Articles on a violent disagreement at Niblo’s Garden and the ensuing distrust of English actors

In a letter to the editor of the New York Herald, Dominick Murray outlines Tayleure’s physical attack on him some nights prior at Niblo’s Garden. He references Tayleure’s published account of the altercation, which he notes appeared “yesterday” in a “grandiloquent card,” which Music in Gotham could only find published in the 07/17/69 <i>New York Clipper</i> article on the subject of this feud (that article is included here).

Tayleure’s defensive response to Murray’s letter of 07/14/69.

“Muscularly Inclined.—The members of the sock and buskin who flock to the city every summer to seek fresh fields and pastures for the following fall and winter season, were never so largely represented as at the present time. The popular resort for the boys is the vestibule of Niblo’s Garden and the entrance to the bar room of the Metropolitan Hotel. Here are to be seen, every morning, from half past ten o’clock until half past one, managers from all the principal cities in the country, also actors of every grade, from the leading to the utility man, all anxiously awaiting, like Micawber the great, for something to turn up. Among the motley party may be seen skirmishing about the poor advance agent or business manager, trying to fill up the time for the season with managers for his star. There never was a season when managers were so slow to arrange with stars, many of the former not knowing exactly how far ahead to engage, and stars are also similarly disposed. As day by day goes by, and many of the actors have not yet been secured, they naturally grow irritable, and the least thing causes many of the boys, who, no doubt, lament over the decline of the P. R., and the quietness of the stock board (as the meeting of the actors is called), to be of a bellicose disposition. On Tuesday noon, July 6th, we counted ninety-six actors and managers assembled in and about the vestibule of the Metropolitan Hotel, all quietly talking upon different subjects, and so far as was noticeable, quiet reigned in Warsaw. But this was not to remain so long, as will be seen by the following. Among the party assembled in the vestibule was to be seen Clifton W. Tayleure, late manager of the Grand Opera House, one who enjoys the reputation of a gentleman, yet, at the same time ever ready to resent an insult. While there, who should appear upon the scene but Dominick Murray, an English actor, lately arrived from London, and who is the husband of Josephine Fiddes, who was brought to this country from England by Mr. Tayleure, to play Miranda, in the ‘Tempest.’ But the following card from Mr. Tayleure will explain the meeting of the two parties:—

[Tayleure writes that Murray approached him in the vestibule and demanded a “written retraction” of an insult (the nature of which is described below). Upon his refusal to do so, “two blows passed.”]

We saw Mr. Murray at the Grand Opera House that night in company with his wife. His eyes were slightly discolored, and he had a cut under his left eye. In his hand he carried a fox hunting whip, which appeared to be very solid and heavy at one end. This little emeute was taken up by a number of other actors and made of a national character, several vowing vengeance on all English actors, and wondering that Mr. Murray should have come 3,000 miles to get what he, no doubt, could have been accommodated with at home. It was reported by many that he had crossed the water expressly to have a rencontre with Mr. Tayleure for having insulted his wife, in discharging her from the Opera House for her incompetency. But we do not for a moment suppose that such was the cause of his visit here. This little row brought up considerable argument and led to other personal rows. Two well known actors, of different nationalities, got into a warm discussion on Broadway, near the Olympic Theatre, a few hours after, which resulted in the American actor knocking the Londoner completely out of time, and he quickly picked himself up and left. Two others met in the bar-room of the Metropolitan, when words ran high, and, as a certain star actor raised his arm to strike an English actor for some uncalled for remarks on American actors, he was quickly removed by his friends. Another western manager, who was slightly overcome, probably by the warm weather, attacked an actor in the entrance to the Metropolitan, and, with an egg in each hand, made a break for the son of Thespis, crushing both eggs in his face, causing him to to present an eggstraordinary appearance; then, stepping forward, he exclaimed, with open hands:--"Come on, I am unarmed." Another actor, who has not been in this country long, spoke in too plain terms regarding the conduct of Mr. Tayleure to a friend of the latter as he struck first an attitude and next the nose of the before-mentioned gentleman. This ended the day's sport, but it is not likely that the final end to this affair has come, for a strong feeling exists against English actors among those "to the manner born," and angry discussions are heard wherever  an assemblage of actors are to be found. They complain of the rush of foreign actors to this country, who, with less talent, command large salaries, and without scarcely an exception are gobbled up by American managers in preference, while those who possess equally as great, if not more ability, are compelled to walk around with their hands in their pockets, and nothing to do. This is the fault of managers, and not actors, and we cannot see why the poor actor should suffer while the manager is permitted to walk quietly on."