Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21

a dollar caught my ear, and as the bright
coin was rolling from the stage into the
orchestra I darted forward and secured
the prize Holding 1t triumphantly be-
tween my finger and thumb I grinned
at the leader Of the orchestra, as much
as to say, No, you don't! This not only
brought down the house. but many half
dollars and dollars besides. At the fall
of the curtain 50 were picked up
and given into my delighted hands"
OTHER prominent actors who played at this
~ theater included the elder Jefferson
father of the Joe" Of our day. For time he
managed the theater. Junius Brutlis Booth,
father of Lmcoln's assassin and Of the cele-
brated actor, Edwin Booth. began an engage
ment here on August l, 1872. Richard the
Third" The Iron Chest" king Lear" THE
Mountaineers" and Hamlet were plays In
which he appeared.
In 1874 John Howard Paynes opera "Clari,
or the Maid Of Milan" was sung to enthusi-
aStic audiences, which gave On ovation to Mrs.
Waring for her rendition Of Home, Sweet
Home" Payne had previously acted ut this
theater. and no doubt the time that he had
spent in washington appealed to him, at least
to some degree as really being in his home, ,
sweet home" No doubt We all agree that it
have been brought here from . foreign eoun-
reinterred In Oak Hill Cemetery.
Gen Lafayette paid this theater visit
when he was visiting this city in December,
1924. and listened to the comedy THE Sol
dier,S Daughter" and early I'm the following
year. at q benslit performance given to Mr..
Cooper, there were in the distinguished AUDI
ence President Monroe, John Quincy Adams,
then Secretary of State william II. Crawford,
Secretary of War; Gen. Jackson and Gen.
Lafayette.
Mr. A. T. Mudd. who has written 30 inter-
estingly Of the early Washington theaters, tells
US that "On the night Of July II, during the
engagement Of Mr.. Booth. row was started
in the theater in which most Of the participants
were strangers in the city. In SURPRISING the
disorder the managers were assisted BY num-
Der Of Congressman and citizens Of wash
ingtOn"
This reminds us how abruptly time changes
things about, for occasionally nov we read Of
q row in Congress where some one Il hit with
an inkwell, or whatever may first come to
hand. whereas the theaters usually remain quiet
and orderly.
IN 1895 the Washington Theater became the
American Theater, and In lo41 1t was con-
verted into two spacious assembly rooms, but
theatrical performances continued to be held
here. on and on for . number Of years after
ward
This building was destroyed by fire on Friday,
July q, 1863, and until recently part Of the
west wall remained as . reminder Of one Of
Washingtous early theaters. In the rear of
this building. on the south side of street,
at about what would be house No. 476, was
once . large building known as the Circus,
where q variety of entertainments were given.
In front Of this-on the north side of C street,
in the rear OF what would be about 4S3-stood
McGurks Jail. . temporary building in which
James McGurk was incarcerated while await
ing trial and later execution for the murder
Of his wife. This execution. which was the
first to take place In the District was carried
out q little west Of the Capitol, on October 20,
1907
CHRISTIAN HINES. In his Early Recollec-
tons Of Washington City" tells us the in
cidents connected with this execution as he
remembered them. He says:
"A man named McGirk was the first person
executed in this city. He lived on F street
north, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets
west By trade he was q bricklayer and was
very much given to intemperance. He would
kivuNAS hSr,n I'm iv%kox koL