The age-herald., 1897-12-17
For Sg Time Member of Henry
 Iving's Company.
DREAM OF rERRIs's uNDERsruD9
On the Night Before Seemed a Forecast of Some Evil to the Celebrated Actor The Assassin Is Evidently in q
 State of Mental liberation.

London Dec. 16-William Ferris, tho we'll known actor, was assassinated, being stabbed with 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 paye4 ment from his cab and stabbed him just below the heart As the actor fell his murderer was seized by people who were outside the theater. The wounded man was carried into the theater and docl tors were called from the Charing Cross hospital, but Ferris expired in fifteen min. utes
 Was a Foreigner
 The assassin had the appearance of q foreigner and wore long cloak.
 Ferris fell, shouting: My God! He's stabbed me; don't let him escape!' The assassin withdrew the dagger and made second plunge at his victim, but he was seized by the spectators, of whom there was large crowd about the stage en- trance to witness the arrival of the acs tors.
 MT. Ferris was placed on the landing of the stairway just inside the theatre, where he lay grooming loudly. Once or twice he attempted to speak, but it was impossible. He quickly succumbed while surrounded by the theater staff. j
 The murderer was taken to Bow street police station, followed by angry crowd. : His name was given Archer It is said that he had been super at the Adelphi theatre several years ago and for some days past had haunted the theatre.
 Asked About Ferris
 large audience had already assembled for the evening performance, and the man. ager came to the footights and announced that as MT. Ferris had met with an acci- dent no performance would be given to1 night. It appears that the assassin last evening asked the keeper of the stage env trance as to the whereabouts of MT. Ter- ris, and his behavior was then so obnox- ious that Harry Nichols, one of the prin- cipal colleagues of MT. Ferris, was obliged to remonstrate and to order him to leave the premises.
 The scenes along the Strand at the hour when the theater closed tonight were rec markable. By that time the special edi- tions of the evening papers were out, and the newsboys were shouting around the theater exits that MT. Ferris had been murdered. At first the people refused to place any credence in the report, but when they found it was true horror and indigna. tion generally were expressed.
 When Archer arrived at the police stas tion he still held the weapon, apparently a big butcher knife, concealed under his cloak. When charged with the murder, he said "He drove me out of the benevolent fund this morning and I am out of 1t for life."
 The murderer was placed in a cell and ia under a special watch tonight.
 Foretold By Dream
 The understudy of the deceased actor tells a curious story of how last night he dreamed he saw MT. Ferris lying on a landing surrounded by crowd and raving. He says: "I told my colleagues this morn- ing, and could not get the horrible dream off my mind the whole day. Judge of my horror arriving at the theater tonight just as the deed was perpetrated. believe that but for the police the crowd would have lynched Archer"
 Another member of the Adelphi coniA pany says the assassin was known at thS theater as Mad Archer" and that when ordered out of the theater last night he muttered, Not yet" Others say that Archer nursed a revenge against MT. Ter- ris before he left his employment at the theater More than once he stood in the wings and indulged in sarcastic comments on Mr. Ferris acting, such as Fools often succeed where men of genius fail"
 Archer made no attempt to escape. When seized he offered to go quietly to the polics station.
 Miss Millwar. his leading woman, when 1t was seen that MT. Ferris was dying conn p,etey broke down with grief.
 William Ferris was born in London, Oca tober IS. 1851, and came of an excellent family. His father was Kentish county gentleman, and his mother a sister of th9 celebrated historian of Greece the latS George Groot. Ferris was a nom de theatsft the real name of the deceased actor bein6 William Levin. K $ When a boy of i3 he entered the royal
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