The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-17
UNGRATEFUL "SUPER'S" DEED
THE MURDERER HAD OFTEN BEEN
HELPED BY HIS VICTIM.
Dead Actor Prominent on English
Stage-Prince Henry Sails for China
with German War Ships.


American drama, Secret Service The
English company was organized Immediate
Iy after Gillette and the American COM
pany had finished its engagement last sum-
mer, the run of the successful drama be-
ing continued without break. Terriss's as
sailant rushed at the actor as he was step
ping across the pavement from his cab, and
stabbed him just below the heart. Terriss
fell, shouting: MY God; he's stabbed mel
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 is always 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 it was impossible
He quickly succumbed while surrounded by
the theater staff.
The murderer was taken to Bow-street po-
lice station, followed by an angry crowd.
His name was given as Archer 1t is said
that he had been a super at the Adelphi
Theater several years ago, and for some
days past he has haunted the theater. The
motive of the crime is not yet known. A
large audience had already assembled for
the evening performance, and the manager
came to the footlights and announced that,
as Mr. Terriss had met with an accident,
no performance would be given tonight.
1t appears that the assassin last evening
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 colleagues 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 were re-
markable. BY that time the special editions
of the evening papers We're out and the
newsboys were shouting around the theater
exits that Mr.. Terriss had been murdered
At first the people refused to place any Gre
dence in the report. but when they found it
was true, horror and indignation were gen.
orally expressed.
When Archer arrived at the police station
he still held the weapon, apparently a 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 for life" The murderer was placed
in a cell and is under a special watch for
the night
A PREMONITION.
The understudy of the deceased actor
tells curious story of how, last night, he
dreamed that he saw Mr.. Terriss lying on
a landing surrounded by crowd He says:
Il told my colleagues this morning and
could not get the horrible dream of my
mind the whole day. Judge of my horror
on 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 company
says the assassin was known at the theater
as Mad Archer" and that when ordered
off the premises last night, he muttered,
mot yet" Others say that Archer nursed
a grievance against Mr.. Terriss, even be-
fore he left his employment at the theater
More than once he stood in the wings and
INDUCED in sarcastic comments on Mr.. Ter
risss 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
seen that Mr.. Terriss was dying. completely
broke down with grief. The body of the
murdered actor was removed to the Char
ing Cross Hospital mortuary at / O'Clock
this morning. The assassin showed no
signs of insanity. He appeared to glory i'll
his victims death, but soon Gained down
in the cell.
DR.. Hayward, physician of Charing
Cross Hospital, says: Il found Mr.. Terriss
he was lying, with Miss Millward supporting
his head. His vest and undergarments were
open, and there was large piece of ice
on the wound directly over the heart. He
was breathing heavily. After l examined
the wound ] saw there was no hope and
that death must ensue almost Immediately
from the extensive internal hemorrhage
He was not quite conscious, and writhed
once or twice. Miss Millward kissed him
and said. Don't you know me-? but no re-
ply came except the ejaculation, oh, my
God! with a convulsive movement of the
lower limbs. Then, he lay still until he
gasped once and died"
house surgeon at the same hospital says
he followed DIR. Hayward to the theater, but
returned to the hospital for the TRANSMISSION
a a
infusion into his veins to prolong life. "On
my return" ne continued, his condition
was such as to render treatment useless.
The first wound was between the ribs and
over the heart FROM the front. The other
two were in the back, one through the dor
sal vertebrate. the other under the left Shout
der. Either the first or the second was
sufficient to cause DEATH.
According to later accounts, Mr.. Terriss
had alighted from a cab at the stage door in
Maiden lane, used only by himself and the
principal members of the company. Mr. Gill
bert Tate, the theatrical agent, met him at
the door. The two were standing and In con-
versation and Mr. Terriss was just taking
the door key from his pocket when his as
sailant darted from the shade of o neigh
boring shop and plunged the knife into his
breast, almost bearing him to the ground
with the force of the blow. Mr.. Terriss
dropped his glove and tried to seize his as
saiant, who then dealt two more staos be-
fore the bystanders had time to interfere.
The murderer gives the name of Richard
Arthur Prince, but he was known at the
theater Archer. His wife has bean en-
QlOyeQ there as q dresser. since he leu the
Adelphi, Archer has several times begged
aid from the different theatrical funds of
whose committees Mr.. Terriss was MEM
Der.
Miss EIlaline Terriss, daughter of the
deceased, is convalescing from a recent ILL
ness at Eastbourne. Her husband. Seymour
Hicks the actor, did not appear at the
Gaiety Theater tonight.
The inquest will probably be held on Sat
urday. The post norton examination will
be held tomorrow (Friday.) Mr.. Terriss
had been staying at the Hotel Cecil. and
to-day he attended a meeting of the theatre
cal benevolent fund. Archer, ii appears
who is we'll educated end good singer. has
been living in mean lodgings in the neigh
borhood of Buckingham Palace. lie had
often been assisted financially by Terriss
and other members of the Adelphi company
but of late he had become so importunate
that Mr.. Terriss had referred him TO the
actors benevolent fund
All the morning papers contain editorials
expressing the deepest sympathy, alb
fhorrence of the outrage and eulogiZing the
ralents of the deceased actor. They print
columns OF memoirs, "reminiscences and
critical reviews of his work The utmost
gloom filed all the theatrical clubs and re-
sorts on the arrival of the sad news late to-
night.
William Terriss was born in London Oct.
1s. 1851. and came of an excellent family. His
father was a Kentish county gentleman.
and his mother a sister OF the celebrated
historian OF Greece, the late George Grote.
Terriss was a nom-de-theater. the real