JOHN AUGUSTUS STONE, an actor, born in Concord, Mass., in 1801, died
near Philadelphia, Pa., June 1, 1834. His first appearance on the
stage was made in Boston, and his debut in New York occurred July 10,
1822, at the Park Theatre, as _Old Hardy_ in _The Belle's Stratagem_,
and _Old Pickle_ in _The Spoiled Child_. He was for a long time
identified with the Bowery and Chatham Theatres. The prize of five
hundred dollars offered by Mr. Edwin Forrest for the best American
play, was awarded to Mr. Stone in 1829, for his drama in verse,
_Metamora_, long and successfully played by Mr. Forrest. He
subsequently received from Mr. Forrest one thousand dollars for his
drama, _The Ancient Briton_, which, as well as another drama from his
pen, _Fauntleroy, the Banker of Rome_, were produced by Forrest. He
was also author of _La Roque_, _The Regicide_, _Tancred of Sicily_,
and Yankee Hill's famous play, _The Knight of the Golden Fleece_,
always the most popular of that comedian's plays. He drowned himself
in the Schuylkill River, near Philadelphia, in a fit of mental
derangement. Mr. Forrest erected a very handsome monument to his
memory.
TANCRED; OR, THE SIEGE OF ANTIOCH. A Drama in Three Acts.
Philadelphia, 1827. 16mo, pp. 45.