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THE BIGGEST PUBLICITY COUP IN THE HISTORY OF THE STAGF. i The Macready-Forrest Feud, Which Culminated in the Astor Place Riot of May 10, 1849, Would Be a Sweet Morsel in the Mouth of a Press Agent of To-day. Sixty-four Years Ago Next Saturday Occurred the Extraordinary Exhibition of Blind Passion and Prejudice Which Cost the Lives of Scores. THIS Is the crowded hour of th th? attirai publicity agent, and th man la the ?tree! is inclined to be UeV? that never befOSO has the genius o the brotherhood of dramatic boosters ha< or been more strenuousl; glorified. In fertility, acumen and orliri i ; : 1 : t ? of ivies many of the publlclt" manufacturen <?f the nv.dern school ar. Past mastora, not to say past grand com mand?is. Th??y can give cards an? gp-adea to the futurist?. post-Impression s of a kindred Imaginativ? art It I? no reflection on their skill tha do not always produce really mnnu Baentel results, for in this blas? age the? ere obliged to work with somewhat dullec tools or m? re or less unresponsive ma terlals. When one cf the most astute and re BOUreeful of operatic impresarios mad. it possible a fey years ago for one of hi? Pttmn donnas to Issue an ultimatum pledging herself to break her contrae If a rival prima donna should assume anv one of certain roles which the Issuer ol the ultimatum clalm?d to have mad? famous, ?everybody thought It was a stun. alag advertlatog coup, it was a well staged "battallle de dames," vivid ami Piquant while It lasted. Hut It was 8 mere br?ach within the family WhOM wounds were Foon poulticed. The rival? ries excited ?lid not divide the public inte two h..stile camps, and there were nc street riots, no arrests and no bloodshed. A MODERN "NEAR RIOT." When the Irish riayers first came her? and presented Pynge's "The Playboy ol the Western World," racial sensibilities were offended, and some irate co-nation? als attempted to rebuke the players by disorderly demonstrations and threats of violence. It might flatter the brotherhood of publicity promoters to contend that this particular advertisennnt was a tour do force on their part. Undoubtedly, it represented a nal grlevar.ee felt by a fmall part of the public, which was quick? ly turned to use in attracting general at? tention to a dramatic venture. Hut the hostility which "The riayboy" aroused was short lived, and led only to a few ejectments and a few summonses to the police courts on charges of disorderly eon duct. The American public Is much too sophisticated nowadays to take seriously either the libels of dramatists or the per? sonal feuds of singers and actors. It i not conceivable that a venomous personal ijuarrel between two well known trage? dians Bhould so excite partisanship as t<> lead to the cracking of heads ami the ?ail? ing in of the police. If some preee could contrive to get a regiment of mili? tia ordered out In order to protect the theatre In which his star was acting from a mob inflamed by a rival actor's Jeal? ousies, he would think himself a "Tody' Hamilton and an Oscar Ilammersteln rolled In one. The days for dazzling op? portunities like that nre rast, and the , most successful modern publicity promo I 1er in this i.nromantic a?re would gladly i?m years of his career to have lived in New *? ork between 1840 and 18.7?, when ? theatrical feuds stirred men to frenzy and drove the maddened follow? ers of one rival, trying to express their disapprobation of the other, under the Are of the 7th Regiment's muskets I The Astor Place riot of May 10, 1849, sixty-four years a?*o next Baturdsp, was the most extraordinary exhibition of pop? ular su?-''t'ptibiiity to animosities engen? dered on the ftage ever Klven in this country. At least seventeen rioters were killed ami twice ar-> many were wounded I In a desperate attempt to storm the thea? tre in which William Charles ifS0rSS?1j I was acting, and their only reason for : wlshlnf? to barm *Macr??a?ly was that he had sngagod In a sort of theatrical v?n detta with Kdwin F??rr??st. What a v. In of pure gold such B public would be to any manufacturer of Publicity who bad mastered his art! No BVCh tra^l?- conclu? sion as that In Astor Placa was no? es sary; to the inin?! of the modern proinoter it wi.uhi have Beamed much tea crude an?i I shockii.K a denouement. Hit how the present-day BCbOOl would have rcv?-llei| in the potentialities of B popular BtStS of mind which plunged into the thick of such a peiM.nal <iuart?l and was t to follow it up to the inn/./.'.. ,.* f mllltta'fl loadeii gunsl Fnmi the ordinary advertising point of view, the M?i'T?-a?ly r 1<>t wax ?.-.-? plot.?-. In a letter which ?"barbs Di-kens wrote to pta/eroaAy about three ?nontis hefore the Astor Plaea outhr? ak be had tlil-t to i say about a card which Totteot had puh : whi> hla rival was acllag in i'hii adelphla: "Is It true that yo i gave OUI 11!U I OUntrymaa, Mr. '?'?.?p-M, B.M f.? perpe? trate his pul n bed ? ard ' I ihlab II wag very little, do you know, it certalaly a IS w.uth UMM to yon ai A i -i wh?ath?ei ?? la II it.-.i him f'?r Mtlng SUCh I 1 "f dirt." ??;..! advertlalng Forreefs let-, ters may have heen worth aomethlni I low Dickens'? figures, yet they wer i worth much. But the riot In this clt: j was quite a different thing. Althougl Muiroady In the course of his last trlj . had come to despise Amerlc.im generally he still loved the American dollar. Or March 6, 1S49, he was writing In bis diary I **l-et me die In a ditch In Km-'Iand ra'hei ? than in tho Fifth avenue ?;f New Yorl? here?and SO mistake" Vet a few day? later he was counting up Ida gains and saying exultlngly: "Now. if I die, I leavt my family faaVaa?\ besides my furniture, plate, prints, etc." All three of his Amer ban tours were highly profitable. He re P?irts that he ?leared about PMH on his second tour. Hut the riot her?- nade it Impossible for him ever to set again in the I'niU'.l fitutea. There was n??ver any substantial basis for the Ma?-ready -Forrest feud, on which I much light Is thrown In Me ?oiup'ete e<li tlon of Maii-ea.ly ?liarles ?nil Ushsd re? cently by William Toynbe??. It grew out [ of HUSplclon on tin? part <?f I'or:?st and I his admirers that Ifacnaadp was rsspen* ajbls for mu? h of the harsh ?rltiilsm vis? ited on the American tragedlM when the latter appeared In London In IMC. On Macrcady's first visit to this coun? try, In \W, he had BMB Forrest, then a young man, play at the old I.owery Tbe atre. and had expressed the opinion that he bad the makings of a great actor. That from a p? rsoti of Macvealy 'fl jealous tem? perament was gener.i'is praise. On his second tour here. In 1M3-44, he. modified bis Judgment of I-'ot re.it somewhat, ?ay ? Ing that ttie latter ha?l filled to develop 'on the Intellectual aide and had been spoil..?i ?and minie Indcleal by too much flattery. Ifevertheleaa, h? had much plaaaanl aoctal latoraouna v>.;th Forreet, and In his diary nlwavs exp ? -I - admiration .?f the Am? rl ? m actor's ? bai - actor. When Forrest Visited LondOT t'.'.e Eng? Nab tragedian BOUghl him ?"it and In*. It???t' him to dinner. Ifacraady v\'..(.? in his diary ?-f this first meeting in Leaden: "Mkcd him much?a noble appearance ? and a manly, mild and Interesting de , m.-anor. I welcomed him, wished hin I success and invited hltn to my bouse.' He apparently wanted to see Korresi treated courteously by the critics, bui | was huffed a little when some of th? t London newspapers seemed t?) dwell or Forrest's ?iiuJIties as an actor In a way to dlspatage his own. Nevertheh-ss, h?: records several times that he tried to dissuade Parafer, the critic, a friend ot his, from bitterly attacking Forrest, and almost quarrelled with him on that issue. Forster was obstinate and kept on criti? cising Forrest mercilessly, and since he was an acknowledged adherent of Mac ready It was not difficult for Forrest's a?lmlrers to persuade him that the attacks were inspired by Macready's Jealousy. It Is by no means clear that they were, and when some time later Forrest at? tended a theatre in Kdlnburgh In which Mai]ready was acting Hamlet and boor? ishly stood up and hissed when his sup poeod malls ret i ting the lines "They are coming to the play, I must be Idle." Ifacready naturally took It a? an i ndcserved Ineult, Thereafter he ha ??! the Amerhan with a deadly hatred, and be was a man particularly given to vio? lent enmities. Forrest's side of the story was the only one eceaaatbla to the American public, which between !*-3?i and l?-?'.'*. always bad a Mg ?"lilp on Its shoulder so far as for? eign depreciation of anything American was concerned. In this country Forra was looked upon as a victim of Entbt envy and persecution, and when Macrea-, came hen- in I8t8.'*a popula: r-sr**s*ta)gj was still keen and assllp played ?2 The Knglishman had little trouble (, Hoston, where his tour oponed, 0r . lialtlmore and the various Southern ?a Southwestern cities which he vim?? Philadelphia. Forrest s home, and 3 York, where he had an enormous folio? ing, wer.? the storm centr?e, in l'hllad?? phla there was an BSChanga of abuSn statement? In the prca?, but no wrloi? trouble, but In this city several month later, Just as Ma? -ready Wgt re id y to-jj, bark for England, the storm broke. THE MAY 7 PERFORMANCE. He was booked to appeal for ? ihm engagement at the Astor Plans Opttt House under the management of M-n?. Nlblo and Hackett The Ural perform, anee was set Tor May 7. Ma' r.-ady t\t not understand the public s temper towa-i him and expected at least a polite ta c.-ption. It took him some time to realli? that the theatre was full ?.' nmamja WBo had com?: there with t!:e deliberate ?jag pose of insulting him and ? i. aklng *aj his engagement. What happened was graphically t0]?S I? the news columns of The New-York Trib? une of May 8, 1849. It Is aigniflcant of the inadequate machinery then exiitln? for keeping the newspaper reading pub lb' in touch with "human interest" occur? rences on the stage that the accola which follows was published aa a t,,ngU agate paragraph In a column of local miscellany, with only what is known to printers us a "side head." Hera la what The Trlbune'a representithe at the pa? formance wrote: THE TRIBUNE'S ACCOUNT. The Astor Place Opera House was the scene of a most disgrace! ul row last evin. Ing on tlie occasion of Mi M.i'-ready'i appearance. The play was .Macbeth.' The house was crowded As soon ii Macduif (Mr. <'. W, Clarke) made hlaap pearan<*S there ??sere ?er? for ?lark--: ' and when Mi. Ma ready pre? sented himself he ??...-? recetvsd wits cheers, waving of handker ?i efe groan*. hlaaea and all sorts of menagerie iiolm, which continued for a fea '?"?, dur? ing which time rotten toaa ana pennlefl were thrown ai-e and for l-'oi i-? at and I rea ly win given The p?a d ?-ill con tinning arid no oppori inlt? ??? :rig allowal ?or the play to be beat I I e i .-rformara went on with their pari st man? ner the] ? " ill M an l'ope, ai l???ly Ma? both, ?? after a , m i a '?'.'-'. wru Mai hath aa a panton Ime The i?cond scene ?? -I In th? sain.? manner, with th? thatth? tumuli waa greater ni t shown to \.u. ly Ma< beth. The r?)W < until m? the thud act, atill 1 "f th. - en t'i stage I sing p? Itad ttea ego, potatoea and pennies Mi Macraas. ; Icked up one of thi .id ven plac? 'i it ?? u last i couple of pieces Of WO d ?' the ap? pear ?nee of Bhlngles, wer? second tier and Mrs. Pope: this WSB I * '?.?i" :t"in the asme a indef m I ... .,,? .,.-:, , r] . movem? nt amona I ? doJ art down m tii? original Macb?ltj Aft.-r this three ? hairs a-ere ti i ?wn froa ond tier to tha it ???"tu nat? I) Injur? ?! ?.'? on??. Mr. Ma? read: the frat ments strewn around i to th? au.lien?- ,?nd m.? ? - ''urtai* dropped and Mr. Chl| -s-nt-4 (?intlntied on ????.??nth p?|? _ WHOLE YEAR IS NOW BLUEFISH SEASON FOR FULTON MARKET FLEET SO much has been written of th ?'loucester fleet and Its race to b first In the market, of Glouceste sklpp? rs who "crowd f-all" until theli marts threaten to go by the board anc of Gloucester dorymen cut off from theli vessels In the fogs and storms of th? (?rand Banks that the lay public hai been led to believe that Gloucester and not New York Is the true end only haver of the deep sea fisherman. This is not so. Step down to the Fulton and I'eekman slips some fine /nornlng when the fishing smacks are coming in. There 1s a fleet of fishing smacks at Fulton Market?there, at least, when they are not being battered about In the storms oft bleak Cape Hatteraa?whose crews and skippers rival the "Down Kasters" both in hardiness and enterprise, venturing as far as the Gloucester men to win the tremendous supply of blueflsh that New York ravenously demands each week In season?that Is to say, 830,000 pounds. Blueflsh, not cod?and there Is a great deal of difference In hauling a five to fljrteen pound streak of greased lightning In the shape of a blueflsh on a line that has to be wired within five feet of the hook to keep him from biting It off and In heaving over the gunwale a sagging, slimy and helpless codfish Impaled on a trawl hook and usually dead before he leaves the water. The New York smacks scour the coast for blueflsh as far south as Hatteras and even Florida, running to the nearest j market with all sails set to ship their cargoes by express or fcteamer to their owners In the dingy and odoriferous old building at Fulton and South streets, and then go hack to do It over again until warm weather and the northward run ol fish compel them to stay nearer horn? and to bring In their catch Iced In their own holds. They are beginning their northward course right now, and a few days more will see the trim and yacht-like schooners furling th"ir sails nt the Fulton docks while the bluelish are hoisted from their hohls in great baskets, hauled along the slimy wharves and propelled into the hurlyburly of one of the world's greatest fish marts, there to be sold In company .with Columbia River salmon, halibut from Alaska, red snappers from the Caro? linas or the Gulf, terrapin, flounders, flukes and the ubiquitous eel, beloved of the C-an-ay Island venders While the fish are being disposed of and the vessels are refitting for another trip, taking aboard water and supplies ?salt, Ice, gear and furnishings?brown and ?veather-stained fishermen are bawl? ing greetings at the friends from neigh? boring vessels and sauntering along the wharves puffing at black pipes. Their tobacco has a tang that smites the nostril above the whiff of the tarred lines, the empty bait barrels, above the smoke from the galleys and the thousand and one smells that accompany the odor of flsh. raw flsh, ever present and universal at the end of Fulton street, as It has been for nearly a h-indred years. But the vessels themselws are the most lab usting feature of the great sea In- I dustry that is being carried on tln-if? ? the saucy, low hulled fishing smacks with i their sails furle?l and their halyards sl.uk and ?Ihelr skippers engaged In spinning yarns on their wave scoured, tar seamed decks. There Is no nickel plate, enamel or ?rarajab about the fishing ve-s,l-. m? brass studded Wheel or sumptuous bin- I nuil?.- to delight the heart of the land lubber. The bulwarks arc crusted with salt and scales, the ?lories an- piled OB deck ?ikt? papa? box? s, on the f.ir?-niost ritSlng are hoisted Jt,!?ji*)s and oilskins t and brawny men In their undershirts are leaning out of the hatchways, loafing In anticipation of a stroll along th?1 How.-rv. They are husky and not unattractive fellows, these fishermen, In spite of their obvious need of a shave when they come ashore." Many of them have a dusky tan that Is not due to the sea alone, for In the New York fleet as elsewhere the Portuguese are now the mainstay of the Industry. Ten years ago the crews were made up mostly of Norwegians and Swedes, some I of whom have graduated to the rank of captain by this time, while others have ( purchased oyster sloops or power boats and gone Into scratch fishing for them? selves. The Fulton fishermen are well fed while at sea and well paid for the work that they do. Thlrty-flve dollars a month and their keep is assured to thc-m. and In addition to this, ami what sometimes amounts to the greater part . of their profits, they get a certain per eeutage of tlM money made on every flsh that they catch, aometitnea rollin,l(i< conalderable sums in the course of * ^ weeks. For those among them th? resist the customary lures so a**Lg\ ".lack ashore" there is the I"si?b^1 '^ saving both money ami credit, 0' ^ failings of the sailor are ^roverbUU^^ as one of them said to a Tribune reP? The sober ones no after the drU" otO** Balling time, ata! the whole hunch ^ gets pickled. Then the cap n ,0** , ?? self arid has the very devil of ?' ^ pull tlrem out an?! get them ab0*"rn trjlf of them are soused to the ears a puis to sea. and it takes a day ?r ^ get them to rights again TnW ^ they'll come aboard when they n< ^ horn for sailing, but they hidrt.,ygt the bar when they do hear It- ^ as they've got a cent left In their P**** you ?an't trust 'em" . g One of the men who has made t^ the tishlng game and is known ? Continued en fifth P*?