Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-04-02
AN ACTRESS SAD FATE.

Alice Wren ERtd ia have been Muir
dered by African Savages rhe
YOu0gest sem6er of NOied
Theatrical Family.
A New York paper prints this !:
Wherever in the civilized world,
from Sweden to New South Wales,
there is a theater, doubtless the
name of Wren is known and pleas
antly remembered, for, since twenty
odd years ago, William Wren, an
English actor, came to America with
his six children, the Wrens have
travelled over the world with differ
ent companies. William Wren died
after his wife had borne him three
more children in America, and the
five sons and three of the daughters
were organized into the Wren Ju-
venile Troupe, which was well
known to New York theater-goers
nineteen years ago. The youngest
daughter, Alice Wren, was then
three years old, and was not mem
ber Of the troupe, although she
occasionally, even then, made her
appearance on the stage in juvenile
parts. She was, however, her mo-
theirs especial pet, and Mrs. Wren,
having seen eight of her children
adopt their fathers profession, was
anxious that Alice should not go
on the stage. When she died she
left Alice to the care of one of her
older sons, John Wren, enioining
him to use his influence to keep
this daughter from adopting the
profession.
The Wren juvenile troupe was in
the course Of time dissolved, the
daughters marrying and the sons
scattering in various parts of the
world. All of them, however, re-
mained on the stage, and little
Alice lived with one and another
in turn. Some four years ago she
went to live with her sister Eliza,
who is married to Mr.. f. NJ. Bates,
and who with her husband has
for some years been acting in Cali
fornia and different parts Of Aus.
lralaia. About two years ago
Alice, who inherited, as did all the
family, a decided musical talent
and strong dramatic instincts,
showed such obstinacy in her de-
termination to follow the stage
that her sister, Mrs. Bates, finding
it useless to persist in opposition,
gave way, and procuring for Alice
an engagement in Nine Cora's
opera troupe placed her under the
especial care of Nine cora.
, Nine Cora's troupe, which was
in reAlity theatrical rather than
operatio, Travelled through Australia
for a time, and last year went to
the southern part Of Africa, where
they gave entertainments IN Cape
Colony and in the diamond fields,
travelling almost constantly until
the end of the year. Letters were
received by different members Of
the Wren family from their sister
bearing dates up to December IA,
1876, which was Alice's twenty
second birthday, but since then the
only intelligence received is con-
tained in a late letter stating that
the entire troupe had been muir
dered by saVages early in January.
The intelligence is not fully
credited by Miss Wren's relatives,
but it has been impossible up Ia
the present date to get either a con-
frmation or a denial Of it. Miss
Wren was. once before reported
dead, having been extremely i'll dur;
ing the passage from Australia to
Africa, and the contradiction Of the
former report inspires her friepdt
with the hope that this may alsC
prove uHtrue.
Extracts from some of Miss
Wren's latest letters have been fur.
nished for publication. 1t will bt
seen that a hint of possible trouble
with the natives is given, but it il
thought possible that the troupe
went to Mauritius, as the writei
said was intended, although in {
slip inclosed in the last letter sh,
directs them not to write agaiI
until she should send a new address