrs Gilbert" expostulated the maid, its snowing"
 What does a girl of my age care for snow?" replied Mrs. Gilbert, and she went to take her usual cold bath-a bath as cold as the natural temperature of the water would afford. As she emerged from the bathroom she said to her maid:
 Please call Dr. owen, l feel Ill; the hApHfc ASoh pNAhhbNJ -aiih lN 10 6i ONAAi5 dark"
 A spasm seemed to seize Mrs. Gilbert and suddenly she became unconscious. In an hour and @ half, and just as the clocks were striking 12, she died.
 Always a Girl In Spirit.
 Although on the stage practically all of her life, and for the past twenty years known as the "Old Lady" Mrs. Gilbert was never anything but a girl in spirit, her ceaseless energy and never-failing cheerfulness enabling her to accomplish tasks at which many younger persons would have given up in despair. She was at the head of a company producing Clyde Fitch's latest play Granny" which opened It's Chicago engagement last Monday night. This was her frst appearance as a star, although sh5 had appeared in many memorable productions and had supported the most noted actors of the present generation. She Is best known to the public through her work in the company of the late Augustin Daly. her fellow members in these pro- auctions, principally in the old English comedies being the late James Lewis, Charles Leclerc, John Drew, Otis Skin ner, Ada Rehan Mrs. George Gould, Vir- gnia Decher and Effle Shannon.
 The play in which Mrs Gilbert made her last appearance was written especial ly for her by Mir. Fitch It gave her ample opportunity and despite her age she took a keen and intelligent inter- est in the production.
 Went on Stage as Dancer.
 Mrs. Gilbert went on the stage as a dancer and 1t Is a curious fact that her first acting part was. an old woman, in Louisville, Ky, in 1857. She went from Louisville to Cincinnati in 1861, and original representative In this city of the played parts as far apart as Mrs. Toodle and Lady Macbeth
 At the time she and her husband came to this country, In 1S49 they had retired from the stage, and decided to join some friends who hau taken up land west of Milwaukee. They maLe the journey to their newly chosen home in a prarie wagon. Their venture was not a success, and all of their money was lost. They then returned to the stage MT. Gilbert as a dancer and ballet master, while Mrs. Gilbert danced In the pallets and between the acts. While appearing as a dancer she undertook the study of small parts and 1t was not long until she gained a place on the stage as an actress.
 Following a consultation between Harry J. Powers and Charles Burkley, Mrs. Gibert's personal manager (who is also a representative of Charles Frohman) t was decided to take the body to New York.
 The start will be made over the Erie railroad at 11:30 o'clock tomorrow.