Evening star., 1947-07-27

GneaLer IN NeW YORK ana
gave lavishly furnished club,
known as The Players, to members
OF his profession. Junius, jr., his
older brother, built one of the most
imposing hotels in the country at
Manchester, Mass. and John Wilkes
well" Edwin's friend said, "John
Wilkes, by assassinating Abe Lincoln,
conducted a one-man campaign and
made Andy johnson President OF
the United States.
Now, that the Library of Congress
has made available the collection of
Lincoln documents held in secret
for 81 years, Booth collection OF
letters, not to be revealed until 1870,
challenges the curiosity Of the
public.
Even the location of this Booth
collection has been given little pub
licity. Staff members of the museum
guarding it do not wish to be be-
sieged Gas were those at the Library
of Congress) by historians, biog-
raphers, and others, seeking to gain
information of its contents long
before the date designated for re-
lease.
Tried to Thwart Marriage.
It can be said, however, that the
most important OF the Is letters
making up the collection relate to
Edwin Both and Mary Devlin, his
first wife, and disclose the turmoil
of the Booth family following
Wilkes mad act. They were written
by Asia Booth, one of 10 Booth
children (including Edwin and John
Wilkes, and cover the years 1852
to 1874.
The romance of Edwin Booth and
Mary Devlin has been told In hon
eyed words and sweetened phrases.
Not generally known is the fact that
Edwin's sister Asia Gid everything
possible to prevent their marriage.
Mary, the daughter OF an inn
poyerished merchant of Troy, N. Y,
had rare musical and dramatic
ability which attracted the attention
of theatrical managers. Under the
tutelage of John Ford, owner OF q
chain of theaters, she advanced pro-
fessionally and became q member
of his stock company at his Rich
mond (Va.) theater. 1t was there
she met Edwin Booth. He was 23-
seven years older than Mary.
Asia Starts Writing.
Turing this engagement, Edwin
was billed to play Romeo to Mary's
Juliet. After the performance, Mary
exclaimed, He edwin is the great
est actor I have ever known. was
inspired, and could act forever with
him" And Edwin, upon returning
to his hotel that evening, wrote TO
his mother, IT have seen and acted
with q young woman who mas SO
impressed me that I could almost
forget my VOW never to marry an
actress" g
That was the beginning Of the
romance-and trouble with Asia.
Asia, married to Sleeper clarke,
a well-known actor friend OF the
Booth family, lived in Philadelphia.
In 1859, Mary Devlin and her par
ents lived in the same city. The
following excerpts are taken from
one of Asia's letters Of that year:
'"To think only that my brother
edwin, the best beloved OF all,
should occasion these bitter tears;
not his unfortunate falling Qiquor)' >
can forget that for 1t Is the only
fault he has and I look upon that
in this peculiar case as an hereof
tary disease. Old physicians have
acknowledged the possibility OF such
a thing. It is nothing now, more or
less, than long-dreaded affair with
Mary Devlin.
"Bold-Faced Woman"
"The curse shall not fall but IN
nv heart I trust and hope NO!
I will not write the curse that
invoke upon her. You know how
detest and despise that Woman-an
actress-not even second rate, YET
the position is nothing to me. l
think only Of the bold-faced woman
who can stroll before nightly audi
ence-who can allow men OF all
kinds to caress and court her in a
business way-that feeling (Which
is to be termed love- dignified with
earthiness and devoid of all holiness
and purity, prompts her to borrow
money already from him, 1t IS al
business; she wants his money and
his name. A grand position Tor
poor, obscure girl
"The family are from the lowest
Irish Classifying here in the city.
Ned edwin, I presume, Will not
live with his mother and father-ln-
law, although he will have TO sup,
port them, no doubt. why snouia
this unhappy sorrow fall on mes l
have tried so hard to keep free from
ali faint of that which Is low and
vulgar, tried to be worthy OF the
rsao+ name NV father made for US