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[[newspaper clipping]] A STORY ABOUT BOOTH 

WHAT CAUSED HIS FALL ON THE STAGE OF THE ACADEMY?

His Enemies Say He Was Partially Intoxicated, but His Friends and Manager Vigorously Deny It, and Say the Cruel Rumor Was Started to Injure the Tragedian.

Edwin Booth's peculiar conduct at the Academy of Music last night, while acting as Iago to Salvini's Othello, was the talk of the town today. Among the actors and theatrical people who congregate about Union square the subject was one of especial comment, and persons were found who did not hesitate to say that the great actor was under the influence of liquor at the time. On the other hand this was stoutly denied and it was affirmed that the reason Mr. Booth was not himself was because of physical exhaustion and illness. A gentleman who saw the performance and who has long been an ardent admirer of Booth said that when he saw him stagger and fall across the footlights his heart was in his mouth and he could not help exclaiming, "Can it be possible!" The speaker added that as he saw Booth recover himself and go on with his acting, although unable to hear his words, he was glad to conclude that it must have been an accident. Others were found who said they had noticed a change in Booth of late, as if he did not take the interest of former days in his work, and he believed the cause of this was Booth's disappointment because of his daughter's marriage, which occurred about a year ago. Mr. Chizzola, Salvini's manager, denied emphatically to a reporter for the MAIL AND EXPRESS the report that Booth was in the least under the influence of liquor.

"It must be the story of spiteful persons," he added. "He had not felt well all day, having been rehearsing from early morning, and he was dizzy. His falling was because Salvini did not pull him up in the right way. Several years ago Booth broke his arm, and in the scene where he is thrown he has to be taken hold of in a peculiar manner. In attempting to rise he caught his foot in the chair and lost his balance. That is all there is to it. Why, I have seen the same thing happen to others who were playing Iago. No, sir; I was with him all the morning, and I knew he had not been drinking. We were together after the play, and he felt badly then. As to the statement that he acted badly all the evening, that is not so; it was only part of the time and when he was feeling badly."

Treasurer Perry, of the Star Theatre, and several actors were found talking about it. Said the former: "The man was undoubtedly worn out. Rehearsing all day is something he is not used to; in fact he rarely ever rehearses. When he was at the Star the last time he never came near the company till night. He is not a drinking man, and I never knew him to be under the influence of liquor." [[/clipping]]

[[newspaper clipping]] MR. EDWIN BOOTH'S ILLNESS.

The Editor of The Tribune.

SIR: As an act of simple justice to Mr. Edwin Booth I desire to make the following statement concerning last night's performance at the Academy of Music. Mr. Booth has had to rehearse more often during this week than is his custom, and in consequence has been greatly fatigued. Yesterday he rehearsed till 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and then finding himself exhausted stopped the rehearsal, and went to his hotel, where he tried to sleep, but could not, as he was suffering from dyspepsia, and a bilious attack. At 7 o'clock he got up and dressed, feeling too ill to go to the theatre, but with that great sense of his responsibility to the public which has always characterized him, resolved to attempt his part.

Before going out he wrote a letter of four pages to me on an important business matter, and asked me to come to his dressing-room in the theatre later in the evening, inclosing a pass to the actors' entrance door. I went as soon after as possible, arriving at the Academy about 10 o'clock, and was shown into his dressing-room. In a few moments he came in, and with the exception of his bodily weakness from this illness, I have never seen him, during an acquaintance of over twenty years, when he was in better mental condition, or more level-headed. We at once entered on the subject of our business, and talked together for over an hour, only interrupted by his call to the stage. During our interview Dr. Martin called and sat with us for some time, conversing upon a recent visit to England, in which Mr. Booth manifested much interest.

At the conclusion of the play, and after leisurely dressing, Mr. Booth walked with me to the Century Club where he wrote Sig. Salvini's name in the visitor's book, wrote a card of invitation to the club for next Saturday evening, placed this in an envelope and directed it. After this he expressed a desire to eat something, not having broken his fast since morning, and going into the supper room he had some beef, and crackers and cheese. We sat there half an hour, and then lighting our cigars strolled up Broadway to the Albemarle Hotel, where I said good-night to him about 1 o'clock this morning. During the three hours in which we were together I have never seen him in better mental condition, brighter, or more genial and companionable.

I have gone into these details that you may clearly understand how unsupported by fact are the cruel and unjust statements that have been made of a man whose life has been so pure and unsullied, whose benefactions to his fellow men have been so great and unceasing, and who is without a peer among the English speaking interpreters of Shakespeare. I am sir, respectfully yours,
New-York, April 29, 1886. WILLIAM BISPHAM. [[/clipping]]

Stoddard, who was much further from the stage than I was, combatted this idea but I insisted upon it. I told Church to interest himself to defend and apologize for Booth whose whole life had been a tragedy and a long fight against this inherited weakness and that now he needed help and sympathy and was entitled to it. He expressed great sympathy for him and said he would do everything to prevent unnecessary harshness. The few people at the church seemed to be discussing the affair. I went there hoping Bertha might be there, and Stoddard said that was what brought him there. I went to his reading room and read a most cruel and brutal editorial on the affair in the Evening Post written with all the assumption of infidelity which characterizes all that Godkin writes. Stout, Lafarge, and Church were there and I indignantly denounced it as an unnecessary act of cruelty in which they all agreed. I came to my room and made a short note to Wm. Winter begging him to say a manly word for Booth in the Tribune, to give voice to the almost universal sympathy for him in this misfortune. I cut from the Tribune this

Friday April 30" 1886
Maring Bisphams communication which though dictated by friendship and a desire to help him, is I think unwise. "He does protest too much" I am forced to believe that Booth was intoxicated. There can be no other explanation and there is no use denying it. That can and will be forgiven. The plain duty of all his friends now is to encourage and console him and thus to strengthen him for the future. My Ms. and illustrations have come back from Harpers declined. I spent the evening at Marys.

Saturday May 1" 1886
Northeast wind and raw and cold. The papers this morning speak of Booths excellent rendering of Hamlet last night at the Academy with Salvini as the ghost. I have not seen Booth but Winter in the Tribune has a work for these people who are always ready to pounce upon any short-coming in public men. Had a long and pleasant visit from Mrs. Lewis and her father, Mr. Mendelson. Mrs. Lewis likes my pictures and I was in hopes she would buy a small one but she 

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Changed unknown words marked with underscore ____ to standard [[?]]. All transcribed but 3 [[?]]s, too many to mark for review, please fill in ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-09 15:04:00 .