Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-04-19
A MurderOus Actor.

Because she intended leaving the
theatrical company of which both were
members, Edward Smedes yesterday sho.
bessie Helen Davis at theatrical hotel,
in Philadelphia, where they were both
staying, inhictiDg a probably fatal wound
near the heart, and then attempted to
kill himself. The bullet hattened against
his skull and he was not badly hurt.
The couple were members of the chorus
in THE School Grip Company, OF
which Edna May is the star. The wo-
mar is known on the stage as Bessie Dale.
She is 2S years of age and her home is
in Hebron, Neb Smedes' home, it is
believed, is in. Vicksburg, Miss.
The shooting occurred shortly after
noon. Other guests at the hotel heard a
pistol shot and Immediately after Miss
Davis ran screaming down the stairs
and fell unconscious into the arms OF
servant. A policeman. who was pas
sing the hotel, ran into the place, and
when Smedes saw him he turned the
weapon upon himself The wounded
couple were taken to hospital, where
il was found the young woman's injury
is likely to prove fatal. Smedes is guard
ed in the hospital by two policemen.
The couple arrived at the hotel on
Sunday and registered as Mr.. and Mrs.
Smedes. Yesterday Miss Davis obtained
position with company now rehears-
ing at one of the local theaters, she in
tending to leave ''The Schoolgirl" Com
pany. She was al the theater in the
forenoon rehearsing with the new COM
pany, when Smedes gained admittance
to the playhouse and sought an engage
ment. He failed to obtain it. Seeing
Miss Davis on the stage he went to her
and threatened to shoot her if she joined
the new company. He was ordered
from the place and Miss Davis went
with him. They returned TO the hotel
aud, it is belyed, they renewed their
quarrel, which resulted in the shooting.
Ga The bureau in the room was found
a note written by Smedes, which read
"To those who know and meet my
mother help to sustain and keep her."
A letter addressed to Mrs. I. NJ.
SmedcS, Vicksburg, Mississippi, and one
addressed to Miss Davis's mother, at
Hebron, were also found in the room.
The police have not opened them.
Philadelphia, April l9.-Bessie Davis,
the young actress, who was shot by
Edward smede yesterday, is still in Sc
rious condition at the Pennsylvania Hos
pital today, although the surgeons say
she has bare chance of recovery. Smede
who tried to kill himself, only succeed
ed in decorating his forehead with bull
let. He is under arrest at the hospital A
new complexion has been placed on the
attempted double tragedy. This comes
in the guise of telephone message from
New York, received at the Pennsylvania
Hospital, where the pair are lying,
from New Yorker, who declares that
he is Miss Davis husband. He dis
played the deepest concern as to her
condition, and when he learned that she
has slight chance oil recovery, seemed
overjoyed He will be in Philadelphia
to see his wife some time today, but
withheld his name, preferring, he said,
not TO disclose his identity. 1t was at
first reported that Smede and the woman
were man and wife, this being inferred
from the fact that they had registered at
the hotel as such. The police say that
they are unmarried, and that they know
nothing of the womsn's New York hus-
band.