New-York tribune., 1911-12-23
WRIGHT LOR|NER suicide
Actor Best Known as The
Shepherd King" Kills Self.
SUED BRADY FOR S148,00O
Out Of Work Since His Quarrel
with Manager-Gave Up Pro
fessorship To Be Super.

Wright Lorimcr. tho actor. who achieved
his greatest success in The Shepherd
King" was found dead in his rooms at
No. 12i West 6th street yesterday, with
his head half I'm tho oven Of a gas stove
tho jets OF which we're ali turned on.
Tho cracks Of windows and doors I'm the
two-room apartment were carefully stuffed
with papcr and sheets when Louis Shaniey,
the proprietor of the house. broke in, and
Coroner Wintcrbottom pronounced MS
death suicide. Lorimcr had oecn there
for just one month. Stanley said. and had
been alone during that time.
In THE Shepherd King and I'm other
plays in which he took leading parts Lor-
inner was for some years successtui
actor. and in his time had made money
but for the last year he has been IN
strairencd circumstances. His only ELECTS
as far as could be discovered ycsterday'
were a succession Of pawn tickets. which
disclosed the kind of fight he had been
making to keep up appearances.
suit for damages for. S1SCa. on the
ground OF alleged breach Of contract, was
fled by Lorimer last August in the United
States Circuit Court against William n
Brady, the theatrical manager who backed
I.orimers production Of "The Shepherd
King"
When Mr.. Brady was Informed OF tho
suicide ana tho circumstances surrounding
It Yesterday, he informed Lorimer's lawyer
that he would arrange to assign all his
rights in THE Shepherd King to MIS-.
Lowell. the actors widow.
Charles S Mckenzie. his counsel was
named by Lorimcr in Il note nc left as inc
executor Of his estate. The note read:
|. Wright Lorimcr, do hereby leave al
my affairs in care of Charles >. McheIiHl9;
my dear friend, to dispose OF as ne shdli
stage name; Walter NJ. 5. Lowell, legal
name
Mr.. Mckenzie appeared at the 6jth street
rooms yesterday afternoon, and after taking
charge Of few cents in change, tho pawn
tickets and the letter quoted, together with
another one addressed TO all my friends.
said that. 80 far as he knew, Lorimer's only
estate consisted Of the claim against VIII
lam A. Brady The body was removed 10
an undertaking establishment and 1t was
said arrangements for the funeral Wouio
be made to-day.
The lawyer was not prepared 10 say just
what would be done with that action III
view Of the actors suicide. but he thought
that II would be carried on for the beneht
Of Lorimers wife and two children. The
actor had been separated from his 1amlly
for some time. Mir. Mckenzie said. and he
thought that Mrs Lowell was with her rela-
tiycs. somewhere upstate I'm New York.
in the other letter left by the suicide he
disclosed his feeling toward Mr. Brady over
the disagreement that had arisen between
them. and INDUCED in bitter recriminations
toward the man with whom ne had been as
sociated
Lorimer or Lowell. was born on March
10 1874. on farm ten miles from Barre,
Mass. attended the Worcester Academy and
later was graduated from Colgate Uni
versity He spent a year at oxford Uni
versity In England, and then, after year
Of travel in Europe. returned home TO take
a place as professor Of English literature in
Leland stanford Junior University.
He had always cherished desire 10 60
on the stage, however. and even as ne was
on his way 10 take up the life Of a teacher
he changed his mind and stopped Off in Chi
cago. where he got on as a super at the old
Dearborn Theatre for So a week. At the
end Of his first week he received part, and
from that time rose rapidly. After year
with the stock company at the Dearborn he
went on tho road as the King in "The Three
Muskcteers"
It was Lorimer's big idea that a play
adapted from a Biblical story would be
welcomed by the public, and in conjunction
with Arnold Reeves he soon put together the
story OF "The Shepherd King" which was
the Old Testament story Of David Lorimer
aimed to produce and manage it himself as
well as take the principal part but he later
entered into an arrangement with William
\. Brady to handle the production.
His suit against Brady was based on an
alleged violation Of this contract. The run
of "The Shepherd King" ended after a three
years success, then Lorimer made one at
tempt IN vaudeville in another BIBLICAL
adaptation called THE CrucihX" but it
lasted only one night