New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-13
THE LATE EDWARD J. MORGAN

In the death OF Edward J. Morgan. which oc-
CURED IN this city Saturday the stage has lost
an actor whose talents and opportunities if they
had been well used might have raised him TO a for
tunate eminence. They we're however for the
most part misapplied and wasted, and he has died
Prematurely in the middle of a wandering and
fruitess career. Mr.. Morgan was an Englishman.
porn at CROYDON near London. in 1871. In youth
ne went to Vancouver. B. c., to seek his fortune
put the quest failed. and he presently came to the
United States. In 1889 he obtained employment as
a supernumerary In the production of Mr. Bronson
Towards play of Shenandoah" and later he was
employed by Joseph Haworth and by James
oNeill; and in that way he entered the dramatic
PROFESSION with which until the last he remained
associated.
In 1888 he was at the American Theatre In this
cry acting IN a play by Mr.. Charles Klein called
Inc District Attorney" In 1896 at the Boston
museum he acted soldier in a play called Two
Lttle Migrants" and was so fortunate as to at
tract the attention Of Mr.. Daniel Frohman. who
engaged him for the stock company OF the Lyceum
Iheatre-then IN Fourth avenue. He made his
sI appearance there in the season of 1896 ST. act
ing Sir jasper IN play called The Wife of VIII
Ioushpy' His subsequent performances at the
Lyceum were those Of George Carteret In The
First Gentleman of Europe; Jack Poyninss in
The May1ower''; Edwin Ariel, in The Princess
and the Butterfly: Nigh Stanyen-as also on
later occasion Brian-in The Tree Of Knowl-
cage and Tom Wrench, in 'TreIawney of the
ter appearing at the Adephi Theatre as Colonel
Thorpe in The Heart OF Maryland He was the
first performer Of the part of John Storm in Mr.
Hal Gaines play of The Christian when that
piece was produced. October 10, 1888 at the Knick
eroocker Theatre, with Miss Viola Allen as Glory
Quale During the summer of 1899 he acted with
Mr. Henry Miller the Pacific Coast, and In that
year he performed Elliot Tremaine In "Aneri-
cans at Home" and as John Ingerheld IN Mr.. J. K.
Jeromes play OF that name. Other characters with
which his name associated were those of the
two Defarges in Mr.. Henry Miler's production OF
The Only Way; PetFonius. in Quo Vads" and
Ben Hur, in the drama bearing that title He also
played in 'Cnleavened Bread" In the season of
lSn-02 he acted as a star under the management
Of Messrs Iiebler & Co. in The Christian" He
was associated with Miss Viola Allen in THE
Eternal City and later he was a star in the same
piece. Recently he acted as a star In Mr. Hall
Gaines drama Of The ProdigaI Son. His profess
slonal career has covered period OF about sixteen
years.
AS an actor Mr.. Morgan had unusual natural adj
Yantages. His person tall, lean, strong and
expansive His face was large and his features e1-
pressive,-the nose being prominent and shapely,
and the eyes OF q peculiar light blue. He had dark
hair and pale complexion, and his general appear
ance was sombre- His mouth large, and he
possessed a powerful voice. clear IN tone though
hard and brittle in quality The lower part OF hs
face was indicative of mingled sensthiy and weak
ness. He excered in characters OF sinister order.
His best performances were those OF Poynings. In
The Mayfower," and the Defarges, In The Only
Way" In character he weak and radically
selfish. Like some other gifted men and women.
however, who radically selfish he possessed at
tractive attributes. he inspired mpathy.-notwth-
standing his pitiable weakness and his wrong con-
duct,-and he generally obtained a sorrowful toll
GRAFTON Of his infrmties. He was treated with IN
common kindness by at least two local managers,
Mr.. Daniel Frohman and Mr.. George c. Tyler.
Much done to favor him. in the exercise OF his
ample natural faculties; but il done in vain.
II he had lived in a rational manner he might have
accomplished much. AS it was. he accomplished
nothing. He appeared to suppose that deIirium is
genius, and that lawless. cratic behavior is the
natural and admirable expression Of it, His death
IS the melancholy end of cruelty wasted life.
the spectacle ought TO be solemn warning TO all
young actors. Mr.. Morgan was twice married.