Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-22
CHICAGO JUDGE, RULING
SHAKESPEARE A MYTH,
ROUNDLY JEERED HERE
Decision That Bacon Wrote
Plays Credited to Bard of
Avon Fails to Change
Opinion of Admirers
LOCAL VIEWS EXPRESSED

Even IL Chicago is willing to accept
the decision of Judge Richard s. Tuthill,
that Bacon wrote Shakespeare, Phila-
delpha is unwilling to stop believing that
Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. and re-
fused today to take seriously the asser-
tion that Francis Bacon deserves the
laurels which will be given to Shakes
peare on the tercentenary of the death
OF the great bard.
For years the question of who wrote
Shakespeare" has been argued by authors
and students. but 1t remained for Chicago
and n motion picture man to take the
matter to the courts. Back of II ALL of
course, was the same almighty dollar
which. sooner or later, gets so many
things and people into court
The question was taken into the State
Circuit Court in Chicago by William N
Selig. motion-picturc manufacturer. to re-
strain George Fabyan, publisher, and
others from completing publication of
books supporting the Baconian theory. The
court held that the name of Shakespeare
was n disguise.
COURT CITES RECORDS.
Judge Tuthlll in his decision, which is
being discussed from ocean to ocean totay,
said that William Shakespeare was. ac-
cording to the records uneducated, and
that he knew little of Latin, French,
Italian or German. He also stated that
records showed Bacon was an educated
man, that he knew all these languages.
He said that literary men in those days
were in i'll repute and accordingly Bacon
did not want people to know he was
writing
The Judge also referred to the cipher
which the Baconites use in finding the
identity of the writer of Shapespeare
incidentally, Judge Tuthills decision
means just the little matter of $4,000 to
the publishers.
Philadelphia men and women. when
asked what they thought of the Chicago
decision, had the following to say:
Horace Howard Furness, Jr., son of
Horace Howard Furness one of Americas
Shakespearean authorities and himself n
man with a coveted position in the same
class said: "Do you suppose l would
lower myself to answer a question of that
sort a question which throws doubt on
the fact that William Shakespeare wrote
Shakespeare? 1 have not even thought
about it."
RIDICULES DECISION.
Ridicule and scorn were brought into
play by DR.. Morris Jastrow Jr.. professor
of Semitic languages at me University of
Pennsylvania, when he talked or the Chi
cago decision. made by Judge Richard S.
Tuthill, ruling that Bacon wrote Shakes
peare
THE man is an ass" he SAID. "He has
written himself an ass, by such a state
ment The whole subject of saying Bacon
wrote Shakespeare is almost too absurd
to consider. 1 myself am not an authority
on Shakespeare, but l am a great lover of
him and his work. / have known many
people who are authorities on Sharke-
speare, however, and not one Of them OF
any standing whatsoever has ever taken
hn ra
Why, the late DR. Furness would not even
discuss such a subj ject"
Mrs. II. s. Prentiss Nichols, chairman
of the Committee on Clubs of the ter
centenary Shakespearean celebration in
Philadelphia says that much enthusiasm
has been awakened in Philadelphia for
William Shakespeare and his works. She
thinks IL the scholars cannot determine
whether Bacon or Shakespeare wrote |
Shakespeare, the best thing the lovers |
of Shakespeare can do is to enjoy and |
love him and not worry about who wrote |
his plays. She says she does not really |
feel she herself should have an opinion, |
when people, who have given lifetime |
to the study, cannot determine the real |
author of the works accredited to Shake
speare
DIR. Laura II. Carnell dean Of Temple
University, said: This controversy in |
Chicago is just the same old story.
do not think any one really knows who
wrote Shakespeare or that any is truly
convinced There are things in the inter
nal style of Shakespeare's works which
are not Liz Bacon's style There is no
evidence in the style that Bacon wrote
certain parts 1T is all a matter OF con-
lecture"
Prof. Roy b. Pace. acting head of the
department of English at Swarthmore Col
lege, said; This newest development in
the Bacon-Shakespeare controversy only
> as to the sort of nonsense we have been
avinF for the last 60 years. l do not
take the, Bacon theory seriously. / do not
think the majority of persons interested
in Shakespeare's works have ever taken
the discussion seriously. l do think that
the action of the court in settling ques-
ton that is entirely literary appears some
what out of it's bailiwck."