The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
FRANK I. FRAMES F4T4L SHOT.
An American Parallel to the Recent Fatal
Shooting on the Stage In Germany.

The conviction Of q German expert narksman
in a Berlin court of the crime Of "pandering 10
the public lust for excitement was tho result OF
an accident almost identical in every detail with
n tragedy that occurred some years ago In this
country. About six weeks ago in a Berlin music
hall a marksman attempted to shoot an apple
from the head Of n young girl. He had fire.
quently accomplished the feat before with suo-
cess. 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 intent. SO the charge
that he had attempted TO "pandcr TO the public
lust for excitement" wos invented TO Mt his case.
The victim Of the American tragedy was An
ME Won Behrcn, and the man who shot her was
Frank L. Fraync, who. when he retired from the
stage. had made u fortune through his EXPERT
ness as a marksman. For many years he had
travelled through the United States acting in .
play called Isl Slocum." 1t was a rough-and-
ready piece. devised chiefly TO exhibit his skill
in. shooting, and in the management OF
%iia s" dP"n' wI III S SnTr'D and th Ih'l Seth %si
OF exhibiting his talents had been adopt
ed after an unsuccessful career AS an actor.
HE wife, Clara Butler, who used 10 sing in. his
plays and act the part OF Mrs. Slocun,. was for a
long time the woman on whom his feats Of
these WAS that in which, standing with his back
TO her. he sho, az apple from her head, and as
crucial one in the play. When his wife died. .
young Brooklyn girl name Annie Won. Behr' n
i i"Sf ia hsT Ras s in !es SiGmPlP' aon, hhS %SppF os sheet lETss
years. II was done every night, and Frequently
twice at the many mntinces given in the cheap
! theatres nj which Frayne nnpeareh.
Toward the end OF November. lss2. the com
p,any reached a theatre in Cincinnati known Nc
weeks when Isl Slocum' WAS acted there. On
THANKSGIVING Day there were more thnn 1000
The play progressed 10 the scene in which the
apple was TO he shot from Mrs. S'"r"m's head;
T F@syn npP took W nim PLACED nnS nr Q" 'N s. F 'hcy heard H Inc
crack of the rife, the spcctG,or- saw Miss yon
behrsn fl. to the stage with a sPo, Of blood on
what had occurred, ran 10 nc Frot where the
girl lay and fell f%ainting by, her si,o. Tho cur
peared before the curtain 10 announce that the
play would he brought 10 an On immeiiateIy.
Some OF the audience had supposed that the
scene was n part of the pl ~. Rut i was soon
%ThispcTcd about ,hnt Ne Girl hnd boon kil!sL.
RRSafd' i s St ! SSi0F I" f ROM Of Sf, il'o n]9iidins, Al! RkoaarS
nobody knew certainly of The TRAGEDY inside.
bullet struck her over IN" left eye, Fraync.
who was frantic with excitement, was orEed up.
The apple WAS four inches above her. head on o
hat, and the accidental use Of It objective & r
fridge WAS the cause oi her death. ,lrayne pro.
tested that there was no danger III The backward
shot, as 1t had repeatedly been done without
serious results. The coroner's jury released HIN
again. Bat after u brief retirement he return !:
TO the stage and acted In his drama for NJ:
backward shot With, q woman, and lnideed abagr
doncd III" play in which III" accident occurred
Il i ; id 81, the German that ho was about te
marry the girl he killrd, md m" same story w";
told NJ Frnync and Miss. Won l.tchrcn. lilo DIED
about six year, ago, md the shock he received
when he Killed The girl il said 20 have impaired
TN" Not Thai Killed Mis- Won Rehrcq sce'o'
10 h,NchRd n fatal effect ON plays Of this class
'HNpnIN ypAra ago they were highly popular. anC