New-York tribune., 1921-09-04
Angles of Interest
In Wupperman's
Posthunous Play

"The Triumph of X,'' which Lee
Shubert and Jessie Ronstelle are pre-
senting at the Comedy Theater, is
the posthumous work of Carlos S.
Wupperman, poet, philosopher and
playwright, who died in Germany in
line of duty as an American soldier
On April 16, 1919
Mr.. Wupperman did not have the
rather somber distinction of falling in
battle, nor did his duties take him
to the battlefield, with its exaltations
and frenzied courage, where to the
civilian eye war is played grandly and
conspicuously. Mr.. Wupperman trod
paths far less conspicuous and far
more dangerous, where to die was to
die swiftly and ignobly, and to do great
deeds was still to remain unknow~.
His death, as he knew it must be if
chance decided against him, was lonely
and sinister and, as were his duties
throughout the war, unknown and un-
noticed among the rank and file.
On April 16, 1919 four months after
the signing of the armistice, Mr..
Wupperman was found lying in de-
serted alleyway of Trier, Germany,
with a bullet through his head. His
exploits had not been nconspicuous
to the enemy.
Carlos Wupperman was born in New
York and first attended Trinity School.
He entered Columbia University in
1908. In the fall of his senior year
he was scarcely eighteen at the time
his mother withdrew him from Colum-
bia and sent him to study for year
and a half in Leipsic University, in
Germany. While in Europe he devel-
oped talent for languages, and this
bent had decided effect on his life and
led to his tragic death in Trier. On
his return from Germany Re reentered
Columbia and a year later was gradu-
ated.
For the next few years he devoted
himself to literary work, publishing a
book of poems called "Quiet Places"
and number of philosophical essays
under the general heading "The Deep
er Faith" In 1915, to perfect himself
in dramatic technique Che had always
in the back of his head the intention
of writing for the theater), he went
OF the stage. He played under the
name of Carlisle Morgan His best
known part was Monty, in "Under
.oL l, III L
brother Ralph Morgan.
In 1917 the United States entered
the war and Mr.. Wupperman enlisted
in the army. Because he spoke the
Continental languages fluently he
asked transfer into the intelligence
division of the A. f. F. From this
point on his career becomes necessarily
obscure, because the men actively en-
gagged in that department are known
usually only to their immediate su-
pcriors and their deeds are never
spoken of outside official headquar-
ters. 1t is known, however, that dur
he twice managed to get past the Ger
man lines and to penetrate into Ger
many, bringing back information that
was invaluable to General Headquar-
ters.
Although, as has been said, work of
the sort Carlos Wupperman was doing
was practically unnoticed in the Amer
ican Army, there were certain people
whose business it was-on the other
side-to watch just such men as Wup-
perman and, if possible, to place them
beyond the power of doing anything.
! The inference is that this is exactly
what happened. Of course, the thing
can never be proved absolutely; but
there are the facts and there is the
very plausible conclusion.
1t is probable that one of these men
on the other side met Wupperman in
Triery recognized him, and, the place
and the time being opportune and
Wupperman unsuspecting, killed him
There were three brothers-Ralph
Carlos and Frank-and all three found
their work in the theater. 1t was a
long cherished dream that Carlos was
ultimately to write the plays in which
his two brothers were to co-star-a
drama of threefold success in ths
theater in which each was to share
equally in glory and profit. Perhaps
this was too fine to come true entirely
Eut at least this much is fulfilled:
Carlos Wupperman's play is in New
York and one of the brothers, Frank
is playing the leading role, part
written especially for him. The othe,
brother, Ralph, at the same time ap-
pears in the leading role in "The
n, C1JN