Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-31

calling he cared to follow.
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THE DEATH OF RICHARD MANS
FIELD.
Tho stage has lost one of its very
brightest stars. Richard Mansfield
Is dead. II was death that was ex-
pcctcd and the stage loving people
were prepared for tho news of the
actors demise. but their regret Is
not lessencd one whit when tho
thought arises that no more will they
be enabled To witness and enjoy the
art OF the man who up to the time
of his death was generally regarded
as the leading exponent OF stage craft
In America. As an actor he was the
commander Of the admiration of all
who had over Witnessed him work he.
fore the lOotlights; rs II companion he
was not held in the same high
regard By the world generally.
Mr.. Mansfield has been charged
with having more Than his share of
cgotlsm and ne has been looked upon
rs man who was entirely unap-
proachablc. Perhaps this Is true as
far MS people generally ARE concerned
but with those who knew him In his
home life no such thoughts will
arise. In his early days when he
first came before the public in the
title role of Prince Karl. he perhaps
became more or less opinionatcd by
the extremely flattoring notices he re.
ccivcd from all sides. Kathryn Kid
der was his leading lady In those days
but by tho mcrcst chance he one day
heard girl named Susie llcgeman, of
Troy, n. y. In an amateur theatre
cal performance. Susie lIcgcman be.
came Beatrice Cameron to the stage
world and Il year or so afterwards
Mrs. Mansfield In private life. From
the time of his marriage MIR. Mans
field became different man TO his
lntimatcs.
In his early days he was once asked
by newspaper man whom he consid.
cred the foremost actor in America
Mansfield is alleged to have rcplied
that modest forbids me To answer.
II was an unfortunate reply, mas.
much ms 1t hung over him for the re
maindcr OF his life. lie often OK
pressed regret to his friends for us
ing the expression but he never sue.
cecdcd In living 1t down. 1t created
fpr hin, ~, uuunnnt,r fnoli.,., .t.,.
the public which was always n source
of worry for Mr.. Mansfield. but
even IL the public was antagonistlc
III was compelled to recognize his
art and II was In this art that
MIR. Mansfield found his gn,atest
Joy, next to his home, which was the
one place whore the great actor was
man to man to the few who had al.
mittancc.
Because Mr.. Mansfield was such n
great actor large number OF PEG.
probably the great majority of
them-were prone to forget that Mr..
Mansfield was also one of the great
est producers of plays and stage man
ayers that ever lived. He had only
one peer In this line OF theatrical
work and that was Sir Henry Irving.
The production of new play meant
for Mr.. Mansfield the caring for the
minutest detail. He was not content
with Interpreting his own lines. but
had to see that every stage setting to
the smallest thing was correct. His
Shakespearcan productions meant an
immense amount of work ana ii was
these self imposed tasks that under.
mined his health and caused the COM
plications that killed him. For sew
eral years past Mr. Mansfield had
been Il very III man and had often
appeared on the stage when he should
have been In bed. and he did not final.
ly give up TIL he was hardly able to
walk
The American stage has too few
Richard Mansfields and his death II,
to be regretted.