The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1876-07-11 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

SAD SUICIDE OF AN A. TRESS.  While in Germany last year (says a Paris correspondent) I had occasion dunng a short sojourn at Brunswick to attend several performances at the Court Theatre, the leading actress, Mlle. Stein, a pretty and graceful young woman, deservedly enjoying a reputation of being one of the best comediennes on the German stage. A communication I have received from Ems informs me that Mdlle. Stein has committed suicide there under rather singular sircumstences. She had gone there to give a segiea of performancea, at the Kurhituatheater, the manager, Herr Neumann, desiring to make his establishment as attractive as possible during the stay of the Emperor of Russia. Mdlle. Stein arrived at Ems about 10 days age, drbwing therein the principal part of Wildbracrra " Zugendliebe " Her surcess was complete. On the morning of her death she had rehearsed .her rd. in • piece by Muter, entitled "Die Versucherin, " and it had been arranged that in the afternoon she should rehearse another work by the same author. As she did not appear at the theatre the manager sent to her residence. Her emissary was informed that Mdlle. Stein had gone for a walk in the wood. As she did not return home in the evening it was feared she had last her way. A search was organised. and eventually her corpse was found. To carry out her fatal project she had chosen one of the most romantic and picturesque sites of the environs of Elms; she had laid her plaid shawl on the grass, and had thrown lier-elf , upon it, her face turned towards the Matilalserg Her parasol was by her side, and in her right hand she held a six-chambered revolver, with one bullet of which she had shot herself in the heart. fn the other hand she grasped Goethe's famous work, " Willaelni Meister's Lehriahrr," a orrgi.e.wimaicAl, marking the page where she had left off reading. The final passages perused were those which describe how the arrival of Theresa, betrothed, causes the death of Mignon. It would appear that Mdlle. Stele was betrothed to a young nobleman, the Oral von 11., who was 'possessed of very slender means On the morning of her ,leath Mdlle. Stein had received a letter stating that Herr von 8., who was stopping at Hanover, had just been betrothed to a cousin, whose father possessed a large fortune. The prospect of acquiring the opulence which his social position in a 'immure necessitated had, said the letter, induced the young Graf to cancel his former promises and to seek an alliance with his wealthy Cousin. This letter produced a terrible effect on the unfortunate actress. After reading it she ;it once left the house, and having formed the project of committing suicide, at once put it into esmution. The most terrible circumstem.° in connection with the whole affair is that the letter in question was simply a hoax. Graf. von IL hail never Likud for his cumin a hand, and had never ceased to be true to the poor girl whose despair drove her to this desperate act. His uncle had promised to obtain for him an official post of iinportance, and he was stopping with bin; daily awaiting a reply to the application which had been made to the authorities at Berlin. The store is a ..a4 one. I knew Mlle. Stein personally, sod was very shocked to hear of her untimely end. Irons a theatrical point of view, her career prllllllllod to be a brilliant one. lly her de.th the German stage loses an actress of great talent and dramatic power.