Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-06
FRAYNE'S GUN.

FRAYNE'S GUN.
Career of the Actor Who Shot Miss v i,
Behren on the Stage-Dangerous Stag
Shooting-The Pugilist Clark Piercing
Potato on a Boys Head With Bullets.
philadelphia Times.l
The news of the shooting of Miss Vo,
Behren by Frank Frayne in Cincin
natl, during the performance of ''Si Slo
cum," created the deepest interest in Phil
adelphia, where the actor has many close
friendi, and among the members of the
theatrical profession there were ex
pressions of the deepest sympathy fol
him as well as sorrow for the poor girl
herself. His daring practices, however
have long been condemned, and m; NJ
managers were averse to permitting
him to perform in their houses
the particular feat which has
now resulted SO unfortunately. Manager
Gallagher, of the Grand Central theater,
In speaking of the matter, said: "Frayne
played an engagement in my house and I
was uneasy and dissatisfied the entire
week. Indeed was glad when Saturday
night came. I always feared that some
thing of this kind might happen at any
time. We gave him a date to reappear
this winter, but since making the arrange
ments would have gladly Cancelled the
contract"
FRAMES THEATRICAL CAREER.
Frayne was a drawing feature every
where, and could always command good
terms. He began his theatrical career as a
captain of the supernumeraries in what
was formerly Woods theater, Cincinnati,
but he is native of the neighborhood of
Frankfort, Kentucky. He worked
his way gradually up in his profession.
until he became leading man. One day
he asked Clifton w. Tayleure, the present
manager for Frank Chanfrau, who is now
at the Arch Street theater, to furnish him
with Western drama, and. the author
claims to have written Isl Slocum" during
his spare hours on railroad trains. Mr..
Tayleure says he took such little pride in
the composition that he did. not even put
his name to it nor did he care to acknowl
edge its paternity. But through it medium
Frayne soon won his position among the
He had been an expert marksman from
his early boyhood in his Kentucky home.
and the feats of skill which he introduced
into the play were one of the chief elements
of its popularity. He performed variety
of dangerous feats besides the celebrated
backward shot, by which Miss Won Beh-
rem met her death. He would sometimes
shoot potato or a coin from the hand of
T,ncv S1ncnrp md ho y1coA 10
bullet rope to which the negro comedian
was hung, thereby relieving the man from
what was intended to represent an execu-
ton.
HIS REMARKABLE DOG.
Another dangerous feature of Isl Slo-
cum" was the antics of Frayne's big mas
tiff. Jack" He was presented to the &C
tor in Omaha many years ago and had
been trained to play most important
part in the piece. At the right moment,
just as one of the numerous villains was
triumphing, 'Jack'' would rush to the res
cue, seize the wretch by strap which was
attached about the mans neck and drag
him down. The dogs sagaclty was aston
ishing, and he never failed to mind his
cues, or to go for the right man.
But in his old age he became very ill
tempered and it was dangerous for any
but Frayne and his brother-in-law, Robert
Butler, to approach him. Once Frayne
took him behind the stage of Bidwell's
Academy of Music, New Orleans, after he
had finished his performance at another
house, and Jack, seeing a struggle on the
stage between several actors, hurried away
to take a hand. 1t is unnecessary to say
that the strugglers left him in undis puted
possession of the entire stage. Nearly two
years ago Frayne went to Europe and in
London the Lord Mayor refused to allow
him to perform his backward shot, so it
was omitted, but other feats almost as
dangerous were introduced instead.
HIS LAST PERFORMANCE HERE.
duced play, based upon the Nihilist
movement in Russia, entitled ''Mardo, the
Hunter" in which a real lion was used.
The beast was, however, a superanuated
one and was not thought to be very dan
gerous. Frayne spent much of his spare
time in this city, where he has played nu-
merous engagements. His last appearance
here was on Sept. =. at the New National
theater. His home is at Negiey-
vile, Bucks county, where he has
owned small farm for several
years. He is exceedingly popular, both
in and out of the profession. He has had
but one serious accident to happen in his
exhibitions besides this one. That was
when he shot his wife in the hand several
years ago, In performing his backward
shot, at first Lucy Slocum used to wear a
steel plate hidden beneath her hat, but as
ne became more confident this precaution
was discarded.
CHANFRAU'S TERRIBLE MISTAKE.
Frank Chanfrau, now playing sKit'' at
the Arch street theater,telis of an interest
ing incident that impressed q lesson of
caution upon his mind that will not be
easily forgotten. Il was filing an engage
ment at the Holiday street theater, Balti-
more,many years ago." he says, ''and Of
course Kit was the play. In the piece
l use two of my own revolvers, and at that
time entrusted the loading of them to
the property man. On the particular night
to which I refer, his assistant, mere boy,
had been left in charge of the properties
for while and when it was time for him
to deliver my pistols to me he discovered
that they had not been loaded.
cit was too late for him to begin to load,
for the curtain was up and 1 was waiting
for him. The boy, in fear of being GEN.
sured severely for his NEGLECT ran excited