The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-04-24
'DEHiSE on JEFFERSON
Noted Thespian Leaves Life's Stage
After Long Career.
PLAYED MANY PARTS
While a Child He Made His Initial
Appearance rs an Actor, Becom-
ing One Of the Leading
Dramatic ExpoEents.

| West Palm Beach, Fla, April "a
| Joseph Jefferson died at his home, The
Reefs, at Palm Beach, at els O'Clock
Sunday evening. The end came after
day of Inconsistencies and after
heroic struggles Of days, which had
exhausted his vitality. At his death
bed were his wife, his sons. Charles
| B. and Frank Jefferson, his nurse, Miss
| Mabel Bingham: DR.. r. S. Potter and
his faithful old servant, Carl Kett.er.
The end was not a surprise to his
family Ever since his last sinking
spell. which came after rally on
Thursday. and which was followed by
| an apparent Improvement until Friday,
the fam y has been waiting for the
end. Mr.. Jefferson's condition Sunday
night grew steadily worse and the
| family, who had retired, were sum-
| moned from their beds, and DIR. Potter
was called. The patients condition
continued TO grow worse all through
the day. and the brief bulletins from
| the bedside contained no words Of en-
oouragement The sickness of Mr.. JEFF
ferson which ended In his death was
cont. acted, it Is believed. while on
recent visit 70 his son, Charles b. JEFF
fersoh. at Hobo Sound. a few miles
abve Palm Beach, where he went to
meet his friend. former President
Cleveland, IL IL believed that from
slight indiscretiou In his eating he
suffered an attack Of indigestion Since
MS return 70 his home his condition
grew steadily worse with slight rallies
until the end
The body Of Mr.. Jefferson goes 10
Buzzards Bay. Mass, on a special train
ACCOMPANIED by all the mernb berg OF his
family who are here. II will reach
New York Wednesday morning and the
family hope to reach Buzzards Bay bv
the evening of that day.
New York Telegram, savs.
Joseph Jefferson was born I'm Ph'la-
felphla, Feb. 20. 1899. ana was 1ookas
upon as the dean Of the dramatic mr.
fession In this country. He frat an
peared on the stage as child ana
during his career has played In a num-
Der of foreign countries his srea,
reputation was made In Rip Van WIN
kle. which he played in almost every
city IN the United States. or late
years he has played but a few weeks
q each season and in almost every ona
Of these short seasons confined him
self 70 the one character Of Rim Var
Wrinkle
1oserh was also the name ~ Mr.
Jefferson's father and grandfather, ana
, All were actors. The lives Of the three
were similar TN that their early en-
Feers were struggles for recognition
and almost for a livelihood. Tn 20
1857 Mr. Jefferson II said to have mere
" attained the standing OF a respecta-
Die stock actor, bur In that year he
became associated wfth Laura K4~ene's
theater In this city, M jefferson here
became prominent in the role Of Asa
IFenchard I'm ~Our American Cousin.
This p'Gy ran for $50 nights Other
charac'eFs portrayed were Newman
NogS@ In Nicholas Nickelby," Caleb
fiumner in THE Cricket on he
Hearth" nr. Fnagloss in THE Heir
az Law" Bob Acres in The Rivals
and pr. ollapod in The Poor Gentle
man"
In 1850 Mr. Jefferson visited Cal
fornia, but abandoned that fYeld for
Australia. whore he spent a profitable
-FOUR years London was visited against
his own inclination in 1865. and at the
Adeinhi theater he played RIP Van
"inkl@' for $50 lights run. After
appearing In Some of the larger cities
in England he returned 20 New York
in 1855. since 1857, when he married
his second wife. Miss Sarah Warren
ne confined himself to a few parts of
which Rip Van Wrinkle was the princi-
pal one. Several months ago MIR. JEFF
ferson retired from the stage. and has
since divided his tirne between Florida
and Cape cod
characteristic trait was displav~t
In his anticipation 81 pleasure upon
hts tours through New England He
vas the recipient OF tire degree 81 VI A
from both Yale and Harvard univer-t-
Ties and when In boston or New Ha-
ven he Was invariably requested 20
address the student body. a request
70 which he always complied and the
reception he received from th~s college
men. With th@ir noisy aud lengthy
cheers, waH something that Mr. Iener-
As1 often referred 90 with amuNemsrt