The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-12
WILL MOUNTFORD DIED
 AT HANDS OF VILLAINS

no injury; neither would I and my noble friends see you receive an injury. It will do us honor to escort you to your home, for 1t Is late and rogues are abroad.
 T know rogues are abroad" replied Mictress BracoE'rdle. and I think my brother and Nnster Page are stout e,-ough to protect me. And yet I will not decline your offer. You may attend me to Howard street"
 You live near the home of this pretty coxcomb, Will Mountfort, do you not Mis- tress?' asked Crntain Hlll of The actress.
 'I do' said she, 'and much as I love any man I 10 ,e Will. His wife and he are with me at the Theatre Royal; and I know no better people or folk of more tal- enS."
 And I know no worse than this man Mountfort, anG should he crosn my path I shall break his bones. I gave him New Years g-eing line days ago, offered him a cup of Canary, and told him I admired his wife" sad Captain Hill. The ras- cai gave himsele airs, and I told him ne was but player whereupon he said if I ever mentioned Mistress Mountfort again he'd play with me in manner that would send me to q surgeon. Then I swore that next time we met I'd crop his ears. He'd b. Eardsome Will no more. Should l meet this bu:foon tonight I shall net spare him.
 The party reached the home of Mistress Bracegirdle and Captain Hill, motionng his soldiers to stand back, drew his sword and said to the ac.- ess: "I had intended to carry you to my home tonight. As I listened to your praise of the fellow MCuntfort, I become certain that you To ed him. For this he dies by my hand. Draw your sword Lord Mohun. and stand to me. IT await this player whom Mistress Bra esir.le thinks so well of. Ard you" said Hill to ervant, ''brlng us cups of Canary"
 [ Lord Charles MohGn did not draw his sword, but CaTtain Hill kept his blade in his hand. Both men drank deep dr<.ughts of the wine, and uttered fero- cious threats against Mountfort There is little doubt that they intended later in the night to storm the house of Mistress B-&cegirdle and attempt to carry her away The actre1s sent a won an servant to the home of Mistress Mountfort with this warning: Here are murderers In front of the house waiting to slay will l peg that you send him warning
 Before th.s Nrei.lins coul' be given the handsome young actor appeared As he stood before Hill an6 Lord Mohun, the latter threw his arms around him and embraced him saying: twill, we mean thee no harm"
 "I would not trust that lying dog. Hill if he gave his oath. I am surprised. my lord. to see a gentleman of quality In the rascal's company said Will Mountfort.
 Rascal yourself, and double liar too" rosred Captain HILL throwing himself on the actor whom he struck a furious blow with his left fist in the face. As Mount fort staggered and reached for his sword Captain Hill cried in fury:
 By the Holy Trinity! you'll never use that weapon on gentleman you dog"
 As he spoke he drove his long sword in- to Will Mountfort's chest hurlng him to to street.
 Now for safetyr' cried Hill grasping Lord Mohrr's arm and fleeing down the street attended by his soldiers.
 Loving hands bore Mountfort Into his he use where he was attended by his wife and others
 Bear witness, all of you" said the dying actor that Captain Richard Hill slew me when had no weapon in my hand. The coward feared I would foil his attempt to seize Mistress Bracegirdle I pray you tell her to provide for her safety"
 Mountfort never spoke again. He was only B years old when the assassin ended hii life. Had he lived there is no doubt he would have occupied the same hon. orable position in stage history that Is held by Bettertcn and Garrick. His mur- derer, Captain Hill, escaped from Eng land and was never brought to justice for his terrible crime. Lord Mohun was ar: aligned in the House of Lords. charg- ed with being an accessory to the killing Sixty Lords vo' cd tt at hc vas innocent and fourteen declared their conviction that he was guilty A few months later Lord Charles Mohun and the dissipated Duke of Hamilton faced each other with naked swords in Hyde Park and literally hacked each other to pieces.
 For three score years after Handsome Will Mountfort had been laid in his grave Mistress Braccgirdl" livcd-lived long enough to see and admire Garrick and Mistress Wellington. It is said of her that she never gave her love to any man.