Evening journal., 1898-03-30
A WILMINGTON 1 GIRL.
Laura Booth, the Dead Ac-
tress, Well Known Here.
DAUGHTER OF BAPTIST PREACHER

| WHO WAS STATIONED AT DELLA |
WARE AVENUE BAPTIST |
CHURCH FOR SIX YEARS-NOW |
THOUGHT HER DEATH WAS DUE
TO sUICIDE-wAS HERE LAST
WEEK
Laura Boothe, the actress who was
found dead in bed in New York, as was
told in the Evening Journal yesterday,
was a former Wilmington girl. She
was the daughter Of Rev. ]. w. r. |
Boothe, who was for a number OF
years pastor of the Delaware Ave
nue. Baptist Church, this city. He as
sumed charge in July, 1885, and re-
mained here until seven years ago,
when he removed to Holyohe, Mass
After he took charge of the church
here, about sixty members withdrew
to form Grace Church Under Dr.
BOothe's charge a large debt OF the
church was largely reduced. Miss
Boothe played in this city at the
Grand Opera House in "The Found
ling" with Cissy Fitzgerald last Fri
day night and created very favorable
impression.
The story which comes from New
York is as follows:
Central Office and precinct detectives
were busy yesterday looking for James
S. Lee, the business manager OF "The
Founding Company, now playing in
Williamsburg. After registering at the
New Amsterdam Hotel, No. 265 Fourth
avenue, with Laura BOothe, an actress
! in the company as man and wife last
/ Saturday night, he disappeared, a few
hours before the woman was found
dead, from a pistol shot wound in her
head in the rooms they had jointly oc-
cupied.
The police believe that Miss Boothe
: committed suicide; they make no
charge that Lee shot her. II was we'll
known among all the members Of the
company that she was in love with
Lee The report that he intended to re-
r Join his wife, it is supposed, had reach
ed her ears and caused her to take her
j, life.
:. Police Captain Hasslacher, Of the
e | East Twenty-second street station, In
i whose precinct, the Eighteenth, the
woman's death occurred. said he
h had evidence that Lee and Miss Boothe
S | quarrelled early on Monday morning
y Lee was seen to leave the house
u 1 E0OIIIN aII0IMdIut anu lie 'DtlltNto lAdl
e Lee continued his carouse elsewhere
b It is his opinion that when Lee be-
comes sober he will at once surrender
e himself.
r. Coroner's Physician e. J. Donlin
:, made an autopsy on the wOman's body
!, | Yesterday afternoon. He was assisted
n by Police Surgeon Phelps. DR.. Donlir
II said after the operation that he be
| lieved the death was suicidal.
Where the bullet had entered th'
the back of the head there were mark
OF powder This, and the finding o
grains OF powder inside the skull
n proved. DR.. Donlin said, that the muz
J. zle Of the pistol must have been closely
pressed against the head when dis
charged.
r When the couple registered at th'
ie New Amsterdam they brought will
II them a trunk. In searching this trunk
L Captain Hasslacher said, he found de
'e cree Of divorce, granted in Philadel
lie phia, in March. 1895, to Laura Wood
all from Walter WOodall. On the bacl
/ Of the certificate was written: "Go'
~ bless you, nit!"
'e There were several business paper
i OF Lees in the trunk and receipt
q. showing that the woman had lived a
=
III West Thirtieth street.
N William F. Boothe, connected with
piano manufacturing firm at No. 20
East Forty-ninth street, living at tn
" Parker House. Thirty-ninth street an
o. Broadway, and James w. BoOthe iden
IL tilted the body yesterday as that O
IT, ! their sister Laura Boothe, william
g F. Boothe said:
ay 1--WE surmised when we saw the pa
Id pers yesterday morning that 1t was on
al sister. Laura, who was dead. She wa
he SO years old and the daughter OF Rev
TO DR.. j. w. T. Boothe, OF HOlyOke, Mass
ey laura went on the stage much agains
the wishes Of her family about te
IS years ago. She married an actor, Wal
n ter WOodall, and obtained divorc
n from him / think in 1895
no "Her family has not been in clos
A. connection with her for some time.
ed have not seen her for years, though
ry heard occasionally OF her. I do nc
know that she was married to Lee.
H. Lee is well-known among hotel mel
he He was at different times engaged /
n hotel ventures. An old friend OF Lee {
St fifteen years standing said yestel
II. day that Lee had a wife living some
where in Forty-third street in this cit.
They had been estranged over Lee
II partiality for Miss Boothe. On Satul
day last Lee and his wife, it is sai'
la, met and partially arranged for r.
on union, and they were to have met agai
ep yesterday morning in the Continents
ad Hotel, Philadelphia, to complete II
n.y. details.
'rs This friend of Lee also said thu
us when the company was playing in Phi
ed adelphia, some two weeks ago, Lee an
ED Miss Boothe quarrelled because Il
eft woman had heard of Lees possible r
af- turn to his wife. Miss Boothe, accor'
ull ing to the story. drew a pistol viii
lse they were in a cab and threatened
kill herself. She discharged the piste
the bullet going through the roof OF u
cab.
cd, Lee has, it is asserted, spent thE
re-, fortunes in various ways. He belonl
ar to a wealthy Wilkesbarre (Pa) famil
nth At the death OF his father. Andre
Lee. he inherited some $3.50 600, whis
he soon spent. He inherited about SIC
. NrT