The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-17
ACTOR TERRISS KILLED.
sTABRl SD 10 DEATH IN LONDON BIZ
a DIsoHARaED SUPER

H
nTesprans Upsn the Actor at the Deer ef the
Theatre. stasssa min Threo Tirnes and
Terriss DIED In q HALF Heur-Ceunict.
inE etories 80 - the saetivs fer the
C~riuas-Terriss's Brilliant Stage Career.
Special Gable Despatch to The suH.
LONDON, Dec. 1e.-wfliam Terriss. the we'll.
known actor. who was playing William
Gillette's part In "Sscret Service" was stabbed
and killed tonight by q discharged super named
Richard Arthur Prince.
Mr.. Terrisss was entering tho stage door Of
the Adelphi Theatre on Maiden Lane. when q
y shabby man, who had been evidently lying in
wait for him IN . neighboring doorway. rushed
upon him and stabbed him with q butcher's
knife, twice in the back and once in the breast.
The wounded man calculated my God, I'm
stabbed. and thcn seeing u commissionaire ap-
preaching cried: "Seize him. commissionaire,
sstze him quickly"
The commissionaire grasped the man by tho
throat, whereupon he cried: "All right: I'm
not going TO run away. I'm going straight to
tho police station"
His captor, assisted by others. handed him
over TO tho police, who had been attracted by
the cries.
Mr.. Tcrriss was removed to the theatre. He
was suffering comparatively little pain. but was
only semi.conscious Physicians were sum-
moned. but despite their efforts he died in half
IN hour.
Prince seemed to DO well pleased with the
success of his murderous plan. Terriss was OK
ceedingly popular with playgoers, and his muir
der has caused a great sensation here. The
special editions Of the newspapers containing
the story Of the crime met with an +
sale.
The comu;anionnira vho canturnd thu ~
derer says that the bystanders could easily have
prevented the killing. Several mon were close
to Prince, but they were afraid Of his knife and
his f%erocious aspect.
Until Prince is arraiRned in the Bow Street
Police Court tomorrow nothing can be authori-
tatively known as to the motive of the muir
der. Indications tend TO show that the muir
derer IL q crank. but It 10 impossible to decide as
yet which of the several stories that are in cir
cplation is reliable.
1t 10 said that the Prince was employed as q
super at the Adelphi Theatre until the end of
last week. He is q good workman. but Is eccen-
trio. He is nicknamed Mad Arthur" One
story concerning him Is that he is an unsuccess.
full actor. and that he Is known at several Of the
West End theatres.
When he was charged at tho Bow Street Po-
lice Court he gave his namo as Richard Archer
tsfc Prince. He said that he was an actor, re-
eiolnG IN Eaton Court, buckingham Palace
Road. He 10 80 years old.
No reporters were present when he was
charged. The police chiefs refuse to give any
Information, but 1t Is credibly declared that
when Prince was charged he said: "He has done
me out OF tho benevolent fund this morning.
Now i have done him out Of 1t for life."
Tho accounts Of how the blows were struck,
who witnessed tho stabbing. &C., also differ.
but the wounds show that tho blows were de-
1iyered with great force. DR.. Morgan. who
attended the dying man. said In an in
terview that he. with a colleague. Dr.. Hay
ward, waHs Summoned from the Charing Cross
Hospital. Leaving Mr.. Terriss in DR.. Hayward's
charge. he returned to the hospital for the
TRANSMISSION apparatus. As the sufferer was
losing blood 30 rapidly It was considered advisa-
BILE to inject a saline solution in his veins In an
endeavor to prolohR his life. When DIR. Nor
gan returned to tho theatre. however. the con-
dition of Mr.. Terriss was such as to render
treatment useless. as 1t was likely only TO un-
necessarily disturb him.
Tho Arst wound WAS between the ribs over the
heart. Another was through tho dorsal verte-
hrR. while another was under the left shoulder.
Either of the two former was sufficient to cause
death, but the first was probably the more aeri-
Gus. The knife just missed the, heart and
pierced tho lungs deeply. There was little show
of blood outside. Internal hemorrhage immedi.
athlS set up, and the lungs became congested
with blood.
DIR. Hayward was also interviewed. He said
that he was called at about 7:30 O'Clock. He
went into the rear OF the theatre from Maiden
lane. Just inside the door. near the stairs,
Terriss lay with his head supported by Miss
Millward. His vest. and undergarments were
open. and there was n large piece of Ice upon
the wound over the heart. He was breathing
heavily.
DR.. Hayward examined the wounds and saw
that there was no hope. 1t was evident that
death must ensue almost Immediately from the
extensive hemorrhage. Mr.. Terriss was not
quite unconscious. He writhed once or twice
and tried 10 brush Miss Mflward from
him. She kissed him and asked: Don't
you know me r. but no reply came further than
the ejaculation "Oh. my Godi" There was q
%convulsive movement of the lower limbs. and
then Mr.. Terriss lay still until no gasped once
and died.
DR.. Hayward 10 confident that from the tim
the wounds were given until death Mr.. Terrist
suffered little IL any pain. He must have sunk
into a stupor almost Immediately. The move
ments OF the arms and legs were ~spasmodic, the
p0sult of suffocation from the blood in tho lungs
Mr.. Terriss was not removed from tho passage
until no was dead.
When the nature Of the tragedy got abroad q
scene of conformation followed. The new
spread in the street and q crowd of eager in
quirers besieged the theatre. In q few minutes
special editions Of the newspaper were out and
newsboys were crying Murder Of William
Terriss" In all the central streets.
Within the theatre there were scenes Of dis
tress that were very touching. The performer
had noticed the entry of the doctors and police
and eagerly questioned one another. When tn,
truth was known sorrow mingled with indigna
ton. Mr.. Terriss was Q sort of hero with tn,
Adelphi company.
Frederick Lane. Mr.. Terriss's understudy q
Thorne, says that he dreamed Of this very thinl
last night. When no went to the theatre thil
morning he told the boys about it. He dreamed
that he saw Mr.. Terriss lying surrounded by
crowd and raving. The dream haunted him al
day.
Ellaline Terriss. daughter Of Mr.. Terriss. wa
lateiy Acoouehed At Eastbourne. She was seri
ously Ill, Init was recovering slowly. When sh,