The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-02
SHOT LEADING WOMAN
ACTOR JOHNSTON KILLS MRS
 KATE HASSETT.
Barry Johnston Who Plays With Mansfield, Through Jealousy, Stays Member of Philadelphta
 Stock Company.

Philadelphia, Dec. 1.-Mrs. Kate Bas- sett, aged 2s leading woman in Keith's Eighth Street Theatre Stock Company, was shot and killed tonight by Barry Johnston. a we'll known actor and former ly a member of Richard Mansfield's com pany, and who is known to theatrical peo- ple throughout the country. After the murder Johnston attempted suicide.
 The tragedy occurred at Daryen and Woods Streets in Philadelphia's disrepu- table district Johnston fired at his vic-' tim five times. Two of the bullets took effect, one in the left breast and the other in the left arm. Johnston shot Himself through the breast and Is not expected to live. The cause of the tragedy Is believed to be jealousy.
 The murder was one of the most sen- sational that has occurred here in long time. The streets in the neighborhood l were crowded.
 Johnston Is said to have arrived here from New York Sunday. He had been paying considerable attention to the wo- man, it is said. Tonight ae attempted | to see her before she went to the theatre to take her part in the cast, but he failed. He laid in wait for her at the stage door until after the performance. His pres ence there was noticed. but nothing was | thought of it. When Mrs. Hassett left the play house, she started for her boarding place. Unknown to her. sne was followed by Johnston On Daryen Street between Wood and Vine Streets Johnston approached her. laid his hand upon her shoulder and htssed IT her ear "You have been untrue to me-" Before the actress could flee the man | nuIIed out a seven-chamber revolver and began shooting at her. She fell to the | sidewalk with the first shot, the bullet | niercinr her left breast. Four more shots
 were fired, one of which took effect in the arm. The murderer then turned the weapon on himself and fired a buile, into his own breast. He staggered and | fell almost on the body of the actress
 The tragedy was enacted so quickly thai no one could interfere. Several police men hearing the shooting. rang for tht | ambulance, and the wounded man anc | wounded woman were removed to tho
 Hahneman Hospital. The woman wal
 dead when she reached the hospital ant
 the doctors said that Johnston's wound
 may be fatal. At 2:25 a. m. he was rest
 ing easy, though in half unconscious
 state In the hospital repeating the word'
 "she was false to me-"
 Mrs. Hassett did not live with her hus
 band and Johnston did not live with hi
 wife.
 Mrs. Hassett opened Keith's Stocl
 Company at Keith's Eighth Street Thea
 Ire about three weeks ago, when MT
 Keith opened his new theatre on Chest
 nut and transformed the vaudeville busi
 ness to the new house. This week she wa
 playing Marjorie in Broadhursts comed,
 What Happened to Jones'" She opene'
 the theatrical seasin in the early fall a
 the Broad Street Theatre in "The Las ! Appeal"
 Later she went West, starring in Mfrs Dane's Defense
 Johnston was known among theatrica people. He had been taking the part 0 Cassius in, Richard Mansfields produc } ton of Julius Caesar" in New Yorl } and left the company on Saturday night