The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-08
MADAME MOD
JESKA IS DEAD
PASSED AWAY AT HER HOME IN
CALIFORNIA - AS TIL f.
GREATEST LADY MACBETH-
WAS A POLE.
(By Associated Press.)

Los Angeles, April S.-Madamt
Helene Modjeska, famous Polish ira
gedienne and one of the most noted
actresses of the American stage, dice
at 10 o'clock today, at her island
home at Bay City, in Orange county
after an illness Of two months. Fol
several days she has been uncon.
scious and her death has been hourly
expected. Brights disease and com
plicatiOns of the heart was the cause
Madame Modjeska, the Countess
Bozenta Chlapowski, whose eventful
and brilliant life is terminated, was
born in Cracow, Austrian Poland
October 21, 1914. Her father was
a Polish patriot named Benda, a man
of great refinement of character and
education. He died while Helena
was yet child, leaving the family in
moderate circumstances.
The stage career of Nine. Nodes
ka began in the small town of Boch-
inia. 1t was conceived In charity,
and in all her life on the stage she
exercised the noble impulses which
caused her first to adopt the players
life. She was still in her teens
when she went to Bochinia, and here,
soon after her arrival, she married
M. Modrizejewska. A son was born
to the couple, Ralph Modjeska, who
fastened recently from Chicago at
the news of her illness.
Soon after his birth, the father
and husband was killed in a catas-
trophe at Bochinia. 1t was immedi-
ately following the disaster that
Nine. Modjeska entered the theatri-
cal company, to give performance
throughout the district, the proceeds
to be given to the widows and or
phans. The play, "The White Ca
meilia." was a success from the start,
and the authorities, attracted by Mo-
djeska's remarkable acting, used their
influence to start her in theatrical
work in a larger field.
The success of Modjeska on the
stage in Poland was immediate She
was received with acclaim wherever
she appeared, and gained a wide rep
utation.
Modjeska married, in 1868, Chas.
Chlapoawsky, the Count Bozenta, a
man of aristocratic birth. and a jour-
nalist of wide reputation. Count
Bozenta offended the Polish govern
ment with his writings in 1876 and
so unpleasant was it made for him
that in company with other gentle
men of family he came to the United
States and with them founded an
Utopian colony near Anaheim, in
Southern California The count took
to mining in Silverado. a canyon, and
there he built the beautiful home
called "Arden," where many years of
the life of Madame Modieska were
spent.
The colony failed and Madame Mo-
djeska, in need of funds, turned to
the American stage. She made ap-
plication to John Mccullough, who
is manager of the California theatre,
in San Francisco, and was given a
place in his company in July, 1877.
Her first appearance on an American
stage was at the California. It was
at this time that her name was sim
plified to Modjeska by Barton Hill.
Modjeska toured the United States
with great success later, and in
March, 1880, she went to London
and appeared at the Court theatre
under the management of Wilson
Barrett. In the audience were the
Prince and Princess of Wales, and
royalty applauded with the rest. The
play was "Heartease." an adaptation
Of Camille" and for two years she
repeated it in England, always with
he same measure of success. Mad
anne Modjeska returned to the United
States in 1882, and since that time
her home has been in Southern Cali
rornia, though she has toured the
on several occasions Some
years ago a throat trouble compelled
her to give up the stage forever. Her
asst appearance was in the character
Of Lady Macbeth at a benefit per-
formance in this city for the Italian
sufferers, about three
months ago.