Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1909 — MODJESKA’S CAREER IS CLOSED RY DEATH [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MODJESKA’S CAREER IS CLOSED RY DEATH

Famous Actress Passes Away In California Home.

Los Angeles, Cal., April 9.—Mme. Modjeska. the famous actress, died in a stupor, after a hard fight to conquer

an illness with which she was stricken several weeks ago. Mme. Modjesta was born Helena Marie Benda, at Cracow, Poland, Oct. 12, 1844. Her father was a musician of high standing, and two of her brothers have distinguished themselves on the stage. She was married at sixteen and went on the stage a year later. Her success was marked. About twenty-five years ago, wearying of the stage in Poland and Russia, Mme. Modjeska and her literary husband, Count Bozenta, went with a colony of literary, musical and artistic young men and women to live on a cooperative ranch at Anaheim, in the vicinity of Los Angeles. In two years the colony broke up. The countess then resolved to go on the American stage and retrieve her heavy losses in the colony. By extraordinary work and study almost day and night for ten months the countess was able to play In English roles she had formerly played In Polish and French.

MADAME MODJESKA.