Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1890-09-27 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

DEATH OF DION BOUCICAULT.  Mr. Dion Boucicault died in New Tork on Thursday night, after a lingering illness. The deceased was in his 68th year, having been born in Dublin in the year 1822. His career as a dramatic author dates from his 19th year, for he had passed his 18th birthday only a few months when the prodiiction of his first play, "London Assurance," raised him at a bound into distinction amongst the dramatists of the time. In this early work all the qualities are conspicuous that distinguish Mr. Boucicault's best work—audacity of idea, buoyant fun, and a constant flow of high spirits. In the following year, 1842, he produced two more plays. of which the first, "The Irish Heiress," was not very successful, whilst the second, "Alma Mater; or, a Cure for Coquettes," added considerably to his reputation and popularity. During the next few years he produced a few original plays and several adaptations from the French, the most successful of these dramatic efforts being "Old Heads and Young Hearts," played at the Haymarket in 1844. It was not until 1852 that Mr. Boucicault appeared on the London stage, playing under Mr. Charles Kean's management at the Princess's Theatre. In 1853 he went to America, and superintended several revivals of his plays at N'allack's Theatre, New York, producing also a new play in 1853, and an adaptation from the French in 1854. The following year saw him in London, and in the first two months of 1855 two of his plays were produced in London, "Eugenie" at Drury Lane, and "Janet Pride " at the Adelphi. His greatest success was yet to come, however, when in September, 1860, lw commenced an engagement at the Adelphi with his wife (Miss Agnes Robertson), producing his famous play "The Colleen Bawn," founded on Gerald Griffith's novel "The Collegians." It was followed at the same theatre by "The Dublin Boy," "The Octoroon," and "The Life of an Actress," all of which were more or less successful. His next notable Irish play was "Arrah-na-Pogue," produced at the Princess's Theatre in 1865, and after an interval of 10 years, during which such notable pieces as "The Long Strike," "After Dark," and "The,,Flying Scud" came, with a host of others, from his busy pen, he scored a tremendous success at Drury Lane with "The Shaughraun," perhaps the most popular of all his works. Since that period Mr. Boucicault has continued to write plays and appear in them, but he has resided mainly in America, and has faded somewhat out of the ken of English playgoers. His death leaves a notable blank in the dramatic world, and two or three out of the scores of plays he has produced will ensure him immortality on the English stage.  !Mrs. Adam Wuchter, of Carbondale, Penns, who has been 170 days without food, is still living, watched by doctors. She has occasional internal Convulsions. A slight movement of the lett arm is the only sign of life. The lower half of the body Is cold and entirely pulseless.She suffers excruciating pains during the interim between the regular convulsions. A bandage now covers her blind eyes to hide her bad appearince, while another holds up her chin to ease the pain. Mrs. Wuchter suffers from cancer in the throat, and does not sleep more than 20 minutes a day, during which time there is no perceptible movement in the chest, and her complexion changes to a death-like hue. All attempts to give nourishment fail.  Thomas Potts, an employe' of the Cheltenham gas company, created a sensation by attempting to commit suicide in the street the other morning by taking phosphorus. Antidotes were administered, and he was conveyed to the hospital. It is stated that his daughter, a barmaid, attempted to commit suicide a fo.rtnight since in Bristol.