Wiles of Fannie Brice Lift ‘Nicky9 A rnstein From Rock Pile
- IS
Music Box Revue
Now Has Daughter
of Guard in Cast
“Master Crook” Relieved of
Hard Labor at Leavenworth
After Wife’s Plans
Consummated.
Hr Vnlteriiil Service.
(Copyright, 1DL5.)
Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 3.—"Nicky"
Arn tein, the shiftiest master crook
of recent reports, again has demon
si rated his genius for wiggling out of
tight situations.
For years the authorities fenced
and squirmed and worried as Arnstein
baffled punishment with a seemingly
unending series of evasions, escapes,
delays, technical defenses and equivo
cations. At last a sigh of relief came
when his last subterfuge was ex
hausted and "Nicky" finally was
locked behind the barriers of the fed
eral penitentiary at Fort Leaven
worth.
But it wasn't by any means his last
gasp. Came an offer to get a pardon
or shortening of sentence for Afn
^ stein in return for his "turning up”
^ several million dollars in stolen securi
ties. Arnstein was taken to New
York, where he lived in a costly hotel
with Sidney Lee, a guard at the
prison.
Hark to Prison.
Arnstein hold out for too much,
however, and hack he went, although
his journey and the weeks in luxury
counted as part of his prison term.
By this time the government officials
were thoroughly hot under their col
lars. and word went to Leavenworth
to nut the recalcitrant, irritating Arn
sloln on the rockplle, reserved for the
"hojtheads,” United States convicts of
lowest degree. Before his trip east,
Nicky had enjoyed a comparatively
easy office assignment.
On the coal pile, just as bad, went
Nicky, for the first time in his long
and labyrinthlan career of crime real
ly "up agalns it."
As everyone knows, Nicky's wife is
Fannie Brice, the $3,000 a week co
medienne. She is still loyal, devoted
and faithful with a courage and pa
tience that are the eighth wonder of
tlte Broadway night life circles Here
was an "angle"—no, Nicky hadn’t
played his last card.
Fannie made a hurried trip to Fort
Leavenworth. She met the officials,
charmed them with her famous per
sonality, did extravagant welfare
work for the poor confined devils—
-nd wept because her Nicky—such s
husband, and such a gentleman!—had
to shovel coal with drug peddlers and
unspeakable hoodlums.
"Officed” From Washington.
But—Warden Biddle was obdurate.
He had been “officed” from Washing
ton. Nothing could be done. Fannie
wept, even long after she wrent back
to New York, and opened in the
Music Box Revue, one of the smart
girl shows.
She had met Lee also. And. while
at Fort Leavenworth, had met Lee’s
pretty and talented daughter, Lucilla
Mehaffy Lee, 18. wild to go on the
stage. To her, of course, the advent
of such a luminary as Fannie Brice
was a thrill and a dream come true.
Fannie made no end of a fuss over
Lucilla. She had the girl dance for
her, trained her to go on in an enter
tainment for the prisoners (in whleh
the great comedienne herself was not
allowed because it was deemed bad
policy to have the wife of an inmate
so appear), and Fannie applauded and
had not enough words to express how
charmed she was with Lucilla Lee.
Shortly afterward. Fannie, still
weeping, went back to New York.
Lu Gives In.
Now', fancy a scene tone continuous
scene) in the home of Lee his pretty
daughter mad to go on the stage, with
a career prnphe«ied for her by no
less than Fannie Brice! Lee wanted
her to stay in Kansas—out her mother
and the girl herself, knew neither
sleep nor calm thereafter In their
excited eagerness for Lucilla’s big
chance.
7,ee didn’t get much sleep there
after, either.
Just who started the correspond
enee. or exactly how it progressed, is
“strictly private."
But—
One night, recently, a sweet-faced
little girl with clothes that spelled
somewhere west of Chicago, was ad
milted "in front” »t the “Music
Box,” passed by the management. For
several performances she studied and
observed.
Then came a morning rehearsal
and the stage manager was notified
that Miss-So-andSo had been trans
ferred to the road company of the
Music Box, and Miss Lee would re
place her. Which Miss I,ee? Why,
Miss Lucilla Lee! The stage man
ager thought he knew' all the chords
ters on Broadway worth a change at
a place in this crack chorus, but
he didn't know Miss Lucilla Lee. No.
she was from "out of town. *
New Girl Tyro.
The new girl obviously was a tyro,
althought a charming little trick and
not at all without talent. She
seemed to cling to Miss Brice, who
seemed to be her patroness, guardian
and mentor. Miss Brice never before
had remained around at chorus re
hearsais—but nowr she never missed
one, and always stayed through, and
always waited until the new girl from
out-of-town changed her practice
clothes, and always took her away
with her—out of the theater, Into her
own waiting limousine.
One of the girls asked the novitiate
where she was living, and she naive
ly said at Miss Brice s home—but she
expected to move shortly, as soon as
a relative ahould arrive
That is about all there ts to the
story, except—
Scan the following from the corre
spondent in Fort Leavenworth:
"In answer to your query in re
Arnstein:
“Story sent you several weeks ago
about Nicky being on coal pile was
entirely correct. But h few days ago
for good behavior, he was assigned to
messenger work.
“Answering your inquiry regard
Sidney Lee he is married, one d.iugh
ter, Lucilla. now In New York. p»c
timing for singe.
Lucilla ‘Tlmmiing.”
"Lucilla l* a chaining girl. Hei
mother was formeily a aejimst resM
before she murib’d Lee. who is a
veteran prison officer. Mrs Lee
said In be In full accord with he*
da light ei s theatrical plans, hilt I
is not so enthusiastic, though he gave
full consent Mis Ain't* n i» 1
♦ o have encouraged Hie gni coiisldei
shiv while out here visiting Arnatein
in an effort to get him off Hie hwn ' |
and dlrtv work at which tbm*> she)
also met Mis. Lee. having ulivudyj
met Lee in New York when Lee took
Nicky east at the time of the offer
of restitution which failed."
Those who know Fannie Brice
most intimately sav that of late she
has somewhat brightened up and is
not as frequently seen weeping as
she was a few weeks ago, when the
sympathy of the whole Broadway set
was hers because the handsome, fam
ous husband, she adores, the father of
their .two children, was consigned to
shovel coal and break rock. She still
sighs, for he has still some years to
serve, but she smiles now, tod.
And she has found a new interest
in life—a pretty young stranger on
whom the showers an almost mother
ly affection—Lucilla Mohaffy Lee.
the new girl in the Music Box chorus.
Farm Home Burned.
Pawnee City, Feb. 3.—Catching fire
the second time after a small roof
blaze in the afternoon had been put
out. t he farm home of Daniel R
Tarks, six miles northwest of here,
was destroyed by fire Monday right.
One child, asleep in an upstairs room,
narrowly escaped the flames.
W hen You Feel a Cold Coming On
Take Laxative BROMO QC[ NINE
Tablets to work off the cause and to
fortify the system against an attack
of Grip or Influenza. A Safe and
Proven Remedy. The box bears eig
nature of K. W. Grove. 30c Adver
tlsement.
Girl, 7. Poison?
Three: Seeks to
Slav 8 Others
Confesses Twin Sisters Died
of Ant Paste Spread on
Food: Tried to Kill
Child With Razor.
T.os Angeles, Feb. 3.—Poliee de
tectives today were investigating one
of tlie strangest rases ever brought
before the police of California—that
of Alsa Thompson, 7, who has eon
fessed, the officers say, that she
caused the death of her twin sisters
and a woman by poison and attempt
ed to poison eight other persons.
The girl was taken Into custody
upon request of Mr. and Mrs. Jess
Platts, with whom the child boarded,
after a strange substance of solution
from a radio battery and ant paste
was found spread over food of the
Platts, just as their infant daughter,
•V--- r
as well as Maxine Thompson, the
Kiri's 2 year old sister, were about to
eat. *
According to police, the girl frankly
admitted the poison attempt and that
site had caused the death of her twin
sisters l.y ground glass two years ago
while her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Russell Thompson, were residing in
Dauphin, Manitoba. She further as
serted, the police claim, that she
caused the death of a Mrs. Trice, with
whom she once lived, by administer
ing rat poison to her.
"I guess I was just mean and liked
to see them suffer," the girl is said
to have declared in admitting the
poisonings.
Alsa is said to he one of the smart
est pupils in the second grade she at
tends and is said to hate shown great
interest in recent crimes, recently
having asked Mrs. Platts to read her
t ho daily stories of the rase of Dor
othy Klllngson, San Francisco matri
cide.
I; was also lea ned front Mrs. Plstts
.lilies "Niilij" Arnstein.
that on last Sunday Alsa tried to
take the lives of her baby sister, Max
ine, and Lorraine Platts, 9, by slash
ing their wrists with a razor blade,
and that two weeks ago she put a
strange combination of substance in
the food of the Tlatts that made the
entire family ill.
Still on another occasion Alsa is
said to have told her questioners that
she poisoned the coffee at the watts
home.
Cy Scofield, a roomer at the Platts
home, was another victim of the child
poisoner, and on several occasions has
suffered from strange illnesses, he
said.
AT THE
THRATERS
The Diehl Sisters, who have a
great sense of comedy values, are
one of the several popular features
In the current six-act vaudeville hill
at the World theater. The girls are
expert dancers, but. they chose io
•‘clown" their numbers and the re
sult is that they score an unusual
laughing success. Artie Mehlinger is
a lively singing comedian. "The
Christmas Letter" is regarded as the
best playlet the World has ever pre
sented.
John Holder, whose violin playing
and imitations raptured the first
prize among 50 contestants at a con
test held recently at station KFNF,
Shenandoah, is the special added fea
ture at the Kmpress Friday evening.
Might other acts will be offered in
addition to the current musical farce,
"Fooling Father," which is scoring a
laughing success.
There are few dancers who possess
the grace, animation and vitality of
little Kmille Lea, appearing at the
Orpheum theater this week in a danc
ing and singing concoction called
"Rehearsing for Vaudeville.” Miss
Lea's offering is one of the high
spots on the bill. The act Is beauti
fully staged and the little dancer
flashes several gorgeous costumes.
•Miss Lea's kicking solo and acrobatic
waltz are distinctly different. Added
to her dancing ability she possesses
a pleasing soprano voice. Miss I^a's
company includes Sam Kaufman, pi
anist, and Clarence Rock, who intro
duces some eccentric dance steps.
With a company of 60 people, in
eluding the 16 Jazz-a-Ganza girls,
Jean Bedinl's "Peek-a-Boo" is playing
the Gayety twice daily. The show is
clean and wholesome throughout,
which should be the signal for the
ladies to attend In large number*. A
bright bit in the show is the singing
and dancing of Neill# Nelson. Louie#
Fontain has arranged several art pic
tures, which are really worth seeing,
and in "explaining” the pictures
Harry Lander Inject* a lot of whole
some comedy, a distinct novelty is
scheduled for Friday evening. It is
called “Garter N'ite," during which
the pretty choristers will distribute
>15 cash to lucky patrons.
Consumption of Meat in
United States Increases
Washington, Feb. 3. — Increased
meat consumption in the United
States last year was indicated In sta
tistics compiled by the Department
of Agriculture today, showing that
about 1.000,000 more meat animals
were slaughtered than in 1923.
Slaughter of, 79,432,640 cattle,
sheep, goats and swine was reported.
While a half million fewer swine
were killed, slaughter of cattle, calves
and sheep increased half a million
each.
-— — ,
AnVKRTISEMrrNT.
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Girls! Try this! When combing and
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and brush it through your hair. The
effect is startling! You can do your
hair up Immediately and It will appear
twice as thick and heavy—a mass of
gleam)* hair, sparkling with life nd
possessing that incomparable softness,
freshness and luxuriance.
While beautifying the hair '‘Dander
lne'’ Is slso toning and stimulating
each single hair to grow thick, long
and strong. Hair stops falling out and
dandruff disappears. Get a bottle of
"Danderlne'' at any drug or toilet
counter and Just see how healthy and
youthful your hair appears sfter this
delightful, refreshing dressing.
ADVERTISEMENT.
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■■ -
-—
Vaudeville Actress Aids Husband
V
jy
F"1a-n me
exclusively lirst-class~always
•• steel Pullmans
obseivation cars
club car$
Fred Harvey dinmg cars
double trackrockballast
powerful locomotives,
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'
HUD
“BUTTERFLY”
She flirted with the flame that
only leavea the aahea of sorrow.
On the Stage, Tonight
Mac Ohmen Lillian Madsen
Harold Wright Frances Burnham
“G-String Harry”
Mystery Melodrama of the
Underworld
Yellow
Cab
Can Answer These
Questions
What cab do you patronize ?
And what do you know about it? Is
there any solidity behind it ? Will it—
or can it—pay your claim for damages if
you are injured while ridin" in it ?
Do you know anything about
the driver—about, bis standing—his
reputation—bis habits? Are you confident
of his decency and honesty ? Would you
permit your w ife and children to ride with
him unless you were along?
Is the cab clean and sanitary ?
Is it insured? Are YOU insured
when you ride in it ? Does it use skid
chains in wet and slippery weather? Dors
it carry a meter which is always accurate
and which gives you a printed slip?
If you can get direct answers
to these questions, you will never
take any riskR when using a taxicab, be
cause only Yellow Cab can answer them
to your satisfaction.
Why not write us a letter—ask
all the questions given above, and as
many more as you can think of? It is a
wise idea to become acquainted with the
cab you patronize, beam for your own
benefit, what is necessary to operate a cab
company worthy of public, confidence and
respect.
Yellow Cab Rates
One to Five Passengers
First *4 Mile. 20©
Each Additional Vs Mile. 10©
Each three minutes waiting .10c
can ride for
the price of
AT lantic 9000
Return of the Grand Old Man to the Screen
THEODORE ROBERTS
With
RAYMOND GRIFFITH - VIOLA DANA
And an All Star Cast In
'
If you talk in
your sleep, you
will say “40
I |
■
Say!
Walt# npl
Wi»# up! |
Hurry upt I
S t • p up and
double up at the
SATURDAY
A MOTION PICTURE
BROUGHT TO LIFE
On Stage
OnScreen
Combination 1 ^
O °f 1**
Spoken
ar.d
Silent
drams
“Tb# Greatest Lot# of if
AH”
No Raise in Price*
• 1
STARTS
SATURDAY
!_ _ _1
J THIS
I WEEK
||| A Musical Comedy That ia a
Certain Laugh Riot
| ‘Pooling Father’
FRI. EVE. at 8:30
■ AMATEURS .
H I 8 • - ACTS - • 8 I
Special Feature
JOHN HOLDER
Priia Winning Violinitl
of Station KFNF in
Tune* - Old and New”
Mr*. WALLACE REID
anp cast of favorites in
“Broken Laws”
Not a Praachmant—But an a«
captional photoplay that arary
parant and aaary hoy and girl
thould taa
•^POPULAR PRICES
Nighta, 40c. Matinaaa, 25c.
Childran, 10c.
Cecil B DeMi’le*.
Gorgeous Production j
With |
‘The Golden Bed’
Rod LaRocque and Lillian Rich
On (hi Stage
The Keno Four
Vaudeville-Photoplay*
A Great 6-Act Bill With the
Remarkable Playlet «f
Laugh* and Teara
“Christmas Letter’"
DIEHL SISTERS
Comedy Entertainers
Other Excellent Acts,
Including ‘HarmoJau Frolic* I
On the Screen
Colleen Moore
“Broken Hearts of Broadway”
Starting Saturday
Watson Sisters
L"\ Famous Comedy Queens j
|[,afr<*re,re»«£
LjF CALIOX \ KRU1
U PRINCETON A WATSON
)F PAUi >o| \> | HKKRFRT A
fi 4 CO. I HOl.T TRIO
K EMILIE LEA
2Zf Omaha'e Fun Center
Mat and NiN Tadav
2LIVJS JE*a BEOINI'S
“PEEK-A-BOO” S2sS“
With Harry and WilUa Lander
Tuea Nitn—A BIG LAUGHING 51* RPR 15 F
Fri. “Garter Nite"—$19 Cash Distributed
Hundreds af tie and Mr Renta XlfNtty
NEIGHBORHOOD THEATERS
BOULEVARD - Md and Uastnaerth
Rudolph Vanmtme m “A Sainted Devil*"
HAMIl TON . . 40th and Hamiltesi
Irene RUh in Behold the Woman“
GRAND • • • l$th and Btnnev
Katherine V. Donald in 'i'haat itr**
Ten 5«ara Make a Man4*
IDF Al ... Iftth and IVua.
Sylvia Bteame* and 1 »* Cede
In W Aman on the Jut*
Corned* . “Dene In Oil '
1.0 THROB - • 24th and Loth rep
Avlvia B-easnet and lee i'.'d*
In W (iman on th# .'wr* 4 Alee l emedv
m t II \M Al'S UKl.Vi liLSllT*