Spectres of Theatre Revived

John Wilkes Booth was Once a
Social and Stage Favorite With Elite of Richmond

by Harry Tucker

It's a shame the old Marshall Theatre, that historic structure that stood for many years at the southeast corner of Seventh and Broad streets, was not kept intact in its reconstructed state after the war fire and held as one of Richmond's shrines.

Even now we may venture to opine that during the midnight hours the shades of the famous histrions that flitted and strutted through many parts on the well-worn stage may be observed wandering through the long rows of wares that fill counters and shelves in the big store now occupying the site of the old theatre. Away down in the depths of the basement the fantastic figures should be seen as they don their make-up and prepare for the show on the stage above. In and around the building they still walk.

There in the tiny dressing-rooms were wont to gather the Booths, the Jeffersons, the Goodwins, the Barretts, the Partingtons, the Bangs, the famous men and women make-believes of long ago. What a merry crowd that would be.

Joe Jefferson in his "Rip Van Winkle" rags; Edwin Booth in his black garb of "Hamlet"; Frank Bangs and Forrest as "Mark Antony" and "Cassius"; DeWolf Hopper as "Pitticus Green"; Minne Palmer in "My Sweetheart"; Maggie Mitchell in "The Little Madcap"; Pauline Hall as the majestic "Gabriel"; Kate Claxton in "The Two Orphans"; Nat Goodwin in "The Goblins"; Catherine Lewis as "Olivette"; Mabel Santley, and that famous group of Amazons, "The Rentz-Santley Burlesquers"; Annie Pixley in "M'liss"; Lotta in "The Tomboy"; Baker and Farron in "Chris and Lena"; John T. Raymond in "Fresh the American"; Aldrich and Parsloe in "My Pardner"; Henry Dixey in "Adonis"; Tom Keene as "Richard III"; John McCulloch as "Othello"; Mary Anderson as "Juliet"; Adelaide Neilson as "Juliet"; William Castle as "Romeo"; Emma Abbot in "Mephistopheles"; Robert Downing as the "Gladiator"; Lawrence Barrett as "Caesar" Alice Oates in "The Field of the Cloth of Gold"; Fay Templeton as "Little Buttercup"; Little Corinne in burlesque, and hundreds more.

We'd love to go down in Greentree's cellar and sit among the boxes and the shades of that great old crowd of stars, right near the entrance to Jake Bloomlick's caravansary that opened into the greenroom and into Broad Street as well.

Our young friend, Otis Alfriend, who is that way about such things, gives us a look over some documents concerning the association of John Wilkes Booth with the Marshall Theatre stock company away back there about the beginning of the War Between the States. It's historic stuff, and we shall devote a full column to it in a week or so.

The narrative will be based on documents by Edward M. Alfriend, the dramatist. Otis' uncle, Mr. Alfriend was in the insurance business in Richmond many years ago in the old Shafer building at Tenth and Main where the postoffice now stands. He later moved to New York and adopted the profession of dramatist. He produced a number of pieces which met with signal success.

Among Mr. Alfriend's plays were "A Foregone Conclusion," which was produced at the Academy of Music during the unveiling of the Lee Monument by the Madison Square Company, which alternated with "The Private Secretary"; "The Louisianians," in which Robert Mantell toured the country and played at the old Richmond Theatre; "Across the Potomac," referred to here recently, and "The Great Diamond Robbery," in which Madame Janauschek created the part of "Mother Rosenbaum," an underworld character. Mr. Alfriend was a brother of Frank H. Alfriend, wartime editor of "The Southern Literary Messenger" and biographer of President Jefferson Davis.

One of Mr. Alfriend's letter contains this:

"It is an interesting fact that Edwin Booth never desisted from his patient and quiet endeavor to recover the body of John Wilkes Booth until he delivered it through friends to his mother in Maryland: it is now buried in the family lot in that State. Of John Wilkes Booth's death there is no doubt. John T. Ford, the Baltimore theatrical manager, and Charles B. Bishop, the comedian, both told me that they witnessed for Edwin Booth the exhuming of the body, identified it and sent it to his mother. This should set at rest the persistent rumor that he is still alive." This was written some thirty years ago.

John Wilkes Booth was a leading light in the Richmond Stock Company many seasons. "His ability was unquestionable and his future assured," wrote Mr. Alfriend. "While connected with the Richmond Theatre he was a great social favorite, knowing all the best men and many of the finest women. His social success was hereditary, having been possessed by his father and also by his brother, Edwin."