Variety (Sep 1928)

Wednesday, September 5, 1928 TIMES SQUARE VARIETY 45 Wife Takes Poison AsTwoMenBatde h Her Apartment Charged with stabbing; J.ames Stark, salesman, io times with a peri knife in the apartment of his -wife, Ruth, on. the ninth floor of the Stanley hotel, 126 W. 47th street, . Jack Touchton, 24, a fruit salesman, ■will be ari-atened in West Side ; Court tomorrow (Thursday) before Magistrate Louis Brodsky; Alleged slashing took place early Sunday morning during an argu- ment in Mrs. Touchton's apartment. MrSi Touchton, 21, .witnessed the knifing according to r>etectives John . Coleman and Tom Walsh of the I? West 47th street station. The wo-r man ran from, the scene of the battle to a wash room and drained a small bottle containing lysol. Her face and breast were badly burned She was taken to Bellevue Hospital with Stark. Their conditlt)n is said '. to be. serious. Touchton fled after . the fracas. Touchton .denied the knifing, he was arrested after a chase, and told Coleman and Walsh that his .wife ie kriown as one of the Nor- walk Sisters of vaudeville. Also in the apartment at the time was Getaldlhe Robertson and Kenneth Haddock, a masseur. Miss Robert don is said 'to be the vaud© team-, inate of Mrs. Touchton. Touchton carne to the apartment about th^'ee a. m. and is said to have sovight to borrow $10 from, his wife. She asked Miss Robertson to give it to hini. When .Miss Robert 'son gave lip, the sleuths say, Stark reproached her for it. . Battle Starts Then the battle started. The wo- men, became hysterical and Stark Was giving a good account of him- self when Touchton is alleged to have wielded the knife. ' Haddock sought to stop the flpht and Mrs, Touchton ran to an ad- . Joining room and drank the poison Haddock dashed the bottle from hep lips but not before she had taken plenty of it. He gave, hier first aid treatment. First the detectives knew about the . affair . was when Touchton •phoned and stated that two women had bounced a eln bottle over his head and robbed him of $75. Cole- man and WaJsh hurried to the apartment and found Stark and M»a. Touchton in bad shape. They summoned a.n ambulance. Miss Robertson led the police to Touch- ton who fled when he saw the de- tectives. He was overta,ken. In court an attorney for the defendant stated that Touchton had acted in self defense. The Touchtons have been married four, years and have a young son. Dance Hall Sheiks Held On Phone Girl's Charge Arraigned in West Side Court before Magistrate William A. Far- rell on a charge of criminal assault, Robert Leonard, 26 years old, a salesman, of 148 West 44th street, and Robert Taylor, 22, silk weaver, of 283 Main street, Rochester, N. Y„ waived examination and were held for the Grand Jury. Both- defendants pleaded not guilty. They were anrested by Pa- trolman Francis Houghton of West 47th sti-eet, on the complaint of Kileen Dore, a Bronx telephone, op- erator', 1116 Woodycrest avenue, the Bronx. Miss Dore testified that both, de- fendants assaulted' her. She .said she was beaten by the pair when she resisted them. Taylor, she. said, mpt her on an I. R. T. subway platform in the Bronx. He spoke to her and prom- ised to teach her tango stcp.s. He invited her to a dance hall on Broadway. . He-,-took her to his fliat. There Taylbr told her he expected Leon- ard and the lattcr's girl friend, In- stead, she said, Leonard arrived alone and the attack followed. She was kept prisoner in the apartment during the night, she said. DIVORCES Boniface with a Heart An actor in.hock to a Times Pquaro hotel for $1S2 was no- tiliod by his agent that he had lined up several weeks' work. The actor's costumes and props were in three trunks at the hotel. He told the proprie- tor about the coming work and promised to pay off, but the prop refused to release the trunks or to allow the ihespian to take even a suit case. He remaihed firm when it was explained that without the trunks the time would have to ' be '.cancelled. ■ The proprietor of a hotel, on 47th. street heard of the incident and promptly 'sent a. check around for the actor's indebtedness, although the latter was a stranger to him. Bouncer Up for Assault After Two Years' Chase Flora Parker De Haven irranted divorce from Carter De HaVen, Aug 29. She was fl-warded half of com munity property and half of De Haven^s future earnings. They had been married 21 years.. Ruth Hawthorne, playwright,, who authored "Mrs. Partridge Presents," is being sued for divorce by her husband, William Almon Wolff, novelist and scenarist. Wolff, Who Is 43, and a fonner member of the "Herald Tribune" staff, charges his wife 'vi'ith statutory offenses and in the'action filed at the. county seat at Bridgeport gives specific details, but fails to mention, thie name of the other man. Mrs. Wolff is in Europe^ STAGEHAND'S DESEETION Charles A. King, 38, stage hand who formerly stopped at the. Hard- ing hotel, was a:rrested by detectives Patrick Flood a.nd Roger Meehan, of the 47th street station, on com- plaint of his wife. King is charged with being a fugitive .from Atlantic City where he is wanted for de- sertinff his wife and two children last January. King will be taken back to At- lantic City as soon as extradition papers are completed. ELKS' NEW CJLTIB The largest Elks' club house in [ the world, the new edifice in Brook lyn, opens witli a formal banquet Sept. 8. Eli Dantzlg and his Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer Orchestra (15). will be the permanent attraction and will broadcast thrice weekly. Patrick Brown, formerly a bounc er in the Balconnades dahce hall, 66th street and Columbus avenue, ijought for two years as a, fugitive in connection-with assaulting a pa- tron in the dance place, and also to be questioned In connection with the death of a patrolman, was cap turcd by detectives Edward. Fitz gerald, John McNamara and Jack Cronin of Inspiector Coughlin's staff. . B^pWn, apparently happy that; the hunt was . over, was arraigned in West Side Court hefore Magistrate Andrew Macrery and held without bail for the Grand Jury. When Brow-n ' skipped the authorities he had been held in bail of $2,500. The bond was forfeited. The ex-bouncer was arrested after a stiff fight at 15th street and Seventh avenue. The sleuths had to beat him Into submission before Brown yielded to ai-rest. He at tenipted to toss McNamara under the wheels of a taxicab. He is a former pugilist and was charged with assaulting a man with a black jack. The day after the attack Brown was with Patrolman John McGuiro, West 68th street station. They had words, a fist fight ensued and Brown is alleged, to have struck the blue coat. The latter was felled and struck his hear on the flagging. He died the next day. Brown then fled frpni city to. city. . He told reporters that the patiTol man met his death by being struck hy a taxicab. ^rpwn has a; police record, the sleuths said. A Wise Booker Balks At Too Great Bargain Osboin Putnam SIoani.-^, theatrical 'honkor wlUi ollloo in the Palai'C Theatre htiililins, will he the cona- plainant this we<>k atxainst Jp.<'eph Koniere, "4 year.«* old, .a chauffeur, of 319.Kast, Sath ."^troot. i-harjjed with atiojnptinf^ to soil automobile tiros fraudulently. t^teartis drivinp: his. auto'on West 4Sth street !«alcl he \v.t..s api>riiac'hed by ]v(inei-(>, who al:?o \\>is in an :xuto,. • Ueniere olfercHl tw.p ■•I'nite'd States Uoyal" tires for $jrj, Stearns said Hemere, he, fleela rcd; tore a' poo - tion of tlio papet' eovering to shinv the . word "rn'itod' States.'.' The whole tnarUini? was, "..Made In the United States," Stearns had read in Variety of a gang operating a phoney tire sale swindle. He directed Remci-e to te.ar off some more of the covering Remere, angered,' refused. Stearns then seized Remere by the scruff of the neck and turned; hl"i o'V^^'J^ Dcftectives Gilman and Qilroy. The tires are discarded ones re built, Remere told the sleuths, He denied that he represented them to be the U. S. Royal Gords, How ever an attorney that represented th<! rubber company was in court. He told reporters Remwe had been arrested for the same offense be- fore. Nominal bail was fixed. DRIVE ON STEERERS AND DOUBTFUL CLUBS Cops Chase Pathfinders and Then Start After Resorts— . Fines and Warrants Chatter in the Loop Modern ambition of a vaude actor not acting at present, as overheard in front of the Woods buiiding. "I'm gonna leave show business flat. Gotta chance:to open a saloon Jn:^Q?jih Chicago/ : Frank. Dare, head of Actors' Equity here, keeps ft fan going in his office .throughout the year. He smokes pipes that would bite a horse. "Does" Terry Bliimigott . rate well in Chi?" "Naw;\he went to Milwaukee for the. weekend and the Chicago Com- edy Club didn't even give him a Cadillac." , .Ez Keough," agent, has that cer- tain rating. With Ez moving his trappings for probably permanent location in New York, the Comedy Club threw one of its traditional pcndoffs for him, and threw in a Cadillac in case Ez didn't like the party. line In the "American." has been assumed by Fritz Blockl. The name has appeared in print rarely during the past two years, since Fred Mc- Quigg, head of the amusement de- partment, preferred personal iden- tificstiefir-^ ' W. Wf Major, once city ed. of the "American," warms the same chair on the "Journal" under the latter's hew regime. Ted Tod, one of the town's ace police reporters, als:o was lured away from the "American" by the "journal's" new bosses. "Bubbles" Is Tactless In describing Tex Guinan for his sheet, a local feature writer, says she talked with "bubbling lips," Nude in Y. M. C. A. Westport, Sept. 4. A nude pastel painting of a young girl by Everett Shinn caused a lot of. excitement in. town last week. The nude was hung in the West- port ,y. M. C. A., art gallei-y. The janitor's wife complained tha.t It was Imnrtoral, and the painting was thrown in the cellar. Shinn reclaimed the nude FHday and sent it to. New York for exhi- bition. In the meantime the local artists' colony threatens to leave in a body if the townspepple can't. ap- preciate their art. "We'll paint for janitor's wife when janitor'i3 wife buys paintings, " John Held, Jr., famous cartoonLst and sceiiie designer, told the Y. ofll Cialfl. TAKES SHUBERT DARE stage Hands Stage Battle On 45th St. About 11 P.M. A pitched battle of stagehands, froni several of the 45th street thea- tres, took' place Friday night In the middle of the street Which has been barred to trafhc. for. the past week due to a relaying of the street. Battle began about: lO.DO P. M. and was witnessed by about 3,600 people. It didn't last long and the pjirticipants were separated by some women. Nobody seriously hurt. Stoevers .have made theni.^elves searee din-lnp: .ihe. past wei-k. .'^Ince T')epviiy Cliief In.'^VH>otor J. S. Kolan and Captaih lOdward Tiennun of West 4Tth sir«-«t, began a diivo to rid ihe main stem of them the boys have fled for cover. A week af^^o doteefives from the stuff , of Inspector Kolan and I:en- non rounded up six alleped steer- ers. They were fmea in West Side. Court but not satisfied with dis- orderly conduct,, the polii'e have de- ' cided .to charge them with the nvore serious crime of vacrancy. Oorh- plalnts of out of towners being taken in the night cltib.s liave be- come too frequent foi* Bolan and Lennoh. Some of the oliih.s will And. it hard if the .steerer is perma- neritly chased, A round up of night vl«l)-s fol- lowed the raid on the steerer.s. De- tectives Francis Dolan and Rich- ard Tobin of.Captain LennivtVs-staff began an intensive ilrlve on the places having no cabaret licenses. : ■The.se served with sumtnon.ses were Jack Sullivan. Chateau. Tliierry Club, 135 W. B2nd street, Sullivan said there had been a delay on rec- ognition since he' took over the place. Magistrate Farrell fined hini ?i25.... Jack Boyle, of the Idle Iloiir Club, 115 W, 48lh istreet, pleaded not •guilty to the same offense a:nd of- fered an excuse, "$100," thundered the Court, and the other night club managers became panicky. As their names were called they asked for adjournriients. Magistrate Farrell "i was compelled to grant these on the first hearing but saw to it that the cases. would be heard by hfni, > Next tp follow for operating a cabaret without a license was Jack Sharkey of the Film Club, 727 Sev- enth avenue, and Max St<iinberg, of the Frolic Club, 37 W. 49tJh sti'cet. Both got adjournments and the Court flxed/$500 bail. When the bases were called on the adjourned dates the defendants failed to ap- pear. Magistrate .Farrell forfeited bail and issued wa,rrants on the. de- fendants. 'The Magistrates and police are co-operating to rid the Square o.£ questionable places. Abe Lyman was out of "Good ..MfiuWa'J^for^aJvcek-on^a.:^vJsit..to..=N£.^ York, carrying his secretary, l>ob Goldstein, in ciise, he wanted to write any postcards. "Doris Arden," picture critics on tlje "Dally Journal," is Muriel Ver- non, formerly feature writer on tlie same .sheet. "The Optimist," Jeglt re^' >)y- ' What looks like an outright effort to encourage marriage has taken place in the local Music Corp. of America ofTlce, which Is full of bachelors. Formerly all stenog- raphers were grouped in one de- partment, and would respond to the buzzer in rotation regardless of who buzzed. Now each .^stenographer is as- signed 1tp"We""m^ to as a private secretary. Ballast Driving from Toledo to Akron, O., Jack Crawford, orcliestra- leader, crashed head-on into Another car. Crawford weighs 300 lbs in his .<?tocking feet and claims that's all that kept bis car on the road. (Continued, from page 1) and then offered $30,000 to Rogers to buy House's contract, payable at $250 a week for every week the actor worked. Rpgers stated . he would consider $30,000 in cash, Shubert replied he would be in a fine mess if something happened to House, and Rogers countered that he would defray the premiums of an insurance policy in favor of the Shuberts on House's life to circum- vent any such mishap, Rogers adds that this suggestion didn't seem to please Shubert and. he ^naUylett that office at 1 a. m'., leaving T^ouse,'' Lyons and the producer behind. Rogers states that next day House phoned him stating he had signed with, the Shuberts a.t 3 a, m, that morning and Bubsequently refused to go froih an Atlantic City vaude- ville bopking to. the n.ext' stand in Baltimore because of rehearsals with the ^htibertfl. . Rejects .House's Sugflestion Rogers states that at House's sug- gestion he again accompanied him to .Shubcrt's ofllce and that J. J. again offered to bet him $20,000 that the plaintiff would lose in an in- junction plea. House, meantime, had suggested that Rogers pay him $G50 a week, or twice the $325 which was his top salary with Rogers at the time Shubert and Lyons saw the Hou.sc -act ("Resolutions," a sketch), at the Palace, Nf:W York, and that Rogers receive the dlffer- Wrev"B'ut""=ShTihert;^^^^ Iloger.s' aflldavit, stated he would liavc no business dealings with the vaudeville man. ' House is alleged to be unique and exlr.'iordinary, weighing 285 pounds. Tlie Shuberts are making a mo- tion for a change of venue to bring the matter for trial in the New York County Supreme Court, A. & B. Dow agency Is bpbkihg the Majestic, Jersey City, on Sun- days. John Coutes was recently ^iven credit for booking- the house in an ad which appeared in Va- I riety, On the Square Parody Men Back Parody men. are back on the Square. For many years, with the parody vogue dead in vaudeville, the vendors of allleged comedy versionK of the . contemporary song bits had been absent from the Street. "Ramona" and "Laugh, Clown, LaUgh" parodies brought them-hack. A ''Kitty Game" Saratoga's season, probably the best yet as far as the track waa concerned, was described by one of the big New York players as "just a kitty game." In other words the layers and the players were Just pOOliTigr-thelr-dough to meet expenses, • .^...^ Despite the fact that the books early last week were reported in the hole to the extent of $2,000,000 its a safe bet that few of the steady horse players took any hig do"Ugh out of the Spa. The books, however, re- trieved a considerable part of their earlier losses on getaway, day when four favorites were defeated. Alderman's Wire Final week of the races at. Saratoga packed a fliiancial wjillop for most of the players. • , , li. Alderman Murray Stand, well known Times S<iuarlte. vol-ed the sentiments of unknown thousands .when he wired a friend: 'Ousted, disgusted and not trusted." Great For Pin« Toy balloons big enough to lift a youngster off the street on :i windy day are the latest free diversion for stem hystandcrs. The Kale lads are finding the ballyhoo an expensive one, hnw-ver, .since tlie size of the balloon, often shields the; pin .vt)f>l<fT l-fore the startling pop. Three Year Run Those' shimmy shaking paper dolLs, ped.lled by s>iit''a.-e pii.-li men stationed in Broadway .shop doorways at the late the.itie li.'ur. Iiave h?Kl.._n bout: the, .longest .Halc8.,run^ the main stem.. ThcyWc sold steadily for the iTar-t Hiree j < ai A dumb looking .shill tugging on an luvl.sible h]uc\: thn^ad c..|.!...l^? the niovenu-nts of the dolls. Vi.sitors to New York ov r Lal.or ix.y Atnx for the .shakers In large numbers. Times Building's Red "T" Times building now h.as a huge T atop it.s flafip-le w!.l. h "P in red at night and flaunts d-flanoe at the Panim.uMit s ^^ lui.. },1..vk mg globe aoroHS the street and ahave It,