Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-04-12
4 Thrilling Tragedy.

A YOUNG ACTRESS SHOT DEAD ON THE
STAGE IN SHOOTING AN APPLE OFF
HER HEAD.
A terrible tragedy occurred last Friday
evening at The Opera House, in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island, during one Of those sensa-
tional and reckless exhibitions in marks
lnanship, originally introduced ON the
stage by Frank Frayne and his wife, Miss
Clara Butler. In this instance the holder
of the rifle was woman, and she instant
ly killed another woman who was holding
the apple aimed at, on her head. a tele-
gram says:
On Monday last variety company hail
ing from the Mozart Garden, in the city
of Brooklyn, N. Y, commenced an en-
gagement at the PaWtucket Opera House,
Their performance being OF an ordinary
character except the feats in rifle shoot
ing by Mrs. Jennie Fowler, whose stage
name is M sS Jennie Franklin. She usual
| ly began by firing At target and at varl-
| Gus objects, closing that part OF her ler-
formance by shooting at an apple placed
| On the head Of another member OF the
company known as Mile. Volante, who
also appeared as trapeze performer.
In order to intensity the sensational
| character of this act, Miss Franklin, IN
| stead OF taking direct aim at the apple on
| Mile. Volante's head faced in an opposite
| direction. and obtained her rangeby means
| of a small mirror placed at the wing. The
mirror has to be arranged at such an an
| gle that it's face will bring TIE face OF the
person supporting the apple directly in the
centre of the glass The holder of the
| rifle places the weapon over her right
shoulder. keeping the trigger guard pressed
close and steady to her shoulder, and then
takes aim through the sights at the reflec-
ted image before her. The trick has been
repeatedly accomplished with success, but
it requires great GOODNESS and steadlness to
strike the reflected apple with precision,
and has always been deemed foolhardy
and dangerous experiment.
| This evening the variety entertainment
passed off as usual until the Tifle-shootlng
act, when the audience was Mortified by
| seeing the unfortunate trapeZe performer
shot dead Miss Franklin displayed con-
siderable skill in hitting her target and
other objects while firing directly at them,
and she seemed confident and assured when
the final feat was to be attempted. Mile.
Volante stepped alertiy to her station,
smiling at the audience as she did so.
Placing the apple, an ordinary sized Que,
on the top OF her head where it rested In
eeo
a statue. Miss Franklin also took her
station near the footlights in front OF the
mirror, and deliberately aimed over her
shoulder through the glass at her Inflated
friend The audience sat in silence, curl
ously watching the performers, when sud
denly the trigger was pulled, and at the
same instant shrek resounded through
tie hall as the unfortunate VOiante fell
forward Oh the stage.
Everything was now in confusion both
before and behind the footlights, the au-
dience being in state OF terror at the de-
nouen1ent Of what promised to be only a
pleasant bit of sensation. At first it was
supposed that Mile. Volante had been
wounded, but it was not many minutes be
fore the news spread that the woman had
been instantly killed, the fatal bullet having
entered her forehead and pierced the
brain.
Miss Franklin was immediately placed
under arrest by the local police, and is now
locked up to await the action of the coro-
ner. Size seemed to be half crazed with
horror at the occurrence, only realizing the
reckiessness of her act when 1T Was too
late
Mile. Volante was trapeZe performer,
having gore to Pawtucket from Brooklyn,
n. Y, playing while there at Mozart Gar
den. She was of Irish descent. and her
real name was Lotte Maloy. She was Il
native of the town Of Phelps, near Clifton
Springs, in New York, where her mother
is still living. She was twenty three years
old and of good. appearance, with very
dark hair, fair complexion and light blue
eyes. She had not been a public perfor-
mer more than a year. This was thethird
night she had taken the part that she WAS
performing Wien shot. The person
handling the rifle was Mrs. jennie Fowler,
who goes by the name OF Franklin ON the
stage She resides in Brooklyn. She says
she has shot the rife for about three years,
| but this is her fifth week on the stage in
public. The barrel of the rifle was two
| feet in length, and carried a No. % short
bullet, the smallest size used in a rifle. She
regrets exceedingly the accident, and says
| that she will now forever abandon the
STAGE