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1381 lines
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* T A Y L O R O L O G Y *
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* A Continuing Exploration of the Life and Death of William Desmond Taylor *
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* *
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* Issue 90 -- June 2000 Editor: Bruce Long bruce@asu.edu *
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* TAYLOROLOGY may be freely distributed *
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE:
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Taylor the Actor: Vitagraph Film Plots
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Don Osborn
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The First Fictionalization of the Taylor Murder
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Injury and Illness in 1914 Hollywood
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"Perfect Crimes? Nickell/Taylor" by Ray Long
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What is TAYLOROLOGY?
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TAYLOROLOGY is a newsletter focusing on the life and death of William Desmond
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Taylor, a top Paramount film director in early Hollywood who was shot to
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death on February 1, 1922. His unsolved murder was one of Hollywood's major
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scandals. This newsletter will deal with: (a) The facts of Taylor's life;
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(b) The facts and rumors of Taylor's murder; (c) The impact of the Taylor
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murder on Hollywood and the nation; (d) Taylor's associates and the Hollywood
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silent film industry in which Taylor worked. Primary emphasis will be given
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toward reprinting, referencing and analyzing source material, and sifting it
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for accuracy.
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The April 27, 2000 issue of the Springfield ILLINOIS TIMES had a feature
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article "Queen of the Cliffhangers," on the life and career of Neva Gerber,
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including her involvement with William Desmond Taylor. (Thanks to Cheryl
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Thomas for bring the article to our attention.)
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Taylor the Actor: Vitagraph Film Plots
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The following are plot summaries of most of William Desmond Taylor's films
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made for Vitagraph in 1913-14, as originally published in VITAGRAPH LIFE
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PORTRAYALS.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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The Secret of the Bulb
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[Taylor's role: "Jack, her Son"]
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Disapproving of her son's affection for Miss Martin, the nurse, Mrs.
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Richards loses no opportunity to tell her son, Jack, what she thinks of it.
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Miss Martin receives a letter from her brother, asking for money to get him
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out of a scrape. She puts the letter in a book she is reading. Not long
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afterwards, Mrs. Martin misses a ring which her little daughter Nellie has
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mischieviously taken and lost. The ring accidentally slips from her finger
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while she is digging her hand in the dirt, of a flower pot. Mrs. Richards,
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while looking for the ring, knocks the book which Miss Martin was reading off
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the table and finds the letter from the nurse's brother. She puts two and
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two together and comes to the conclusion that Miss Martin took the ring to
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raise funds for her brother. She calls the girl and dismisses her on the
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spot without even giving her a chance to defend herself. Miss Martin goes
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back to nursing at the big hospital.
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Later, when the bulb which was placed in the flower-pot in which little
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Nellie was digging, sends out its shoots, it carries the hidden ring to the
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surface, and when Mrs. Richards goes through the conservatory on a tour of
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inspection she discovers it. Nellie happens to run by at the time and from
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her guilty look it is easily seen that she is responsible for the ring being
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in the pot. Mrs. Richards is very sorry now for what she has done and she
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tells her son. He upbraids her for her injustice and tells her he will not
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speak to her again until Miss Martin has been found and exonerated. He goes
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to a detective agency to start a search for the girl and while there is
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wounded by the accidental discharge of a revolver.
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He is taken to the hospital. His mother comes to see him but he will
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not speak to her. His mother leaves him and while on her way out meets Miss
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Martin. She finally prevails upon her to go in to see Jack. A happy reunion
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follows in which the two lovers are reunited and a mother is forgiven
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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The Brute
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[Taylor's role: "The Stranger, Man from Mary's Home Town"]
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Because he is a drunkard, Black Barton is despised by his friends and
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hated by his family. He hates them in turn because they do not understand
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that he fights against drink until nearly insane. Ted, his son, loves him
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but fears him and shrinks when he is near. The father loves his son and
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wants to be good to him but is filled with brutal rage when the boy shrinks
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from him.
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Barton goes to a saloon and drinks all day. A man whom Barton's wife
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had known in her girlhood days comes to see her. She is excited and pleased
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to see him. The children like him and he is much taken with them.
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A neighbor on the way to the saloon sees the wife and her friend, and when he
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reaches the saloon he tells Black Barton, who at once starts home with the
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intent to kill the stranger. He comes to the home and looks in the window.
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He sees his wife laughing happily with the man, and the children playing. He
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enters the house and the look of misery comes back to the wife's face and the
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children cower in fear. Barton realizes that without him his family has a
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chance of happiness. He turns abruptly and goes from the house. His son
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follows and tries to call him back but to no purpose. Arriving at the summit
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of a great precipice, he stands a moment with his face turned towards the
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heavens then plunges over the cliff and goes bounding down the rocky side to
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his death, hundreds of feet below. His body is found later by a party of
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prospectors. They realize as they look that "The Brute" had some redeeming
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trait in his nature after all.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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The Love of Tokiwa
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[Taylor's role: "Richard Davis"; Margaret Gibson's role: Tokiwa]
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When Yoshisada speaks to cruel Kajiwara, the wealthy Japanese fisherman,
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for the hand of his daughter Tokiwa, he is not graciously received. This
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does not bring tears to the wondrous, almond-shaped eyes of Tokiwa; she does
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not like Yoshisada. Neither is she fond of her father, who beats her and
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makes her work very hard. She has a friend in Anna Lang, who has a
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missionary school in the village, and in Richard Davis, who comes to the town
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to deal with Kajiwara concerning the village catch. Davis loves Anna; they
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are engaged to be married. They decide that they will take the little
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Jap [sic] girl away with them to the city. Tokiwa has fallen in love with
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Davis and mistakes his kindness for love. He tells her that he will take her
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away to a place where she will be very happy. His words are overheard by
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Yoshisada, who swears that it will never happen.
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Yoshisada tells Tokiwa's father of the American's words and together
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they plan a hurried wedding. The girl is literally sold to Yoshisada, that
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her services may not go to someone other than her father. Poor Tokiwa is in
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despair when she learns of the plans for her future.
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A telegram comes to Anna, saying that the American, who has been away,
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is coming back. Tokiwa borrows the telegram, having learned now how to read
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at the mission school. Her father sees the message. He tells Yoshisada, who
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vows that the American shall not reach the village alive. Tokiwa sends up a
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white dove which Davis had given her, with a prayer to save him. Yoshisada
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waylays Davis, and as he is passing in his car on a road hundreds of feet
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below the cliff, he rolls a huge boulder down upon him and believes he has
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killed him. Yoshisada loses his life at this place later, by falling over
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the cliff.
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Tokiwa dressed all in white and with wreaths of flowers about her,
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enters her boat and goes out alone in the sunset of the sea to find the
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heaven of the Americans. Later, when Anna and Davis and the villagers come
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to the beach to find her, they see an upturned boat drifting out on the
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silent waves.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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How God Came to Sonny Boy
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[Taylor's role: "Rober Vibrat, A Poor Artist"]
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Struggling to earn a living, Roger Vibrat, an artist, receives an order
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to paint an enlargement of a portrait, the money to be paid on delivery of
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the picture. He has no canvas the required size and no money to buy one. He
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tries in vain to get credit; no one will lend money to a poor artist.
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It is the day before Christmas. Sonny Boy, his little child, while
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showing pictures in a book to his mother, who is ill in bed, comes across a
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Sunday School card with the text: "I will not leave you comfortless. I will
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come to you." His mother explains to him the meaning of the text. When his
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father returns home, downcast, Sonny shows him the card and pointing to the
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words with his little finger, tells him that they are true. Roger braces up.
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He goes out and pawns his overcoat. He buys an old canvas on which to paint
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the picture. While cleaning the canvas, he discovers the signature of a
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famous artist on it. Wild with excitement, he cleans the canvas and shows it
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to a dealer, who gives him one thousand dollars for it.
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Roger buys food, toys and flowers for his little family; and when he
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returns home with his arms laden down with gifts, Sonny, wild with joy, runs
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up to him and says, "I knew God would come."
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Tainted Money
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[Taylor's role: "Jack Forsythe"]
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Greed prevents John Bennett, a wealthy financier, from giving any
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thought to the misery he causes among the poor people who are affected by his
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stock manipulations, with wheat, which raises the price of bread beyond the
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reach of the masses. His beautiful daughter, Constance, shares his delight
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in his financial success. By accident, she learns that her father's gain is
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the ruin of an old chum of hers, Jack Forsythe. She begins to see the harm
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that has been wrought. A settlement worker, David Spencer, realizes that
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Bennett is responsible for the pitiable condition of the people, having
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closed down his factory rather than accede to the workers' demand for more
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pay. David enters the Bennett home and forces Bennett to accompany him to
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the homes of the people who are suffering. Constance, his daughter, prevails
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upon him to be lenient with Jack Forsythe, getting there with the good
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tidings just in time to learn that Jack's mother has succumbed from the shock
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of her son's ruin. Bennett slowly begins to realize that his idea is wrong;
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that he really is to blame for the suffering of others.
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While walking to his works one morning, Bennett is set up by the mob and
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has to be rescued by David. He now pledges himself to help alleviate the
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suffering he has caused. Its latest form is an epidemic of typhoid. Unknown
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to the people, and using David as his lieutenant, he succeeds with the help
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of his daughter in relieving much of the suffering. When, six weeks later,
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the suffering is over, the people come and demand to meet their benefactor.
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When Bennett steps out on his veranda, they rail and shout at him angrily,
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until David explains that it is he who has helped them. Bennett then
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announces the engagement of David and his daughter, who have fall in in love
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during their work together in the slums, and states that he resigns his place
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to the young man, whom he considers the most worthy successor he could
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possibly choose. The crowd cheers him to the echo.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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The Master of the Mine
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[Taylor's role: "Arthur Berkow"]
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Having lost his wealth, James Arnold, an aged aristocrat, applies to
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Philip Berkow, a wealthy mine owner, of the middle class socially, for a
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loan. Berkow proposes that they make a matrimonial alliance between Arnold's
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daughter Eugenie and Berkow's son Arthur, one having the wealth and the other
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the social prestige. Anxious to maintain her own social standing, Eugenie
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reluctantly agrees, while Arthur, who loves the girl, also consents.
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The miners are on the point of an uprising in protest against certain
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conditions at the mine. They hold up the bridal party, but are dispersed by
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Hartmann, who is against violence. The wedding guests gather for the
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banquet, the elder Berkow lifts his glass to drink to the health of the
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bride, and falls dead of heart failure.
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A delegation of miners, headed by Hartmann, call upon Arthur and insist
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upon their demands. Arthur defies them. Meanwhile, Eugenie's father has
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received an unexpected legacy and persuades Eugenie to leave her husband.
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She goes to his office and sees the situation between the husband and the
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angry miners, which brings to her her first realization of real respect for
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Arthur's manliness. She tells him of her intention of leaving him. He
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listens to her calmly and tells her she can go.
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The miners plan to blow up the mine. They place the powder and are
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about to return when part of the tunnel caves in. Arthur rushes to the mine
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and goes down the shaft to rescue the men. He saves them all, but he is
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entrapped. Eugenie pleads for them to rescue her husband; all refuse. She
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starts down alone. Hartmann springs into the bucket with her. They find
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Arthur and bring him safely up, amid the cheers of the crowd. The explosion
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comes, as Eugenie and Arthur stand apart, and, looking into each other's
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eyes, realize that their love is mutual.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Millions for Defence
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[Taylor's role: "Bob"]
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Young, pretty and flirtatious, "Billie" is spoiled by too much
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attention. She refuses Arthur when he proposes, and later boasts to her girl
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friends she can make any man propose. Arthur's chum, Bob Clinton, is a
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millionaire, and, according to a newspaper article, a confirmed bachelor.
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The girls see this, and "Billie" immediately determines to make Bob propose.
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She sends Bob her picture and a declaration of war, reading, "I have decided
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to marry you!" Angry and worried, he replies, "Millions for defence, but not
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one cent for trubute." He then orders the butler, who is smitten with her
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picture, not to admit "Billie," should she call.
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Billie goes to see Bob and talking sweetly to the butler, walks right by
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him into Bob's presence. He is greatly surprised and becomes rather
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frightened. Rushing outside, he calls up a detective agency and and manager
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sends a score or more plain clothes men for his protection. "Billie" says,
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"Shame, calling detectives!" and goes out promising to call again. On her
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next visit she is unable to get in the house. She intercepts a telegram to
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Bob from his mother, gets and idea, and again visits Bob, disguised as his
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mother. She gets in all right and Bob is horrified when he discovers the
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deception. He calls up Arthur, requesting him to come at once, to take
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Billie away and marry her. Arthur arrives, adopts a butler's disguise and on
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"Billie's" next call, stops her and tries to kiss her. She slaps his face
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and runs out, but comes back later. After a chase, Bob has just succeeded in
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locking her in a side room, when his mother drops in. After many exciting
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and anxious moments, Bob decides to have it over with, and going into the
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room, proposes to "Billie," who turns him down. As they come out, Billie's
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father, who has learned of the incident, enters. In order to explain the
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situation, "Billie" and Bob pretend to be engaged. Their parents are
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surprised, but offer congratulations and depart. Finding they really love
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each other, Bob, after a genuine proposal of marriage, tenderly clasps her in
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his arms.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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The Kiss
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[Taylor's role: "George, Society Man"; Margaret Gibson's role: "Alice,
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A Shop Girl"]
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Contented and happy, Alice, a little shop girl, smiles with satisfaction
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as she looks at her little clay bank containing her savings. Fred, the
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floorwalker in Berkley's story where Alice works, is sincerely in love with
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her.
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George Dale, a wealthy young society man, takes his fiance, Helen
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Bradley, out riding. Their car is stalled and in fixing it, his necktie
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becomes spattered with oil. He stops in at Berkley's to buy another. Mazie,
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a flashily-dressed girl at the counter next to Alice's, waits on him. George
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starts a flirtation with her. Alice overhears them and the poison of
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discontent and envy creeps into her mind. She decides that the attentions
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Mazie receives is owing to her pretty clothes. She determines to purchase
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some and that night breaks open her little clay bank.
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Fred expresses strong disapproval of Alice's new finery. When George
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comes in the story again, he is struck with her appearance, and ignoring
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Mazie, invites Alice out to dinner.
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Alice and George meet his fiance and Betty, her friend. George
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introduces Alice as his cousin. Helen impulsively kisses her on the cheek.
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Alice has an awakening and her conscience begins to trouble her. Later, when
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George tries to kiss her on the cheek in a restaurant, she springs up,
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saying, "No! No! That is where SHE kissed me because she loved YOU!"
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Hurrying home, she casts off her now repugnant finery and returns to her more
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modest attire. Repentent, George tells Helen the truth and his sincerity
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wins her forgiveness.
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Next day, the landlady's little child gives Alice a kiss on the same
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cheek that Helen had kissed, while Fred, happy that she has gone back to the
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simple things of life, steals up and adds his kiss to the others. Alice is
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happy and realizes that contentment is the foundation stone of happiness.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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A Little Madonna
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[Taylor's role: "Paul Langrois, An Artist"; Margaret Gibson's role:
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"Marie"]
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Terrorized by Guido, her drunken and brutal father, Marie receives
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assurance from her dying mother that the Madonna will always protect her.
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The father reels in just after the mother has expired, too drunk to realize
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the woman is dead, and finding the whiskey bottle empty, abuses the child.
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Marie appeals to the image of the Madonna and Guido, in a frenzy of rage,
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smashes it on the floor. Horrified at the sacrilege, Marie screams, bringing
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in the neighbors, among them Paul Langrois, a young artist and curio-lover.
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Paul's sympathy is aroused and he adopts the child. Later, Marie's father,
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who is ignorant of her whereabouts, sees Paul purchase an expensive silver
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image of the Madonna. He determines to steal the statue and follows Paul
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home, planning to return that night and get it.
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The little statue is put in a prominent place by the worshipful Marie.
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Paul conceives the idea of painting a picture of the Madonna. He sends for a
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professional model and she is just donning her costume when Paul is called
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away on urgent business. He tells her to wait as he will be back shortly.
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He is delayed until dark, however, and the model falls asleep in the dressing
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room. While Marie is performing her usual devotions before the Madonna,
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Guido pries open the window and stealthily enters. Marie hears him and as he
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is about to take the silver Madonna, she grabs his arm with a scream. The
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door is flung wide and the model, awaken by the scream, stands in her Madonna
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robes, in a blaze of light. Filled with superstitious terror, the awe-struck
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man rushes from the place. Marie at first thinks it is the Madonna herself
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and kneels reverently. The model lifts her up and explains who she is,
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sympathetically assuring the child she need not fear. Marie feels sure that
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her mother's words have come true and gratefully offers up a little prayer
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for her safe deliverance.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Captain Alvarez
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[Taylor's role: "Robt. W. Wainwright (Captain Alvarez)"]
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Robert Wainwright, arriving in the Argentine Republic to look after his
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father's business, finds himself in a red-hot revolution. He falls in love
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with Bonita, niece of Don Arana, foreign minister to Rosas, the tyrant.
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Bonita favors the rebels and through Wainwright's love for her, wins him to
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their cause. He communicates with General Urguiza, the rebel leader, but the
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messenger is intercepted by Tirzo, Rosas' spy. Tirzo is an aspirant to the
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hand of Bonita and to get Wainwright out of the way, suggests it would be
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well for him to leave the country at once.
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Wainwright takes passage on the first ship leaving for the north, but
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secretly swims ashore immediately after the vessel leaves port. He returns
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to Don Arana's home and acquaints Bonita with his plan to join the rebels.
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Wainwright, as a rebel leader under the name "Captain Alvarez," so
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distinguishes himself that he becomes the scourge of the Federals. He is
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commissioned by General Urguiza to arrange with Don Arana, who is secretly in
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sympathy with the rebels, for the capture of a convoy of a million in
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currency dispatched to the Federal forces.
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While they are talking the house is surrounded by Federals through the
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work of Tirzo, and Alvarez is led off a prisoner. Tirzo promises Bonita to
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save Alvarez's life if she will marry him. She is about to consent when word
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comes that the prisoner has escaped by an appalling ride over a native foot
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bridge on Mephisto, a wonderful horse given him by Bonita. Alvarez returns
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to Bonita's home, tells her of the convoy and promises to return again at
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midnight to make sure of her safety.
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Alvarez and his command capture the million in currency and he leaves to
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keep his midnight appointment, when he hears Tirzo plotting with a band of
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gypsies to kidnap Bonita. Alvarez arrives at Don Arana's first. Tirzo
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enters alone and in a fight the spy is killed and his body carried off by the
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gypsies. A band of Federals stop them, recognize Tirzo and rush to Don
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Arana's house, where they capture Alvarez. He is ordered shot at sunrise.
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The Federals are defeated and Rosas, the tyrant, flees for his life. The
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rebel forces arrive in time to save Captain Alvarez and all ends
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victoriously.
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*****************************************************************************
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*****************************************************************************
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Don Osborn
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As indicated in TAYLOROLOGY 85, convicted blackmailer Don Osborn was
|
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linked to Margaret Gibson, who reportedly made a deathbed confession to the
|
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Taylor murder. The following are some clippings pertaining to Osborn's
|
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blackmail conviction. [Thanks to Richard Rosenberg for providing several of
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the clippings.]
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
October 25, 1923
|
|
LOS ANGELES TIMES
|
|
Angelenos Will Face Ohio Court
|
|
|
|
Arraignment of Don Osborne and Miss Rose Putnam, residents of Los
|
|
Angeles, upon a conspiracy to blackmail John L. Bushnell, a multi-millionaire
|
|
banker at Springfield, O., is scheduled for tomorrow, according to advices
|
|
received yesterday from Cincinnati.
|
|
They have been removed to the Hamilton County jail from Troy, O.,
|
|
following indictiment by the United States grand jury. An extensive list of
|
|
witnesses from many parts of the United States, including Los Angeles, were
|
|
heard.
|
|
Bushnell is a son of a former governor of Ohio, Asa Bushnell. He was a
|
|
witness before the Federal grand jury.
|
|
At the time of their arrest in Dayton, Osborne, who also was known as
|
|
Putman, and the woman are said to have admitted that they extorted $10,000
|
|
from Bushnell. They are believed to have left Los Angeles in July of last
|
|
year, going direct to Springfield.
|
|
Osborne is said to be the woman's uncle. She is about 30 years of age
|
|
and he is slightly younger.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
October 31, 1923
|
|
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
|
|
Blackmailers Enter Pleas of Guilty
|
|
|
|
Don Osborn and Rose Putnam, alias Rose O. Cooly, Los Angeles, Cal, who
|
|
were indicted by the recent Federal Grand Jury on charges growing out of
|
|
alleged attempt to blackmail John L. Bushnell, Springfield (Ohio) banker, and
|
|
son of the late Asa S. Bushnell, Springfield, former Governor of Ohio, came
|
|
before United States District Judge Smith Hickenlooper yesterday and pleaded
|
|
guilty to charges of having entered into conspiracies to violate Federal
|
|
laws.
|
|
Osborn was sentenced to serve 21 months in the Federal Penitentiary at
|
|
Atlanta, Ga., and was fined $500 and costs. Miss Putnam was sentenced to
|
|
serve six months in Miami County Jail, at Troy, Ohio, where she and Osborn
|
|
have been confined since their arrest last July following an alleged second
|
|
attempt to obtain money from Bushnell.
|
|
Prior to their appearance before Judge Hickenlooper, it is said, both
|
|
Osborn and Miss Putnam confessed to the Federal officials and, in Court, they
|
|
told Judge Hickenlooper they were ready and willing to aid the Government by
|
|
their testimony when others, alleged to have been associated with them, are
|
|
apprehended and brought to trial.
|
|
W. A. Haines, Troy, Ohio, attorney for Miss Putnam, made a plea in
|
|
behalf of his client. He said she was a victim of the men who engineered the
|
|
scheme to blackmail Mr. Bushnell under threats of criminal prosecution under
|
|
the Mann act, the same to be based upon Bushnell's alleged arrangement for
|
|
Miss Putnam to journey from Los Angeles to Texas to meet him. He said Miss
|
|
Putnam was but a tool of the men and that she was coerced into acting with
|
|
them in furthering their scheme. He said she came from a prominent family
|
|
whose reputation is of the highest.
|
|
In the courtroom at the time the defendants were given sentence were
|
|
John M. Cole, Springfield, and Andrew Iddings, Dayton, Ohio, attorneys, who
|
|
were retained by Mr. Bushnell to assist the Government officials. They,
|
|
however, took no part in the proceedings.
|
|
Among others alleged to have been implicated with Miss Putnam and Don
|
|
Osborn, who is said to be her uncle, are R. G. Madson and J. A. Ryan, who are
|
|
said to have been with them at Springfield when the alleged attempts to
|
|
blackmail Bushnell were made, and Albert S. Harris, Hollywood, Cal., who is
|
|
in Hamilton County Jail, having been arrested three weeks ago following a
|
|
third attempt to blackmail Bushnell.
|
|
According to officials, Harris sought to obtain $25,000 from Bushnell to
|
|
cover cash bonds for $10,000 for Osborn and Miss Putnam for their release
|
|
from Miami County Jail, and to pay their expenses out of the United States.
|
|
Matson and Ryan have not been apprehended.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
March 7, 1924
|
|
LOS ANGELES TIMES
|
|
Ohio Blackmail Ring is Exposed
|
|
|
|
Twelve letters said to have been the basis of a blackmail plot against
|
|
John L. Bushnell, Springfield (O.) banker and son of former Gov. Bushnell of
|
|
that State, were seized yesterday by agents of the Department of Justice in a
|
|
room at 744 South Bonnie Brae, according to Agent O. E. Meehan.
|
|
The seizure followed the arrest of Lawrence McClean by city police as a
|
|
burglar suspect, and his asserted confession, to the surprise of the Federal
|
|
agents, that he was a member of the blackmail gang. He had not been
|
|
suspected, it was said.
|
|
The confession, according to Meehan, involved R. G. Sheridan, alias
|
|
Blackie Madison, recently arrested in Los Angeles and now on his way to
|
|
Cincinnati for trial, and others now under indictment in the United States
|
|
District Court at Cincinnati.
|
|
By means of the letters, Meehan said, the gang extorted $10,000 from the
|
|
Ohio banker and made attempts to obtain $100,000 and then $30,000 more.
|
|
Bushnell had been tricked into paying $10,000 for a package of blank
|
|
paper, the agent said, and instead of meeting further demands sought the
|
|
indictment of the gang.
|
|
The letters are asserted to have been written by Bushnell to Rose
|
|
Cooley, alias Rose Putman, who formerly lived at 2775 Beechwood Avenue with
|
|
her uncle, Dan Osborne, alias H. L. Putman. The woman and Herbert I. Ross
|
|
were convicted recently at Cincinnati, Meehan said, and are serving sentences
|
|
at Atlanta penitentiary.
|
|
A sixth member of the asserted gang is being sought by the Federal
|
|
agents. McClean is said to have told Agent Meehan he had been worried by the
|
|
arrest of Sheridan and decided to make a clean breast of all he knew. He
|
|
will be arraigned today before United States Commissioner Long.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
March 30, 1924
|
|
LOS ANGELES TIMES
|
|
Asserted Blackmail Chief Held
|
|
|
|
John A. Ryan, accused leader of a blackmail plot against John L.
|
|
Bushnell, Springfield (O.) banker and son of former Gov. Bushnell of that
|
|
State, has been arrested by Federal agents in Chicago, Lucian C. Wheeler,
|
|
agent in charge of the Bureau of Investigation in Los Angeles, reported
|
|
yesterday. Ryan is under indictment in Cincinnati together with Lawrence
|
|
McClean and R. G. Sheridan arrested recently in Los Angeles and returned to
|
|
Cincinnati.
|
|
Ryan is said to be the sixth and last member of the asserted blackmail
|
|
gang to be arrested. Rose Cooley, alias Rose Putman, who formerly lived at
|
|
2575 Beechwood Avenue with her uncle, Dan Osborne, and Herbert I. Ross were
|
|
convicted on the blackmail charge at Cincinnati and are serving sentences in
|
|
the Atlanta penitentiary, according to Agent O. E. Meehan of the Bureauu of
|
|
Investigation, who apprehended McClean and Sheridan. Osberne, alias H. L.
|
|
Putman, is said also to be under indictment with Ryan and the others...
|
|
|
|
[Note: As indicated in the clippings above, there were various reported
|
|
spellings for Putnam, Putman; Osborn, Osborne; Dan, Don; etc.]
|
|
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
|
|
The First Fictionalization of the Taylor Murder
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first fictionalization of the Taylor murder was published less than
|
|
two weeks after the murder, when the following story by mystery writer Isabel
|
|
Ostrander was syndicated to many newspapers.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
February 14, 1922
|
|
Isabel Ostrander
|
|
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL
|
|
|
|
Detective Story Author "Solves" Taylor Murder
|
|
|
|
(Isabel Ostrander, world-famed author of detective stories, has written
|
|
a novelette based on the Taylor movie murder, in which she uses her detective
|
|
ability to work out in fiction her "solution" of the mystery!
|
|
This story was written by Isabel Ostrander after careful study of all
|
|
reports of developments in the Taylor investigation. It is the first time
|
|
such a story has been done by a famous American author so soon after such a
|
|
tragedy.
|
|
Is Isabel Ostrander's solution right? Has the author of The Primal Law,
|
|
The Clew in the Air, The Step on the Stairs and other mystery stories, worked
|
|
out the correct answer?)
|
|
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
"What's the real dope, chief?" Capt. Hoey of the homicide bureau asked
|
|
as he and his superior skimmed in a swift little runabout over the road
|
|
toward Hollywood. "I know that Fowler was the theatrical wizard of his day
|
|
and this new play he was about to produce has been hailed as his crowning
|
|
triumph, but where did he come from?"
|
|
"That's a nice little lead, Hoey, but it won't get you anywhere," the
|
|
chief replied dryly. "It happens that about fifteen years ago John Evans
|
|
Fowler was Jordan Everitt Foster with a family and a swell social position.
|
|
We dug up his picture from the morgue this morning, sent out broadcast at the
|
|
time of his disappearance. It had me going until I got in touch with Frisco
|
|
and learned that his family and former associates had been wise to his change
|
|
of name for a couple of years and had let him slide. There's no mystery
|
|
there, no suggestion of enmity or financial trouble, no woman in the case."
|
|
"There have been plenty since," Capt. Hoey observed. "They were plumb
|
|
dippy about him, especially the three that he made famous. He never seems to
|
|
have fallen for any of them, though, or a bullet might have reached him
|
|
before it did last night. He made a star of Justine Reverre, turned
|
|
Pierrette Howard from a rough soubrette into the cleverest comedienne on the
|
|
screen today, according to the critics, and put Winnie Willis in the
|
|
forefront in the ingenue class. They were all to be in this new picture,
|
|
weren't they?"
|
|
"And all three of them were out here at his dinner party last night,"
|
|
Chief Newton nodded. "That doesn't prove anything, though; Reverre is
|
|
wrapped up in her career, Pierrette makes her way with no favors and little
|
|
Winnie Willis has announced her engagement to that young millionaire, Jason
|
|
Brooks."
|
|
"Who else were in the party?" asked Hoey.
|
|
"Only two actors, newcomers to the company, but there was one uninvited
|
|
guest who put in a tardy appearance; at least, he was seen sneaking out of
|
|
the back door by Mrs. Maxwell--who has the next bungalow--immediately after
|
|
the shot was fired, and two minutes later another neighbor met him three
|
|
blocks nearer the trolley line." The chief's tone was significant. "Both of
|
|
them recognized him as Oren Beach, a fellow who sponged on Fowler for months
|
|
and then forged his name to a couple of checks. Fowler forgave the first
|
|
offense but when the second check turned up he swore out a warrant for
|
|
Beach's arrest. Looks like an open-and-shut case to me when we land him."
|
|
"Why didn't Mrs. Maxwell start an investigation when she heard the
|
|
shot?" Hoey was discreetly noncommittal.
|
|
"Thought it was the backfire of one of the motor cars," responded his
|
|
superior, adding, "Here we are."
|
|
The announcement was superfluous as he pulled up in the space which had
|
|
been kept clear for him before a pretty, low-roofed bungalow snuggled between
|
|
two more pretentious ones in the heart of the colony, for a milling crowd of
|
|
men and women were surging about it and a score or more of cars were parked
|
|
along the boulevard.
|
|
"Get the furs and the diamonds!" Hoey remarked in an undertone. "Looks
|
|
like a society crush."
|
|
"Well, it ain't," his companion retorted. "They're the top-notchers of
|
|
the movie world, though. Come on."
|
|
The front door at the left of the veranda opened as they elbowed their
|
|
way through the crowd and a distinguished looking man with iron-grey hair
|
|
appeared on the threshold. Capt. Hoey whistled softly.
|
|
"That's Paul Benedict, the traction king! What is he doing here?"
|
|
"Backing the new film; his first theatrical venture, I understand."
|
|
The chief added as they mounted the steps: "Glad you received my message,
|
|
Mr. Benedict. This is a mighty bad business."
|
|
"It is horrible, almost unbelievable!" the magnate replied in a low,
|
|
shocked tone. "Young Brooks has been waiting with me in the dining room; in
|
|
accordance with your orders we have not entered the study where poor Fowler
|
|
was killed and the three ladies of the company who dined here last night are
|
|
upstairs, I believe."
|
|
"All right, Mr. Benedict. We'll join you and Mr. Brooks shortly." The
|
|
chief turned to his subordinate. "Go in and have a look around, Hoey."
|
|
He handed the other a key, motioning toward a door at the right and the
|
|
detective entered. A chair had been overturned, a sinister stain clotted the
|
|
rug between it and the desk and just at his feet the rug itself had been
|
|
doubled back. A shimmer of white showed beneath it and Hoey stooped for a
|
|
moment before advancing into the room. Some twenty minutes later he emerged
|
|
and quietly letting himself out by the front door he skirted the house,
|
|
examining the ground with each step. Re-entering the house once more he came
|
|
upon a negro manservant, who started violently.
|
|
"You are Hiram Timmons, Mr. Fowler's valet?" he demanded without
|
|
preamble.
|
|
"Yassuh, ah' cook, too. He lives--I mean, he lived--real simple out
|
|
here ceptin' when he gave a dinner like last night and then the caterers
|
|
come, but I done got 'em all out befo' I went home myself."
|
|
"The guests had all gone, too?" Hoey persisted. "Tell me the order in
|
|
which they left. Who went first?"
|
|
"The two gentlemen, suh. Then Mis' Reverre and then little Mis' Willis.
|
|
Po' Mistuh Fowler was just escortin' the last one, Mis' Howard, to her car
|
|
when I started for home aftuh puttin' the study to rights."
|
|
"Did you see anyone outside?"
|
|
"Nossuh, nobody but Mr. Oren Beach, who used to visit Mr. Fowler."
|
|
"Then you know him?"
|
|
"Reckon I does." Hiram's tone was scathing. "Spent mos' of my time
|
|
pickin' up his cigarette butts all oveh the place!"
|
|
"Then you ought to know what brand he smoked." Hoey laughed
|
|
indifferently.
|
|
"Done roll his own, in brown paper!" The cook-valet sniffed and then
|
|
cocked an anxious ear upward. "Spec' one of the ladies havin' hysterics!"
|
|
An unmistakable sound of feminine weeping had drifted down to them and
|
|
in another moment Hoey had sprung lightly up the stairs and knocked upon the
|
|
door from behind which it came. A soft, reluctant footstep reached his ears
|
|
and the door opened to reveal a demure little blonde with tear-drenched eyes.
|
|
"Oh, please let me go home!" she wailed. "This dreadful place will
|
|
drive me mad!"
|
|
"In just a minute, Miss Willis," Hoey replied gently. "You dined here
|
|
last night. Did Mr. Fowler escort you to your car?"
|
|
"Yes. The--the very last thing he said to me was that he was going to
|
|
be proud of me in his new production! Oh, I can't bear to talk about it! He-
|
|
-he was almost like a father to me!"
|
|
She broke into tumultuous sobbing once more and the detective could get
|
|
nothing further from her but he had seen enough to satisfy him. Tapping upon
|
|
the door across the hall he found himself confronted by the wide-eyed,
|
|
piquant face of the comedienne, Pierrette Howard. There were traces of tears
|
|
upon it but she replied to his questions in a low, steady tone. She had been
|
|
the last of the guests to leave on the preceding evening, had remained for a
|
|
few moments to talk over her part. The tragedy was naturally a frightful
|
|
shock to her, for she and Mr. Fowler had been the best of pals for ages. No,
|
|
certainly there had never been anything of a sentimental nature between them.
|
|
Was she at liberty to return to her home?
|
|
As she asked the question a masculine voice sounded from below and she
|
|
shrank back, shutting the door almost in the detective's face. He shrugged
|
|
slightly and turned to a door at the end of the hall.
|
|
A contralto voice in tones of studied tragedy bade him enter and the
|
|
stately figure of the famous star, Justine Revelle, arose slowly from a
|
|
couch. Her classic but somewhat mature features were as immobile as though
|
|
carved in marble and they did not change as she assured her questioner that
|
|
she had looked upon Mr. Fowler as the master who had revealed her genius to
|
|
the world when she had all but given up hope of recognition. It was evident
|
|
that she meant to talk of nothing but herself and Hoey at length withdrew and
|
|
descended to the dining room.
|
|
There the chief presented him to a tall, narrow-shouldered youth with a
|
|
vapid face upon which an expression of stunned horror was stamped. Jason
|
|
Brooks hadn't known Fowler, poor chap, very well, but he admired him
|
|
immensely. No, he had not been invited to the dinner, but had spent the
|
|
evening at the club as the doorman, stewards and a dozen of his friends could
|
|
testify.
|
|
"And you, Mr. Benedict? You did not dine here either?" Hoey turned to
|
|
the traction king.
|
|
"No. I remained in my own rooms as my man will tell you," Benedict
|
|
replied, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and rubbing it nervously
|
|
between his hands as he spoke. "I had some important papers to look over--!"
|
|
"Very good, sir. Chief, Mrs. Maxwell and the other witness were right."
|
|
Hoey turned to his superior. "Oren Beach was here last night."
|
|
"I told you it was an open-and-shut--" Chief Newton began but paused at
|
|
something in the other's expression.
|
|
"He was here but outside the window of this room, looking through that
|
|
door which leads into the study. Here are six stubs of his own peculiar
|
|
cigarettes which he smoked there while he watched a scene in which he had no
|
|
part. Mr. Brooks, you have loyal friends who will swear to your alibi but
|
|
you dropped half of one of your cuff links as you crouched beneath the desk
|
|
in that room last night. Its monogram is identical with that of the old-
|
|
fashioned seal you are wearing on your watch chain."
|
|
Brooks cowered back, his ashen face suddenly gray.
|
|
"I swear--I swear I didn't kill him!" he gasped. "I was jealous,
|
|
foolishly and without cause, and I came to have it out with him but I didn't
|
|
fire the shot--I didn't even know who did! I slipped in while he and Miss
|
|
Howard were talking in the dining room and hid under the desk when he
|
|
escorted her out. Someone else came in and I thought it was he returning,
|
|
but it--it wasn't. From where I crouched I could see only the feet of the
|
|
intruder, but they were not Fowler's. He came in a minute after, though, and
|
|
without a word the shot was fired and he fell. The--the other man went out
|
|
at once but it seemed ages until I could get up courage enough to go, too,
|
|
and slam the door behind me so that the spring lock would catch. I did not
|
|
even have a revolver with me--"
|
|
"It is an odd coincidence that your name and that of the man who watched
|
|
outside would have commenced with the same letter. Beach and Brooks--and
|
|
Benedict." Hoey wheeled suddenly upon the latter. "Be careful, Mr.
|
|
Benedict, that when you put that handkerchief back in your pocket it remains
|
|
there and does not fall to the floor as another one did last night; another
|
|
with an initial identical with that on the handkerchief you are holding now!"
|
|
As he spoke he whipped from his own pocket the square of white linen
|
|
which he had picked up from beneath the edge of the rug in the study and the
|
|
chief lunged forward with a hoarse cry of warning as the financier reeled.
|
|
Recovering himself he extended his hands with a slight smile and
|
|
disclosed in the folds of the handkerchief which he himself held a tiny,
|
|
gleaming instrument like a miniature hypodermic needle.
|
|
"This one was not empty, you see," he remarked quietly. "I came
|
|
prepared and when you entered the room just now I knew from your face that
|
|
the game was up, but I hardly expected you to work so fast. Never mind why I
|
|
did it, nor why a man of my years who has never known love for a woman before
|
|
should wander into the field of the films to find it after all the tinseled
|
|
sham which it is! Young Brooks here could not have fired the shot from
|
|
beneath the desk, of course; you deduced that from the angle at which the
|
|
bullet was sped. I do not regret." His voice had weakened all at once and
|
|
he felt blindly for a chair into which the chief assisted him.
|
|
After a moment Benedict went on:
|
|
"I am going now, I think. It was fate that we should have the same
|
|
initial letter for our surnames; of course it had to be one of us three!"
|
|
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
|
|
Injury and Illness in 1914 Hollywood
|
|
|
|
1914 was the year that William Desmond Taylor first began directing
|
|
movies. The following brief contemporary items give glimpses into illness
|
|
and injury in the silent film industry in Southern California during that
|
|
year. All of the following items are datelined from Los Angeles.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
January 24, 1914
|
|
MOTOGRAPHY
|
|
In a recent play put on by Henry McRae at the Universal ranch, a soldier
|
|
was told to throw a bomb at a certain time. When the time came Mr. McRae
|
|
instructed his company to keep their positions by shouting his usual "Hold
|
|
it." The soldier took this to himself and the bomb exploded in his hand. It
|
|
was fortunately a "prop" bomb, but even then it singed his eyebrows and hair.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
February 20, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Belle Bennett, leading woman, Balboa Feature Films Co., after an
|
|
operation for appendicitis, has left the hospital where she has been confined
|
|
in Los Angeles.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
April 11, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
A fierce fire broke out March 13th in the Keystone laboratory at Los
|
|
Angeles, Cal, and did considerable damage before the flames could be
|
|
extinsuished. Two printing machines were ruined, besides two finished
|
|
pictures that were made at the Santa Monica Broncho Studio. Bret Hunn
|
|
distinguished himself in fighting the fire. Manager Brandt, of the film
|
|
department, was severely burned about the hands while fighting the fire.
|
|
Much valuable film was saved.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
April 11, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
While Francis Ford, and the company, with Grace Cunard were in San Diego
|
|
doing some airship scenes for the Lucille Love series, one of the dependents
|
|
of Ford was injured. Ernest W. Field was the man who fell twenty-five feet
|
|
on the rocks down the coast. His skull was nearly fractured and he suffered
|
|
a severe shaking up.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
April 25, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
Wallace Reid, who has been conducting his own company, has been sick for
|
|
a week owing to a bad sprain which he received while riding a cayuse up at
|
|
the American ranch. He rode a horse some time ago and sprained his back
|
|
again which made him unable to work of late.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
April 24, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
What might have been caused the Francis Ford company of Universal
|
|
players to turn their heads and hide their faces with dread when Miss Essie
|
|
Fay, who is the only one who goes into the lion's den at the ranch, was
|
|
caught in the trap-door as one of the lionesses made a spring for her. The
|
|
cameramen who were outside the cage threw rocks at the old lion, but missed a
|
|
shot and hit a lioness, who instantly became enraged and jumped for the girl.
|
|
She sprang to the door and as it closed the body of the animal hit it and
|
|
hastened its closing, smashing her hand in the crack and badly bruising it.
|
|
She tugged it out, only after the huge paw of the beast had barely scraped
|
|
it.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 15, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Enid Markey, of the New York M. P. Corporation, is recovering from
|
|
injuries received during the taking of "The Wrath of the Gods."
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 15, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Los Angeles, May 13.--While taking part in a "picture arrest" downtown,
|
|
yesterday, Robert Vernon, playing an Italian fugitive, was severely clubbed
|
|
by the "officer" and had to be removed to the hospital.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 16, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
Closely following the death of William Warner Kirby, the actor-trainer,
|
|
who died of blood poisoning caused by his being mauled by a lioness, the
|
|
beast was shot, at the order of the officials of the Universal Company. The
|
|
unfortuante happening will no doubt serve as a sinister example in future
|
|
handling of these dangerous felines.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 22, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Wilfred Lucas is recuperating from a broken shoulder.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 29, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Nick Cogley (Keystone), injured several weeks ago, is still propelling
|
|
himself on crutches.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
May 29, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Joe Swickward, a picture actor, is in a Los Angeles hospital with a
|
|
broken ankle, sustained while appearing before the camera.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 5, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Dustin Farnum, long a hero on the legitimate stage, enrolled himself as
|
|
a real (also reel) hero at Escondido, Cal., when he saved the life of Miss
|
|
Winifred Kingston, his leading woman. Miss Kingston was participating in the
|
|
making of the photoplay, "The Virginian," when she missed her footing and
|
|
fell into a river at a point where the water ran to a depth of 12 feet. In
|
|
the fall she struck her head against a piece of driftwood and was stunned.
|
|
Farnum, who was only a few feet away, hastily cast off his coat and plunged
|
|
into the water, swimming to shore with the actress on his back. A great
|
|
crowd of onlookers had gathered to see the pictures players at work, and wild
|
|
cheers greeted the leading man's act of heroism. It is doubtful if Farnum
|
|
ever received a bigger "hand" in all his career as a matinee idol.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 6, 1914
|
|
MOVIE PICTORIAL
|
|
Poor "Jackie" Saunders of the Balboa Company came in contact with some
|
|
poison ivy when doing a forest scene, and her pretty face has been swollen to
|
|
double its size. At one time fears were entertained for her eyesight.
|
|
However, she is much better already.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 12, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
The contract held by Marie Dressler with the Keystone Picture Co. has
|
|
been canceled as the result of an accident that befell Miss Dressler while
|
|
standing on the pier at Venice during the taking of a film. She fell into
|
|
the sea and was rescued by the guards, but will be incapacitated for some
|
|
time, and may be internally injured.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 19, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Los Angeles, June 17.--Harry Spears, a Majestic studio director and well
|
|
known, died here, after a lingering illness. The funeral was conducted by
|
|
the picture players.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 19, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Jerry Grant, cowboy of Kay Bee, was seriously burned by a lariat while
|
|
appearing in a picture in Santa Monica.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 26, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Carmen Phillips was injured quite severely while appearing in the "Damon
|
|
and Pythias" picture at Universal City last week. She slipped and fell,
|
|
spraining her left knee, while dashing in front of the camera.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
June 20, 1914
|
|
MOVIE PICTORIAL
|
|
Cleo Madison had her feet very badly burned in the fire scene in "The
|
|
Girl and the Feud." When she returned to work again, she fainted and the
|
|
doctor forbade her to do anything until she was in better shape.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 3, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Marie Dressler, recently injured at Keystone, is about recovered.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 17, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Marshall Neilan, Kalem director, at Hollywood, is recovering from a
|
|
severe case of poisoning through drinking desert water.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 24, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Charles E. Van Loan, newspaper man, author of baseball stories and
|
|
scenario writer, was severely injured last week when the auto in which he was
|
|
riding plunged from Skyline road, in San Bernardino. His jaw was broken and
|
|
he received internal injuries.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 25, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
By an accident Porter Strong, of the R. B. Film Corporation Comedy
|
|
company, was run over by an automobile. According to the script, there was
|
|
to be an explosion, the hood of the machine flying off. Strong, who was
|
|
standing in the machine, should fall forward onto the radiator; and the
|
|
machine start forward. Everything worked out correctly, except the fall by
|
|
Strong, who went on over and could not get out of the way of the machine.
|
|
The fly-wheel caught on Strong's clothing, and for a moment--while the auto
|
|
was passing over him--members of the company thought it would be necessary to
|
|
pick him up in a market basket. Aside from bruises he was not injured.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 25, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
G. A. Beranger, assistant to D. W. Griffith, of the Majestic Company, at
|
|
the Hollywood, Cal., studio, is being termed the hero by all members of the
|
|
company, as the result of an accident, while riding his new Indian
|
|
motorcycle, on the speedway at Venice, Cal., with a side-car attached, in
|
|
which were three girls of the company. To prevent the side-car from being
|
|
hit by an auto, Beranger ran into an automobile on his left. His foot was
|
|
badly mashed and a piece of the pedal penetrated the instep fully one inch.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
July 25, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
In the filming of "Even Unto Death," at Catalina Islands, this week,
|
|
Miss Dot Farley, leading woman of the Albuquerque Film Company, was washed
|
|
off a large rock by a big swell at an unexpected moment, and when the motor
|
|
boat captain near by at the time refused to drive his craft among the seal
|
|
rocks, fearing it would be dashed to pieces, Director Gilbert P. Hamilton
|
|
jumped in and rescued the popular picture star. Miss Farley was unconscious
|
|
for some time after being rescued, and by members of the company it is
|
|
considered marvelous that she was rescued because of the whirlpools between
|
|
the rocks and the strong undertow. Twice Mr. Hamilton was sucked down in
|
|
whirlpools, and both times was battered against rocks. As a result his legs
|
|
were badly bruised and cut in a number of places.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 7, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Lou Carter, who had a very bad accident a few weeks ago, is back at work
|
|
again, fully recovered.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 7, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Sydney de Gray is recovering from an illness on the Coast. He expects
|
|
to be back with the Pathe within a week or so.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 8, 1914
|
|
MOVIE PICTORIAL
|
|
I record with regret the death of Sydney Diamond on July the ninth. He
|
|
was assisting Mack Sennett at the time he was taken to the hospital suffering
|
|
with cancer of the stomach. Poor Sydney was with the Majestic and Universal
|
|
before joining the Keystone and was well known on the coast as a stock actor.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 7, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Edna Goodrich, a professional swimmer, nearly lost her life while
|
|
appearing in a picture being taken on the (Nat) Goodwin Pier at Santa Monica,
|
|
Cal.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 7, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Lloyd Hamilton (Kalem) is recovering from injuries sustained by a recent
|
|
bad fall.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 14, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Louise Glaum has reported for duty after a somewhat trying illness.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 16, 1914
|
|
NEW YORK TELEGRAPH
|
|
Cleo Madison continues her fine work in "The Trey o' Hearts" and
|
|
steadily refuses to have any "double" to subsitute for her. The result is
|
|
that she is getting more than her fair share of misadventure. She came
|
|
perilously near to drowning recently when the boat she was supposed to push
|
|
through the breakers and so escape turned turtle and she could not get from
|
|
under. Wilfred Lucas, George Larkin and the other men present went to her
|
|
rescue and she was unconscious when pulled to shore, but she did the "retake"
|
|
the following day despite protests. Her work in "The Trey o' Hearts" puts
|
|
the stamp upon her abilities.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 22, 1914
|
|
MOVIE PICTORIAL
|
|
Bess Meredyth is with us once more after her severe treatment to ward
|
|
off rabies. She says she still feels rather dopey but is all right
|
|
otherwise.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 22, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Art Gibson, of the Sterling comedy company, was shot in the hand a few
|
|
days ago, the wad of the blank cartridge penetrating to between the bones of
|
|
the palm. The injured member was dressed at the Universal hospital.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
August 29, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Phillip Walsh of the Universal scenario department was run down by an
|
|
automobile last Saturday evening while going to his home, and has since been
|
|
in a local hospital in a critical condition.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 4, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Velma Pearce is recovering from an illness in a hospital near Los
|
|
Angeles.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 4, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
The accident record goes to Stella Razeto of Selig's. She has been
|
|
injured four times in as many weeks.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 5, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Henry Walthall and Fred Burns, as commanders of the Ku-Klux Clan, in the
|
|
filming of "The Clansman," by D. W. Griffith, put on the most exciting chase
|
|
seen, near Whittier, last week, when the horse Walthall was riding ran away.
|
|
Because of his weak condition--having been out of the hospital for but a week
|
|
following a serious illness--the favorite actor could not control the
|
|
charger. Director Griffith and Cameraman G. W. Bitzer were ahead in an
|
|
automobile and the machine registered a speed of forty-three miles per hour
|
|
for fully a mile. Fred Burns, formerly head cowboy for Buffalo Bill's Wild
|
|
West, finally caught the horse Walthall was riding and was able to stop it
|
|
before the actor was injured. In the scenes taken at Whittier 175 horses and
|
|
three hundred men were used.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 12, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Jack Kerrigan is hobbling about the big U studio on cutches, following a
|
|
scratch on the foot and the development of blood poisoning. But Jack is not
|
|
allowed to take a vacation because of the need of crutches. Director Jacques
|
|
Jaccard was horrified when he learned of the condition of his lead and
|
|
furthermore saw a week's lay off for himself and company. Then he began
|
|
writing a scenario for a picture in which Kerrigan could use his crutch,
|
|
swollen foot, and general illness to advantage. The company is producing
|
|
"The Proof of a Man," and many of the players about the studio think Kerrigan
|
|
is merely acting with his crutch. The picture is laid in Chinatown of San
|
|
Francisco.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 11, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Anna Little is recuperating from an illness at her Long Beach home.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 11, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Douglas Gerrard recently underwent an operation on his ear. He is still
|
|
in the hospital.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 18, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Bess Meredyth is quite ill at her Hollywood (Cal.) home as a result of
|
|
attending a dog that was infected with rabies.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 18, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Gertrude Short, the 11-year-old star of the Santa Monica Vitagraph
|
|
Studio, who broke a leg several months ago, will soon again be seen on the
|
|
screen.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 19, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
D. W. Griffith has a sunburned pate. What caused it? Well, to get the
|
|
proper atmosphere for "The Clansman" he shaved his head to show his good
|
|
faith in getting the men who worked in the picture to cut their locks. He
|
|
wears a hat without a crown, and of course without his hair he became well
|
|
burned while directing out under the sunny California skies. He puts cold
|
|
cream on it every night, but no grease paint.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
September 19, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Mrs. Chauncey Ward, character woman for the Sterling Motion Picture
|
|
company was badly maimed when a Hollywood-Los Angeles street car on which she
|
|
was riding, collided with a heavy truck, and it will be several weeks before
|
|
she will be able to appear before the camera. Lon Chaney, of the Universal,
|
|
passed a moment after the accident happened, and by experience gained in
|
|
motion picture accidents rendered first aid to the injured.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
October 10, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Adele Lane, who was bit by a bear recently, soon will be back at work.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
October 17, 1914
|
|
VARIETY
|
|
Irene Hunt has fully recovered from her injury received in a picture
|
|
fall, and is back with D. W. Griffith.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
November 7, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Inceville, the New York Motion Picture company's studio at Santa Monica
|
|
canyon, was threatened with destruction by fire the past week, during the
|
|
production of an underworld story by Scott Sidney. A large portion of one
|
|
set was lighted in order to secure realistic effects, believing that it would
|
|
be possible for the stage hands to extinguish it without difficulty.
|
|
Everything being dry the fire gained headway very speedily and was spreading
|
|
to other sets before it was gotten under control. Harry G. Koenan, an actor,
|
|
was badly burned about the hands and arms.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
November 15, 1914
|
|
NEW YORK TELEGRAPH
|
|
Starting home after the Photoplayers Vaudeville, Jacques Jaccard's
|
|
automobile skidded, and he and Bobby Ross, the technical man, were thrown
|
|
out, and the latter sustained a bad scalp wound, which took seven stitches to
|
|
sew up. He was on hand for work on the Monday morning, however.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
November 22, 1914
|
|
NEW YORK TELEGRAPH
|
|
At the Bosworth studios I learn that Hobart Bosworth is quite sick, much
|
|
to every one's regret.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
November 28, 1914
|
|
MOTION PICTURE NEWS
|
|
Marie Walcamp, of the 101 Bison U Company, was painfully clawed by King,
|
|
the big lion at Universal zoo, last week, when the beast struck her shoulder
|
|
with his hind foot while jumping over her body during the making of a
|
|
picture. Five stitches were required.
|
|
|
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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November 28, 1914
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VARIETY
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Ralph Lewis is laid up with a crippled foot as a result of an accident
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sustained while appearing in D. W. Griffith's "The Clansman."
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
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|
December 12, 1914
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VARIETY
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Helen Holmes is ill. She is threatened with pneumonia.
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|
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
December 12, 1914
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VARIETY
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|
Charles Clary is receiving the jibes and taunts of his friends these
|
|
days. The other week he was driving a mule in a picture when the mule ran
|
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away and Charles was quite badly bruised.
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|
|
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
December 19, 1914
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VARIETY
|
|
J. P. McGowan, the director, is still in the hospital as a result of his
|
|
fall from a telegraph pole, and his physician fears he may be paralyzed.
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|
|
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
December 26, 1914
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MOTION PICTURE NEWS
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|
Dorothy Gish, the Griffith-Mutual star, in full view of the studio crowd
|
|
at Hollywood was struck by a racing automobile and dragged over forty feet
|
|
before the big machine could be stopped. Her horrified friends rushed down
|
|
the road to her, found her unconscious, and among those who helped lift her
|
|
into the ambulance when it came was D. W. Griffith, who has done so much to
|
|
make the younger Gish sister a popular star on the Mutual program. The
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|
director rode to Los Angeles with her, and her many other friends followed
|
|
her there as best they could, by trolley, motor or carriage, as the case
|
|
might be. At the hospital surgeons discovered that the little Mutual star
|
|
had had her left side very badly torn and one toe cut off. It looked like a
|
|
very bad case, but after several hours she began to rest more easily, and
|
|
when Mr. Griffith finally came out and announced that she would live, but
|
|
that it might be several weeks before she would be able to work again,
|
|
Dorothy Gish's friends breathed a sigh of deep relief.
|
|
|
|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
|
|
December 26, 1914
|
|
MOVING PICTURE WORLD
|
|
The crisis was passed in the siege against typhoid-pneumonia which Ford
|
|
Sterling was waging with his great constitution, and now the popular comedian
|
|
is past danger, but he looks rather battleworn, for he lost close to 22
|
|
pounds in the fight for his life. He will be out again in a few weeks and
|
|
back to work.
|
|
|
|
*****************************************************************************
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|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
|
|
"PERFECT CRIMES? Nickell/Taylor"
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|
by Ray Long
|
|
|
|
In mid-September 1999, Bruce Long contacted me asking if I'd allow him
|
|
to give my e-mail address to a documentary producer based at Santa Monica,
|
|
California. The unsolved murder of William Desmond Taylor was to be the
|
|
subject of his production.
|
|
Several days later I was contacted by this producer. At first I was
|
|
hesitant to divulge what knowledge I might have about the case. After some
|
|
prodding, I acquiesced and let the proverbial "cat out of the bag."
|
|
I was then asked to do an on-camera interview which I agreed to do on
|
|
October 8 during one of my periodic visits to the Los Angeles basin. During
|
|
the interview, I made several statements which would prove erroneous. I had
|
|
ASSUMED that Ms Gibson/Palmer/Lewis conducted herself in an ethical manner
|
|
during her lifetime with the exception of a brief lapse on February 1, 1922.
|
|
That was a big mistake. Subsequent revelations proved contrary.
|
|
It now appears that some of my assumptions were inaccurate. Where I
|
|
assumed that she had changed her name in 1917 for professional reasons, we
|
|
learned that she'd been arrested for prostitution and vagrancy (working in a
|
|
house of prostitution). Despite overwhelming evidence of her guilt, she was
|
|
acquitted by a jury (reminiscent of the Simpson jury?). Regardless of the
|
|
outcome of that trial, she could no longer appear in front of the camera as
|
|
Margaret Gibson (her birth name). I gave this interview prior to revelations
|
|
in the January 2000 issue of Taylorology.
|
|
Whereas I assumed that she'd been infatuated with the director, it now
|
|
appears more likely that she had attempted to blackmail him because of his
|
|
sexual preferences. With the events at the Saint Francis Hotel over the
|
|
Labor Day Weekend 1921 painting the public press bright pink, it would appear
|
|
that she seized this opportunity to threaten the director with exposure if he
|
|
didn't meet her demands. And it would appear that Taylor declined to meet
|
|
those demands and was taking steps to see that Ms. Gibson-Palmer enjoyed an
|
|
extended stay at the Hotel Gray Bar.
|
|
We also learned that Ms Gibson-Palmer was arrested in 1923 on a Federal
|
|
charge for being part of a nation-wide extortion ring. The case was
|
|
dismissed after the Federal Attorney learned that the complainant and
|
|
principal witness might have violated the Mann Act by transporting Ms
|
|
Gibson/Palmer across a state line into Mexico. In the "moral" climate of
|
|
1923, this alone should have been the coup de grace to Gibson-Palmer's
|
|
theatrical career. Somehow, her filmography continues into 1929.
|
|
Several errors crept into the documentary and I don't know their source.
|
|
Contrary to all known biographies, according to a 1900 census document
|
|
furnished to me by the Denver Public Library, Margaret Gibson was born in
|
|
Kansas, September 14, 1896.
|
|
"Rounding up the Law" the film she made with "Big Boy" Williams in late
|
|
1921 was not a serial. It was a five reel "oater" filmed in Weir Canyon on
|
|
land which is now the bottom of the upper Hollywood Reservoir. Several
|
|
scenes were shot along Dark Canyon Road which is now Barham Boulevard. The
|
|
town scenes appear to have been shot at Mixville. There are several scenes
|
|
which could have been shot in front of any house in Hollywood during that
|
|
period.
|
|
Margaret Gibson's first theatrical appearance was at Alex Pantages'
|
|
Vaudeville house in Denver, Colorado during the spring and summer of 1910.
|
|
She would have been fourteen years old. During June of that year, Taylor
|
|
appeared on the stage of the Tabor Grand Theater just down the street. She
|
|
migrated west to Santa Monica California in 1912. Her mother appears to have
|
|
been a "stage mother" and just as much a buzzardess as Charlotte Shelby.
|
|
Interestingly, Taylor appears to have found his way to Thomas Ince's beach
|
|
front facility in Santa Monica also in 1912.
|
|
By the time she reached the age of 18 on September 14, 1914, she'd
|
|
already played opposite William Desmond Taylor in four films for Vitagraph.
|
|
How she supported herself over the years, I don't know. The parts she
|
|
played in her post-1922 films probably required no more than a couple days at
|
|
most to film. Working in one or two films a year didn't provide her with
|
|
much income yet she resided in a relatively affluent neighborhood and enjoyed
|
|
the fruits of a higher standard of living. We can only speculate. Was she
|
|
engaged in prostitution? Narcotics? Extortion? We'll probably never know
|
|
the answer.
|
|
However, something very traumatic happened to her in 1934. She suddenly
|
|
found it necessary to flee the country taking the proverbial "slow boat to
|
|
China." Actually she went to Singapore in the Straits Settlements. She had
|
|
no money yet on February 9, 1935, she married one Elbert E. Lewis who
|
|
happened to be auditor for Socony Vacuum Oil Company (Mobiloil). It would
|
|
appear she met Mr. Lewis on the dock as her ship arrived in Singapore.
|
|
For the next five years, she enjoyed the "good life" accompanying her
|
|
new spouse as he traveled around the Bay of Bengal from Ceylon to Borneo.
|
|
For the era, they enjoyed a standard of living which would be the envy of a
|
|
potentate. However this wasn't to last.
|
|
In late summer 1940, she developed a serious bladder infection that
|
|
could not be treated in India. She did not wish to return to the United
|
|
States for treatment. However, because of the war, Europe was out of the
|
|
question. And with German surface raiders operating on the Indian Ocean
|
|
(they'd already sunk one of the company's tankers) both Australia and South
|
|
Africa were out of the question. Therefore she had no choice but to return
|
|
to the United States traveling on Lewis' passport via Yokohama. (Pan
|
|
American offered Clipper Service between Manila and San Francisco but she was
|
|
afraid to fly).
|
|
Elbert Lewis was killed around March 15, 1942 during the bombing of a
|
|
Socony Vacuum facility. Pat Lewis subsisted on a small pension from Socony
|
|
later Mobil until her death in 1964. In 1949 she purchased a small house in
|
|
Beachwood Canyon near the village with funds she received from Elbert's life
|
|
insurance policy. An act of war clause voided the insurance, but Mobil paid
|
|
it anyway.
|
|
During the fifteen years that I knew her she was reclusive to the
|
|
extreme. Looking from hindsight, she must have been hiding something. She
|
|
was a very kind and considerate individual. Much of her time was spent
|
|
gardening which she allowed vegetation to totally obscure the front of her
|
|
home. Her only companion was a dark grey cat named "Rajah."
|
|
Now, there are more questions than ever. The first being the reason for
|
|
her flight from the United States. She appears to have had another nom de
|
|
guerre: Ella Margaret Arce. Could she have used this name during the early
|
|
1930s?
|
|
What about Edward King? He was a peripheral LAPD investigator during
|
|
the early phases of the Taylor homicide. In 1930, he authored a magazine
|
|
article which implied that Charlotte Shelby was the culprit. He was a
|
|
sometime actor performing under the name Eddie Baker. In 1924 he appeared
|
|
briefly in the film "Hold Your Breath" with Ms. Gibson-Palmer. He was the
|
|
very first secretary-treasurer of the Screen Actors Guild. And for fifteen
|
|
years he resided directly across the street from Ms. Gibson-Palmer. There
|
|
was precisely one digit difference in their respective street addresses.
|
|
Among Pat Lewis' papers, there is an envelope postmarked January 1941.
|
|
Written in pencil in what appears to be her mother's hand-writing is the home
|
|
address and home telephone for "Sanderson." Leroy Sanderson handled the
|
|
Taylor investigation for the LAPD from his office on the second floor of New
|
|
City Hall between 1937 and 1941. Why?
|
|
At barely five foot, she was a mite of a woman but she could sure get
|
|
herself into some mighty big trouble.
|
|
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
Back issues of Taylorology are available on the Web at any of the following:
|
|
http://www.angelfire.com/az/Taylorology/
|
|
http://www.etext.org/Zines/ASCII/Taylorology/
|
|
http://www.silent-movies.com/Taylorology/
|
|
Full text searches of back issues can be done at http://www.etext.org/Zines/
|
|
or at http://www.silent-movies.com/search.html. For more information about
|
|
Taylor, see
|
|
WILLIAM DESMOND TAYLOR: A DOSSIER (Scarecrow Press, 1991)
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
|
|
|