The sun., 1919-10-26
POE'S ACTOR PARENTS.
His Mothers Appearance in 1.-THE
ROmp" at the VauxhaIl.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: When
in town lately searching in quest of both
Poe and Vauxhall data p Aston
Browns books on the stage claimed at
tention. During its existence a number
of Thespans who later became famous
made their debut or appearance by way
of vauxhalrs little theatre. Browns
History OF the New York Stage" makes
a number of errors in its account of the
resort, which was opened on June rs.
1905, and not on May 10. 1906. as stated.
The programme of the first performance
Is given in the American Citi:en as of
above. date. The account proceeds {:
"Delacroix engaged a portion of the
Park Theatre company Gas they were
idle during the summer) and gave an
entertainment called Animal Magnetism
and concert. Among the members of
the company was Mr.. Poe. the father of
Edgar Allan Poe, who made his first ap-
pearance in New York at Vauxhall July
is, 1906. with his wife" Reference to
the files of the Evening Post shows that
Animal Magnetism" was produced on
pears among the cast scheduled to APP
he last night Ol the season at
the Park Theatre was on Friday, July I,
OF that year and neither Poe nor his
wife performed that evening.
1t may be that Poe belonged to the
company. but an extended examination
OF the press of the period for the season
Of 1906 fails to disclose his name in the
programme. Mrs. Poe, however. did play
the part of Priscilla Tomboy in THE
Romp: or, A Cure for the Spleen"
comic opera in two acts, on July 16. 1906
at Vauxhall and was advertised as being
from the Theatre Philadelphia and her
first appearance in this city" If it was
her debut in New York she could not
have belonged. or at least actively be-
longed. to the Park Theatre company.
Mrs. Poe was Elizabeth Arnold, an
actress. who played in the old John
Street Theatre and became a favorite with
the audience" This statement, also made
by Colonel Brown. must necessarily be
incorrect II the above advertisement is
accepted as the truth. Neither she nor
her husband, II is said. possessed a very
large amount of dramatic talent but the
former was an excellent vocalist and no
mean actress. Poe had a fine personal
appearance but, on the other hand, his
range was narrow and his manner al
ways remained amatelrish. The Me
mortal History" states that after numer-
GUS trials he sank at last into insignia
canoe. The editor repeats the assertion
that he made his first appearance on the
stage at Vauxhall. Vol. v.:73, 477)
To continue Colonel Browns narrative A.:
I'm 1910, under the management OF p. T.
Barnum, Mary Taylor, afterwards known
as Our Mary made her appearance. /"
This is likewise fallacy. IL we can believe
the History of the American Stage"
by the Same Colonel Brown, who re-
lates on page 357 that Miss Taylor was
born in New York in 1896 and so would
have been but four years old at the date
mentioned. Our author confirms the
error by the further statement that she
made her first appearance at a concert
at the age OF ten. when she sang a scene
from Der Freischuetz"
The Colonel certainly spoiled good
paper" as the saying is, In this in
stance, The appearance OF number OF
others is mentioned. including William
f. Burton in 1912. Charley White in
! lS43, who Is said to have first RECALLED
his audiences with rnelodious strains
from the ACCORDION" that year at ITALIAN
Hall, AZ Grand street, and later in a
minstrel troupe at Vauxhall with William
Whitlock, Tom Booth and Barney Will
Jams. In 1886 Bradford Jones, the
lessee, engaged a brilliant company
among them Emily Mestayer (after-
wards Mrs. Charles J. Houpt) and Frank
Chanfrau, Later in that season Malvina
Pray, afterwards Mrs William J.
Florence, appeared. Her sister Maria
| (Mrs. Charles Mestayer) became the
wife OF Barney Williams November 90,
1850. This paragraph is susceptible to
revision and correction. for the state
ments made have not been put to the
proof. HOPPER STRIKER Morn.
NEwBURYPoRT, Mass, October "a.