The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-17
A STAGE. DOOR MURDER
Popular London Actor Stabbed by
an Ex-"S Super"
UNEXPLAINED ASSASSINATION.
William Terriss Was Walking From
His Cab to tho Stage Door W hen the
Murderer Pounced Upon Him and
Stabbed Him Three Times.

ulb SaD 10 Cuo StuEo DOOF w nen UHe
Murderer Pounced Upon Him and
Stabbed Him Three Times.
London, Dec. 17.-William Terriss,
the we'll known actor, was assassinated
last night as he was entering the stage
door Of the Adelphi theater. being
stabbed with knife. Terriss has been
playing In London in the English ver-
sion Of William Gillette's American
drama, "Secret Service" The mur-
derer rushed at the actor as he was
stepping across the pavement from his
cab and stabbed him three times.
As the actor fell his murderer
was seized by the people who were
outside the theater. The wounded man
was carried into the theater and doc
tors were called from the Charing
Cross hospital, but Terriss expired In
Is minutes. The murderer, whose name
is Archer, was super" at the theater
several years ago. No motive for the
crime is known.
When Archer arrived at the police
station he still had the weapon, ap-
parently big butchers knife, conceal.
ed beneath his cape. On being charged
with murder he Is reported to have re-
plied
He's done me out of the benevolent
fund this morning, and l am out Of 1t
for llfe."
The murderer was placed in cell,
and under a special watch.
The murderer gave the name Richard
Arthur Prince, but he was known at
the thsater as Archer His wife is ems
ployed there as dresser. Since he left
the Adelphi Archer has several time
begged aid from the different theatrical
funds, of whose committees Mr.. Ter
riss was member
1t appears that the assassin on We'd
nesday evening asked the keeper Of
the ordinary 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.. Terrlss, was obliged
to demonstrate and to order him to
leave the premises.
The scenes along the Strand at the
hour when the theater closed last night
were remarkable. By that time the
special editions 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, believing such
an event impossible, but when they
found 1t was true horror and indigna-
tion were painted on every face.
Members of the Adelphi company
hn ffi,, IL ut fhn
theater as Mad Archer" They say
that Archer nuised a grievance against
Mr.. Terriss even before he left his en-
ployment at the theater More than
once he stood in the wings and in
dulged in sarcastic comments on Mr..
Terriss' acting, such as fools often
succeed in life where men of genius
fail"
A large audience had already as
sembled for the evening performance.
and the manager came to the foot
lights and announced that as Mr.. Ter
riss had met with an accident no per-
formanCe would be given.
1t was during Henry Irvings first
American tour that Terriss appeared
on tne stage in the United States.
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 oc-
casional provincial and foreign tours,
had since reigned supreme at the
Adelphi theater, the leading melodra-
matte house in London. He was the
Idol Of the Adelphi pit, and long en-
deared himself to the great mass of
London playgoers by his sterling quail
ties as actor and man.