Variety (August 1925)

r ^ Wednesday, Auf^tBt 6, 1088 TRUSTED VALET GOT A MEAL AT AUTOMAT Richards Faded Away One Evening with Plenty of Ice %:■ i ^%- h^- 1 ,. ;,ti-, AI Ctomblc, formerly of th« "Vanl tlMt^.the mental marvel and stagre playmate of Joe Cook, ii being feted tn his home city, Rochester. He U ttelnK touted as a Sherlock Holmes tad might pass up the show busi- BMS, as the chief of polios of Roch- Mter is angllnfr for Al to Join his 'detective force. It was Gamble who Is responsible for the apprehension '<ot Louis Richards, who on Oct 23 last decamped with |3,1S0 worth of Jewelry and cash belonging to Kath- ■rya Ray, "Pendulum Qlrl" In last yearns "Vanities." Richards, who wears tortoise shell Eyeglasses and is diminutive, was brought to this city to stand trial by Harry Stevens and Charlie Dugan, of the West 47th street de- tective bureau. The former valet was arraigned Saturday in West Side Court and will be heard agliln today (Wednesday) by Magistrate WelL He denied he stole the gems and added that he hopes Miss Ray Would not go "hard" on him. The Jewelry was not found on the |>rlsoner. It Is said to have been disposed of, and another arrest is expected shortly. Richards, it Is •aid. halls from London. He la vol-< .table, and waxed toquaolous on his Journey to this city. He made one reauest of the lileuths before they placed him in the hoosegow. "Please let me put the 'feed bag' on In the Automat," he begged of Stevens and Dugan. •"Just so I can become reminiscent," he said, when they asked him why. !K%ey permitted him. Evaporating Friend Shortly after they entered, Rich- Itrds was greeted by a friend. They jtexchanged greetings, and the friend itsked Richards where he was bound for. 'Tor the police station," he re- sponded. His friend jvaporated. Richards got his Job through Bob- bie Qray. valet to Urank Tinney. When Richards disappeared he was •aid to be valet to Dunne and Rome, Of the "Vanities " He s&id^that he Was sort of manager for Frank Tin- bey's Joint near the Music Box. "But t new got any dough out of that Job." he added. Strongbox for Actress The night Richards disappeared he •cted as strongbox for Miss Ray, his two bosses ' and half a dosen others in the cast. He held their watches and gems while they per- formed. When the show was over Richards was not to be found. Everyone in the show vowed that night they would seek Richards if they had to travel to the end of the globe. Richards, the night he left, is said to have gone to Stat en Island. After that he went to Chicago and wlt- sessd the Leopold-Loeb trial. He *V:hiseled" his way in by promising bne of the bailiffs ne could get him •how tickets. Richards heard the trial, but the bailiff never has seen the show nor Richards since. Fol- lowing that Richards went to Rochester. Heard "Ham And" Gamble's home is In Rochester. He was passinK a "beanerie" when ho saw Richards with his apron on. He wasn't nure until he heard his voice, "Ham an'!" It was then that At put the finger on the former valet Al told the :hlef of police and Richards was arrested. He is said to have a former police record. He sojourned one time, Stevens and Ougan said, at Auburn for a year and a half. "It's the 'big house' at Cssinlng he Is in dread of," said Stevens and Dugan. . Harry Syl<es, vaude actor, has re- tired from the stage and Is now connected with Sam Fallow, Loew Hotel Man Knifed Persons returning from rttowa and leaving cabaret* in the seetlon of 60th street and 7th avenue witnessed a knlttng last Saturday night in which the victim Is beUeved to be fatally wounded. The victim gave his name as Louis Brophy. 36, said to be part owner of the Grenoort Hotel, 200 W. eoth street He was hurried to Bellevue Hospital, where his recovery is despaired of. The knife wielder, William Bow- ers, tfi, correspondent of tTke St Nicholas Baths, llSth street and St Nicholas avenue, was arrested by Patrolman Samuel Blair of Traf- fic B. Bowers after the alleged slash- ing walked into the arms of the traffic policeman. He was arraigned before Magistrate Michael Vitale in West Side Court and held without bail for further examination pending the outcome of Brophy's injuries. Bowers told the court that he was arrested recently on the charge of being a drug addict by Detective James Brady of Dr. Simon's squad. He Is out on ball on that charge. Bowers said he had gone to the hotel to get some belongings and was assaulted by Brophy. It was only in selt-defeftse, he added, that he knifed Brophy, to defend himself. The blood-stained knife was found on Bowers by Blair. According to Blalr, Bowers said that he was using strychnine to ease his sufferings. He denied that he was a drug addict More Padlocks U. S. Attorney Emory Buckner's legal staff has been on a rampage again. Among the newest batch of padlocking suits are Included the Moscow Restaurant and Bdward Bornald, 47 W. 48th street; Triumph Social Club, also in the same build- ing, 47 W. 48th: Fern Club (Charles M. Fern). 147 W. 48th street; Law- rence Inn, roadhouse. 407 B. Boston Road; Belvedere Inn. Highland, N. T.; Journalist Club (Richard Scott), 191 William street Betty Gray's Car Bumped, But Betty Got Eat Invite Betty Irene Gray, with Ziegfeld's "Follies" and residing at 264 West 44th street came to West 47th street police station Monday evening to report that her roadster had been damaged In a collision at 49th street and 7th avenue by a reckless driver of a taxi. She told the reporters that she was not seeking publicity and de- clared that she was not jealous of the press yarns which Ethel Shutta had recently got away with, but her car had been damaged and she wanted satisfaction. "Everybody was lovely to me." Betty said, as she gave the names and addresses of some witnesses. One of those, she said who had described himself to her as C. K. Gordon, offered to take her out to dinner. ilTMES SQUARE FORMER ACFOR VICnMOFLONG DRUGJIABrr "Nick Edwards" Held for Trial—Unable to Se- cure $500 Bail A tragie soene mm enaeted In West Side Court wbea a former prominent actor, poorly dressed, aged from the ravages of a terrible habit was arraigned on the charge of possessing narcotics. He pleaded not guilty and was held for trial in Special Sessions. Bail was set at $500. but the actor was unable to furnish tiie balL JUTwam taken to the Tombs Prison. The actor gave his name as Nick Eklwards and his address as 4S0 8th avenue. He said be was 62, but he looked much older. His hair Is almost white and bis one-time straight frame bent According to Detectives Richard Nast and Max Roeder, under the di- rection of Ralph Oyler. chief of the Federal nso-cotio agents, they ar- rested EMwards at 48th street and 8th avenue after they had noticed he appeared to be a drug addict. Found Drugs A search disclosed, they said, three vials of heroin. Nast and Roeder seised the drug. According to Nast and Roeder, Edwards claimed to be a member of a well-known show family. He refused to tell anything of his family history. His brother, the detectives told newspapermen, is a well-known actor. They said that Edwards admitted that he has been a drug addict for yeara, He acquired the habit as a result of a nervous breakdown. The agents told newspapermen tthat Edwards told them he had ap- peared in the show. "Parlor, Bed- room and Bath." They also said that he told them he had appeared in the show. "Mary." When report- ers approachad Edwards he begged to l>e excused and asked them to spare him In their accounts. Following the arrest of Edwards. Chief Oyler. Nast and Roeder went to 60th street and 8th avenue, where they arrested Frederick Philips, 17. a waiter, 490 Columbus avenue. He was charged with possessing three vials of heroin. Philips was also arraigned In West Side Court and held In bail of 1500 tor trial in Spe- cial Sessiona VARIETY .^: DAVIS HEASnrO HOW SEPT. 5 EMIth Parker Davis appeared in West Side Court to answer to the charge of shooting her husband, Alan Davis, of "White Cargo" sev- eral weeks ago and the hearing was postponed until Sept 6. Davis was confined to Polyclinic Hospital until he mysteriously left the city. Detectives have made futile efforts to locate him. 'ROUND THE SQUARE J^- Plate Glass "Explosion" • Three men removing a sign large enough to reqalre six eaased tm explosion scare on 4Snd street early Thursday. The sign crashed througb a large plate glass window of the cafeteria next to the New Amsterdam. With a loud report the glass broke into small pieces, littering tbe pave- ment as well as the interior of the place. INo one was Injured. VILMA STECK in "WINDOW SHOPPING" Management DEL 8. LAWRENCE FEATURED on PANTAGES TIME "Kill" Forms on Bryan "life" and "Judge," the humor weeklies, are said to have destroyed several thotuuuid advance forms of their publication containing mattsr rldloullng the late William Jennings Bryan. A Fire in the Theatre District A fire at night in the theatre section of New York, which is Tims* Square, may bum Itself out or be subdued nowadays without any of the thousands of auditors In the various houses aware of It No more clanging fire apparatus dashing up or down Broadway. The apiparatas is dashing, but the clanging Is stilled. Traffic policemen clear the way by waving, all traffic comes to a halt regardless of the signals, and tbe apparatus winds itself in or out of a street car obstacle. The other evening of all the apparatus called to a fire up Broadway the only piece to sound its gong was the fire patrol. That took in Broad- way from 4Snd to 66th street Guest of Honor Gave Away "Vacation Money" A popular and famous humorist gave away his vacation money the other night while making an appearance as a guest of honor at a night club affair entirely designed for him. It was the eve of his departure upon the regular summer recreation spelL Three weelcs' salary reposed in his pocket, taking In the two weeks his paper had given him off. As the banquet progressed the humorist increasingly enjoyed It He insisted upon tipping everyone of th« house staff, starting with head waiters at |26; captains, |20, and just waiters $10 each. After taking care of the crew the funny fellow found he had some money left and started the tipping over again until he had to quit When the next day woke him up the comical cuss was cussing. He was strapped. Walking over to the night club to find out what had hap- pened, he was informed and in turn told the restaurant people that it had been only a jolce on his part but the waiters wouldn't believe him. Racing Truck Horses on 48th Street A pleasant night that closed after daybreak wound up in the station' house for its two celebrators. A woman who found them sleeping in her car at 8 a. m. insisted that they be charged with attempted theft of the auto. This the lietenant at the desk refused to entertain, as one of the two men is said to have been a police oflCicer off duty at the time. The next day the woman is reported to have visited the district attorney's office for the purpose of prosecuting the pair. Her angry motive could not be altered, and she refused to believe the men had merely sought her car for rest after a strenuous night Previously the men had raced truck horses along the 48 th street block for side bets of |10 per race. They had the driver of a truck unhitch the team, upon payment to him of |6 each by the two men. After tiring of the running races at 6 a. m., they found other diversion until not- ing the motionless auto, which at that time looked to them like a hotel suits. Mrs. Pearl Lewis* Story Is Contradicted by Police A dramatic story pr being kid- napped, beaten, siasned. robbed and kept a prisoner In c nouse Just a few feet off Broadway was related to detectives of West 47th street station when Mrs. Pearl L<ewls, 2S, 17 West 63rd street, who said she formerly was in vaudeville In an acrobatic act under the name of Gould and Gordon, made complaint Mrs. Lewis reported to Detective James FItapatrick that she had Just left the Mrd street house and was en route to the Broadway Central Hotel. She said she walked to Cen- tral Park West and 62nd street to wait for a surface car when an automobile containing three young and well dressed met. drove up. One of the men, she said, got out of the machine, seizing hold of her and forced her Into the tonneau of the car. Mrs. Lewis said she fainted and as she was recovering consciousness one of the men forced her to drink some liquid which she believes was chloroform and she lapsed back Into unconsciousness. The next thing she remembered, she said, was when she had partly regained her senses she found she was locked in an apartment at 126 West 49th street She said she was minus her purse which contained $27 and a diamond ring valued at $75. She told the detective that she began pounding on the door and at- tracted other tenants who sum- moned the police. She exhibited a wound from her lip to her chin and another on her right leg which, she declared, were Inflicted by being Rlashed by some sharp Instrument. She also bore bruises which she insisted was the result of the beat- ing administered to her. After at- tended by an ambulance surgeon «ho was talccn to tlie hotol. Detective Contradicted Her While the young woman was re- lating her story Detective James Brady of the Narcotic Squad, hap- pened to be In the station house. He flatly contradicted her and said she had attended a party at the 49th street house In company of several other women and during a period of drunken hysteria siie kicked throujfh a Klass panel and cut hrr foot. Just how she sustained the cut on the face was unknown to the detective. Brady said he was passing at the (Continued on pane 16) "TINY TIM" ON COAST Famed Candy Vendor Says Los An- geles Ripe "Tiny Tim," vendor of "soul candy." who left Greenwich Village | flat after several lucrative years of peddling his confection among tbe sightseers, has located in Los An- geles. He Is introducing the "soul candy" among the motion picture colony and also actmg occasionally In picture productions. Tim's whereabouts was made known last week when a friendly . Villager received a letter from him telling of his good break and claim- ing the film folk were buying his candy as fast as he could turn it out Tim also slipped In a tip that the L. A. locality wouM be ideal for 'a Bohemian replica of OreenwicK Village, which may give some of the Villagers an idea and precipitate an exodus to California. Tim was a former actor, but has successfully kept his Identity con- cealed. When he hit upon the candy racket in the Village he quit the stage through finding the candy sales more profltable and steadier than show business. Raid on Unlicensed Chauffeurs and Others More than 100 taxicab chauffeurs were rounded up in the Square dur- ing the last week as a result of a drive of the Police Department to rid the city of drivers with no li- censes and who have criminal rec- ords. This drive Is the offspring of the slaying of young Kenny, killed when he was escorting his sweet- heart home in Brooklyn last winter. The slaying was the outcome over an alleged fare. The chauffeur at that time said that young Kenny questioned the amount of the fare. The maplstrates were severe in their flncs and imposed various amounts. Some were fined $26 Many were arrested In Times square, some for falling to manifest their llrenfles In prominent places, others for falling to have licensea lJeuten.ant John (trlflith. in charge of the detectives of West 47th htreet, with all his spare men. centered themselves around the Square and rounded up over two-