Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-09-15
FRAYNE'S FATAL SHOT.
American Parallel 10 the Rece
shooting on the German Stage.

A Amcricon Parallel 10 the Recent
shooting on the German Stage.
The conviction of n German expert
narksman in a Berlin court of the
crime of '.pandering to the public lust
for excitement" was the result of an
accident almost identical III every de-
tail with tragedy that occurred some
years ago in this country. About six
weeks ago in n Berlin music hall
marksnan attempted to shoot an apple
from the head of n young girl. He had
frequently accomplished the feat be-
fore with success. But through some
inaccuracy in aim the bullet, instead OF
passing through the apple, struck the
woman In the head and killed her in
stantly, He was sentenced for this to
six months' Imprisonment. There was
no charge Of negligence or criminal In
tent. So the charge that he had at
tempted to 'pander to the public lust
for excitement" was invented to fit his
case.
The victim Of the American TRACED.
was Annie Won Behrea. and Ihe mpI
who shot her was Frank !, Prayne.
who, when he retired from the stage.
had made fortune through his expert.
ness as n marksman. For many years
he had travelled through the United
States acting in a play called Isl Slo;
cum" II wns 2 r9iigh;aRd-ready piece.
devised chiefly 10 exhibll his skill m
shooting and In the management of
wild animals. He carried whole men,
ngerie about with him, and this method
of e-h:hiting his talents bad been
adopted after an UNSUCCESSFUL eareen
as an actor. His wife, Clara Butler,
who used ts sing ih his plays and act
the part of AIRS Slocpm, was for 4 lon;
time ths woman on whom his feats of
shooting were tried. One OF the best
known OF these was tnat in which.
standing with his back to her, he shot
an apple from her head, and as In the
story Of William Tell. this Incident was
crucial ene ia tha play. when a.is
wife died, young Brooklyn girl
named Annie yen Behre9 took her
place In the company. The apple shoot
ing feat was successfully continued for
three years. 1t was done every night
and frequently twice at the many natl.
Ices given in the cheap theaters at
which Frayne appeared.
Toward the end of November. 1882
the company reached a t6ea,er in Gin
cinnati known as the Coliseum. 1t had
been opened only TWO weeks when IS!
Slocunl'' was acted there. On Thanks
giving Day there were more than 2,OC0
persons IN the theatef pt the extra mat,
!nee, The play progressed to the scene
In which the apple was to be shot from
Mrs. Slocum's head, The apple WIS
placed on the girls head and Frayne
took aim and fired. AS they heard the
crack Of the rife, the spectators saw
Miss Won Behren fall to the stage with
= spot OF bloed on her forehead. The
actor turned and. seeing what had ~.
CURED, ran TO the spot where the girl
lay and fell fainting by her side The
curtnil arapped Immediately, and the
manager appeared before the curtain
to announce that the play would be
brought to an end Immediately. Some
of the audience mad supposed that the
scene was a part of the play. But it
was soon whispered about that the girl
had been killed, The holiday crowd In
the streets heard the report. and before
long several thousand people had gath.
cred In front of the building, although
nobody knew certainly of the tragedy
Inside.
The girl died within = few minutet
after the bullet struck her over the left
eye. Frayne who was frantic with ex-
citement, was locked up. The apple
was four inches above her head on q
hat. md the accidental use Of defect.
I've cartridge was the cause of her
death. Frayne protested that there
was no danger in the backward shot, as
1t had repeatedly been done without
serious results. The coroner's jury re-
leased him and he declared that he
would never shoot again. But after
brief retirement he returned to the
stage and acted in his drama for nine
years longer. although he never re
peated the backward shot with wom=
an, and indeed abandoned the play in
which the accident occurred.
1t is said of the German that he waa
about to marry the girl he killed, and
the same story was told Of Frayne and
Miss Won Behren. lie died about six
years ago, and the shock he received
when he killed the girl is said to have
impaired his health seriously.
The shot that killed Miss Won BehreI
seems to have had fatal effect on
plays Of this class, Twenty years ago
they We're highly popular. and they
continued 80 down to very recent
date. But they have almost wholly dis
appeared from the stage nOw.-New
Varly Sn,