The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-17
AN ACTOR ASSASSINATED.
STABBED TO THE HEART AT A
STAGE DOOR BY A SUPER.

seized Dy BySiNnuefs AS He " as
Trying to Plunge His Dagger Into
His Victim the Second Time.
London, Dec. 16.-Wnliam Terriss, a
velI-known actor, was assassinated, being
stabbed with a knife, as he was entering
the stage door of the Adelphi theater to-
night.
The murderer rushed at the actor as
he was stepping across the pavement from
his cab and stabbed him just below the
heart Doctors were called from the
Charing Cross hospital, but Terriss eX-
pired in fifteen minutes.
The assassin had the appearance of
foreigner and wore a long cloak.
Terris fell shouting: MY God he's stab
bed me! Don't let him escape.
The assassin withdrew the dagger and
made a second plunge at his victim, but
he was seized by the spectators, of whom
there was a large crowd about the stage
entrance, to witness the arrival of the
actors.
Mr.. Terriss was placed on the landing
of the stairway, just inside the theater,
where he lay groaning loudly. Once or
twice he attempted to speak, but 1t was
impossible. He quickly succumbed while
surrounded by the theater staff.
The murderer was taken to Bow street
police station, followed by an angry
crowd His name was given as Archer.
the Adelphi theater several years ago, and
for some days past he has haunted the
theater The motive for the crime is not
yet known
A large audience had already assem-
bed for the evening performance; and
the manager came 70 the tootlghts and
announced that as Mr. Terriss had met
with an accident no performance would
be given tonight
1t appears that the assassin last even
ing asked the keeper of the stage entrance
as to the whereabouts of Mr.. Terriss, and
his behavior was then so obnoxious that
Harry Nichols, one of the principal col
leagues of Mr.. Terriss, was obliged to
demonstrate and to order him to leave
the premises.
The scenes along the Strand at the hour
when the theater closed tonight was re
markable. By that time the special edi-
tions of the evening papers were out and
the newsboys were shouting around the
theater exits that Mr. Terriss had been
murdered AT first the people refused to
place any credence in the report, but
when they found it was true, horror and
Indignation were generally expressed.
When Archer arrived at the police sta
ton, he still held the weapon, apparently
q big butcher knife, concealed beneath his
cape.
on being charged with murder he is re-
ported to have replied He's done me
out of the benevolent fund this morning
and / am out of it for life"
The murderer was placed in a cell and
is under special watch for the night.
The understudy of the deceased actor
tells a curious story of how last night he
dreamed he saw Mr. Terriss lying on a
landing surrounded by a crowd and raving.
He says: 81 told my colleagues this
morning and could not get the horrible
dream off my mind the whole day. Judge
of nv horror on arriving "A the thpatpr to-
night just as the deed was perpetrated.
believe that but for the police the crowd
would have lynched Archer
Another member of the Adelphi Com
pany says the ASSASSIN was known at the
theater as Mad Archer" and that when
ordered off the premises last night he NUT
tered, mot yet"
Others say that Archer nursed a griev-
ance against Mr.. Terriss, even before he
left his employment at the theater. More
than once he stood in the wings and in
dulged in sarcastic comments on Mr.. Ter
riss' acting, such as Fools often succeed
in life where men of genius fail"
The assassin made no attempt to escape.
When seized he offered to go quietly to the
police station.
Miss Millwarr when IL was seen that
MIR. Terriss was dying, completely broke
down with grief.
Oct. Is, 1851 and came of an excellent fam
lily. His father was a Kentish county
gentleman, and his mother a sister of the
celebrated historian of Greece, the late
George Grote Terriss was nom de the
ater, the real name of the deceased actor
being William levin.
When a boy of 13 he entered the Royal
English navy as a midshipman, but the
discipline of the service proved too much
of a restraint and he forsook the navy for
the merchant marine. Sailing for Aus
tralia, he there followed many vocatons
successfully; was an engineer,a bank clerk,
an emplOye of the stock exchange and Of
tobacco and wine houses. During this
period he was sort of jack of all trades
His restless spirit demanded further
change, and he sailed for Calcutta with
the intention of joining his elder brother,
Col Levin, in tea planting. 1t proved
an eVentful voyage, for the ship was
wrecked in a cyclone at the mouth of the
River Hoogley. and all but four of the
ships company were lost. Terriss saved
his life by swimming. After six months
of tea planting he returned to England
and decided to become an actor His first
full-fedged engagement was at Birmng-
ham, where he appeared in a subordinate
part in the company of Nine. Celeste.
In 1873 he went to Lexington, KY, to
Join Mr. Tattersall in horse breeding, but
there he became stranded, and was forced
To make his way back to England. Re
turning to the stage, he settled down to
hard work, exhibited capacity and versa
tility and attracted the favorable notice
of the London press. When Henry Irving
in 1880, made his. memorable revival in
Romeo and Juliet" at the Lyceum the
ater, he invited Mr.. Terriss to play Mer-
Quito. Then began an arrangement which
continued with greatest profit to Irving
and greatest ecat to Terriss.
After leaving the Lyceum Company he
played Romeo to the Juliet of Miss Mary
Anderson at the Lyceum theater for 200
nights. He then entered upon the career
of a star, and, save for occasional provin-
cial and foreign i@lrs, had since regned
supreme at the Adelphi theater the leading
melo-dramatic house in London. He was
the idol of the Adelphi pit, and long ago
endeared himself to the great mass of
London play-goers by his sterling qualities
as an actor and man.
His last role, the one he has been playing
for some months, is the one made famous
in this country by William Gillette in Sc
cret Service"
London, Dec. II. a. m.-The body was