Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1908 — THE TACON THEATER. [ARTICLE]

THE TACON THEATER.

Havana’s Famous Playhouse Haa an Interesting History. The history of the Tacon theater of Havana is very Interesting. In the year 1835 Francisco Marty, who was then the leader of a band of pirates which Infested the island of Cuba and who had a price of SIO,OOO on his head was captured and ordered to be put to death. Seeing there was no hope for Mm, he asked leave to see General Tacon, who was then governor general of Havana, and told him if Ms life was spared he would denounce his entire band and assist him in ridding the island of the number of pirates which Infested it at that period. Accordingly General Tacon gave him a two weeks’ parole, and inside of a week Marty had denounced his fellow pirates and turned them over to the government. For this service he was pardoned. In 1836 Marty asked for the concession to build a national theatre on the site of Parque Central. It was granted to bfrn. General Tacon went further and allowed him the privilege of the nee of forty convicts who were then confined in Morro cast’.e to assist him in the work, each convict receiving the sum of 20 cents a day. In 1838 the theater wap finished, and Marty, as a proof of the gratitude he felt toward General Tacon for sparing his life, named it El Teatro Tacon. During the insurrection in Cuba many exciting incidents took place here. In one instance a regiment of Cuban insurgents barricaded themselves in the theater and it against the Spaniards for three days. Finally they were starved out, and as they were making their escape all were shot. The theater is built of white stone, with decorations of marble, and faces Central park, being in the center of the fashionable district of Havana. It is one of the largest theaters In the world, seating over 8,000 persons. Cuban Review.