The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-02
EDMOND ROSfANb FAMOUS POET DIES IN FRANCE Author of "Cyrano De Der gerac," and Other Noted
 Plays. ILL SHORT TIME
 FROM GRIPPE Member French Academy and of Legion of
 Honor.

Paris, Dec, 2.---Eimond NoStand the poet and playwright, died this afternoon. He had been Ill from grippe.
 The famous French poet and play wright, before whose genius kings were proud to bow, was the son of and was born in Marseilles, ALril 1, 1868. He combined with high skill in stage craftsmanship the idealism of poet and moralist.
 He first came into prominence as an author in 1888 when his Le Cant Rouge" a vaudeville sketch, was pro- duced in Paris. About that time a small volume of poems entitled Les Musardises" appeared and attracted attention. Subsequently Rostand wrote other compositions, always in verse, and was soon classed with such European literary men as Maurice Maeterlinck.
 The more important of these plays, in the order of their production, were: 'Les Romanesques," QS94); La Prin- cess Lointaine," Q890; La samari- tsine," Q89O; "Cyrano 6e Bergcrac, :" dS9O; "L'Aigon," QSoD, and Chan tecler" Q91O). Rostand was at the height of his popularity when Chan tecer' was produced in Paris. Seats sold for $50 and the American rights for it's presentation cost fortune.
 "Cyrano" originally had been writ- ten for the French actor, M. Coquelin, who died before rehearsals- CoqueHn and a partner paid $5O,O0O for the play. It added to the fame of Richard Mans field and "LAiglon" to that of Maude Adams, both of whom starred the United States in those productions.
 Rostand had been made a member of the French Academy, had been raised tp the rank of commander ot the Legion of Honor. had received a grand diploma for writing "Chante- cler," had been lbonized at many bril- Han assemblages, had dined with King Edward VII. at Balrritz and was admired by all classes. Once he interpreted "Cyrano' before an audi ence of workmen in Paris.
 In 1910 a real estate dealer in Chi. cago accused Rostand of plagiarism in appropriating the idea of Chan tecler" from a play he had written
 
 vile" The ChIcaSoan demanded Rostand's expulsion from the French Academy. He took the case to court and submitted what he alleged to be proof of similarity in the two plays Rostand denied all the allegations ant explained he got the idea for the piec, from barnyard scene in France "Chantecler'' was a great success il the United States.
 Still other poems and plays by Ros tand were ''Le Pois Sacre," "Dol Juan" 'Belgique," and Tho Song o the Stars" When the Lusitania wa sunk Rostand wrote a long poem ex coriating Count von Bernstorff, Ger man Ambassador to America, ac cusing him of perfdy.
 Rostand married early in life Rosa monde Gerard a grand-daughter c Count Etienne Gerard, a Marshal c France, during the Napoleonic war. who, in 1892, compelled the Dutch { surrender Antwerp and later becam Minister of War. They have one so who has collaborated with his moth CT in playwriting.
 The author of "Cyrano" and Char tocler'---for by thes plays he proba bly will be best known-had an aver sion for superstition and said 13 wa his lucky number. Tn 1913 he found ed a society in Paris to combat ma terialism.
 Early after the outbreak of the W. Rostand volunteered to fight as Trench soldier but was not accepte He proceeded to hearten the Allie however, by writing patriotic yer. and one of these which praised Anne ica's attitude he dedicated to Sara Bernhardt. His home was in Arn ga, Cambo, Basses Pyreness, France