The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-17
ORIGINAL JUNGLE TONI ACTOR
DEAD AT SOLDIERS HOME
Continued from Page -


lines as he observed opportunities
for improvement. The parts were in
manuscript, having not as yet been
printed. Aitkin was with the COM
pany less than six months. AS soon
as he had completed the revisions he
thought necessary he went to Troy,
N. Y. where he gathered together a
company CT recognized professional
actors and where on the evening OF
June 1S. 1882 Uncle Toms Cabin"
9 IS produced for the first time by a
AZ organization. Writers OF stage
hi tory generally have credited the
sDening night by Atkins company
N Troy as the initial production OF
the drama. but the play had been on
the road for fully half year and had
been witnessed by hundreds Of people
while being welded into shape for the
large theatres. The old Troy museum,
although the interior was later used
for other purposes. remained in exist
ence until January e. 1911, when
the building was completely destroy
ed by fire.
After his arrival at the soldiers
home, Worcester was never able TO
recall the name of the young woman
who took the part OF Eva in Atkins
first company. She was novice and
did not follow the stage for any
length of time. In the stock com
pany which Aitkin organized in Troy
the part of Eva was taken by Corde.
liza Howard who made reputation
in the role Mrs. Howard was
Topsey and the father was ST. Clair.
When Aitken left his original
company, Worcester became its mana
ger and it was under his direction
that the tour of western New York
was made The actors remained to-
gether for over a year but Uncle
Toms Cabin was the only produc-
ton attempted After the drama had
proved itself with the theatre-going
public ii was taken to New York city
by the company organized in Troy
and had phenomenal run. Uncle
Tom Cabin" companies we're soon
organized in all parts of the east and
middle west and in short time there
were half hundred of them on the
road
After his success with the original
Uncle Toms Cabin" company. Wor-
cester had no difficulty in securing
engagements with the leading stock
companies. His name usually APP
| peared on the books as first old
man" By several companies he was
| employed as stage manager and after
his return IRON the war most of his
engagements were in that capacity.
During the presidential campaign of
1860 he was touring the middle west
with repertoire company. On one
occasion the troupe was booked to
| appear at Springfield ILL.,. following
a political debate by Abraham Lin
coin and Stephen A. Douglas At
| Worcester's suggestion change was
| made in the program. Uncle Tom IS
Cabin war given in place of the
| piece which had been advertised with
! worcester in the title role and the
| tWo candidates in the audience.
During the years that he was CON
nected with the theatrical business
| Worcester owned and managed
number of travelling companies. In the
winter of 1861 he took a company in
| to the southern states and became
| stranded in Mobile by the opening OF
| the civil war His company was
| composed of both northerners and
southerners. The male members who
| sympathized with the south voluntar-
| lily entered the confederate service
the others were drafted One of the
! actors who sided with the south dis
closed the fact that Worcester had
| taken the part of "Uncle Tom" in the
north and a number of the hot heads
in camp We're about ready to lynch
the actor. The plot was revealed to
Worcester by newspaper man con-
nected with the New Orleans Plea
yune and with whom Worcester had
formed an acquaintance when the
SS''f"hS ""o piuylhS III hlSSlSSlppl.
Both were members of the Masonic
order. Being warned of his danger,
Worcester and two other members of
the company made break for liberty
during the night. One of the three
was shot and killed but Worcester
and his companion through. the
assistance of negros by whom they
were concealed during the day final
ly reached the Ohio river and crossed
into federal territory. The reporter
who had been instrumental in saving
Worcester's life in Mobile entered
the confederate service. was wounded
and made prisoner He was taken
to one of the federal hospitals near
New York city where he was found
by Worcester and again thanked for
the timely warning.
Worcester enlisted nthe 9th Con-
necticut regiment When his term
expired he returned to his native
state somewhat broken in health by
the hardships OF the service. He re-
manned at his old home in Warren UNI
til he had recovered his strength and
then sought an engagement with For
ester's New York troupe. In the fall