The Mena weekly star., 1907-09-05
RICHARD MANSFIELD DEAD
We'll Known Actor Passes Away at His Summer Residence in New
 London, Conn.
DEATH DUE TO LIVER COMPLICATIONS
Mir Mansfield was the Son of Fa- nous Prima Donna and was Born on the Island of HeieoIand in 1857- Brief Story of His Life and Early Struggles.

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 New London, Conn. Aug. 31.-Rich- frd iansheld, the best known actor on the American stage, passed away Friday morning at his summer resi- asncc, Seven Oaks, Ocean avenue. | Dcati was directly due to disease of the liver. aggravated by complications. l Dr. A H. Allen, local physician who I has been in charge since MT. Mans l folds arrival here from Sai>nac Lake, l K. r.. states that death was not en- l tirely unexpected, although this fact | had not been made public. MT Mans fields condition had been reported as being excellent.
 It was stated that he stood the tourney well from Saransc Lake and that he was up and around his home here until three days ago. Then 6 turn for the worse set in and MT. Mansfield was confined to his room. Ol Thursday Dr. Mcclellan, of Pitts burg was summoned. Dr. Allen said | riday that he had feared the worst for several days There were quite number of conditions that prevented his getting we'll. During the great actors last moments he was lying in co dition of coma and did not recog nize loved ones at his bedside. There wore present at the time of his death. His wife, his brother, Felix, his young son, Gibbs, and the physicians and nurses.
 New York. Aug. 31--Richard Mans Heligoland on May 24, 1857 His mother was Mme. Mansfield Ruders- dorf, famous prima donna. and it was from her that Mansfield inherit cd his love for the arts The actor strilied at several schools on the con- tintit and then went to England to study art in the South Kensingtoa Museum. London.
 The young artist made precarious living painting pictures and many times his only meal i'll those early days in London was a hot potato bought from a street peddler
 T used to hold the potato to warm my hands. said Mansfield in relating his experiences, and then eat it.
 Tho struggle for livelihood proved discouraging to Mansfield and he cam to Boston, where for time he entered business life as salesman in dry goods house. Commercial fife was not congenial to the tenn ! rSment of the young man and he returned to England. He then turned his talents toward the stage. As a singer and comedian he joined a 1a-eling company at salary of s15 week. Even in those early days of his stage career he did splendid char acteristics and mannerisms, which marked his work and stamped it as his own many years after. Mans field turned his whole artistic bent to the study of the stage and waited for an opportunity to show what he could do.
 Several years were spent playing small parts in tours of the English provinces, and then Mansfield came to this country where his first appear ance was made in Les Manteux .rIoir.s at the Standard theater. Later he played tho part of Nick Vedder in Rip Van Wrinkle"
 Mansfields genius had so far failed to make itself manifest to his associ- ates, but in 1883 his opportunity came when A. M. Palmer put on the Pa IT ian Romance" J. H. Stoddart was cast for the part of Baron Chevrial m the play. Stoddart at the last min rte declined to play the part, with which he said he was not in full sym- pathy. Mansfield, who had been cast for small part in the play, stepped forward and begged permission to play the part of the palsied, dissolute old French nobleman.
 Mansfield lifted what at first seemed a small eccentric part to one of all absorbing interest. The public and the critics forgot theeplay to talk of Mansaeld's Baron Chevrial, and from that day Mansfield became a leading actor on the American stage. After several years of acting in various plays, which he carried to degree Of success by his powerful person a lty, he became star in 1887. when he appeared in Prince Karlp