The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 2

2 Port I FRIDAY. JULY 9, 1 948 3 Los angclcs Cimcs gi- f- 'ft Many Answer Lentz Blasts at Crime Unit HARRISON DENIES HE KNOWS LAND IS' SUICIDE MOTIVE OR OF SECOND NOTE mm 4 Woman, Friend Tells of Seeing Piece of Paper Dealing With Care of Cat SAN FRANCISCO, July 8 () The word war started by the Attorney General's office roared on today with just about everybody in the act but the Attorney General. He is in a Los Angeles hospital for treatment of high blood pressure. Officials from the Governor on clown to county Sheriffs had their say about charges of the Attorney General's chief investi gator, Walter Lentz. Lentz yes terday let fly a two-page blast at to the home of the author of the play he was considering.

The maid told him the actress was still asleep. Tells of Finding Her When he returned home at 3 p.m. he called her again, he said, and was told Miss Landis still was asleep. Concerned, he went to her home, walked in the unlocked front door, went to her bedroom and found her on the floor of an adjoining bathroom. "I felt her pulse," the actor said in the deposition.

"It must have been purely my imagination, but I thought there was a little beat" Warren Olney III, counsel for I (ll i Kf -v 1 i VV- 1 ''I 1 Gov. Warren's Crime 'if Hex Harrison. British actor who found the body of Carole Landis in her home last Monday, denied under oath in the Coroner's office yesterday that he "knew ihe motive for her nuicide or that he knew of the existence of a second note left by the actress. But he added that although Miss Landis apparently was not depressed by her impending divorce from W. Horace Schmid-lapp (her fourth husband), by certain "financial embarrassment" or by a recurring tropical illness, she was concerned with her professional future.

Harrison was followed to the witness stand by Mrs. Florence "Wasson, 856 Bundy West Los Angeles. Miss Landis former stand-in and a lifelong friend, and Mrs. Fannie May Bolden, the actress maid. Saw Piece of Paper Both women were asked pri He accused Olney of undermining law enforcement in a bid for personal glory.

Olney is in the high Sierra and unavailable for a reply. Suggests Lentz Quit But replies were not lacking. Among the latest to speak a piece was Sheriff B. G. Broaddus of Mendocino County, who recently broke a slot machine protective pay-off scandal.

111 i Vl-v doctor and police. When he took the stand in person, Harrison was shown an envelope on which was penciled "red quick 2 hours yellow about 5 can take 2." He said he had not seen it before, but v-v 'j writing as Miss Landis'. I (Miss Landis death officially Times photo ANOTHER TROUPER Actress Paula Stone holds old daughter Paula II for their first photograph together. Little Paula's father is Michael Sl.oane, the theatrical producer, and Actor Fred Stone is her Broaddus, who had been called Olney's 'Charlie McCarthy" in Lentz's biting statement, commented: "I think Lentz would be doing the people a service if he'd just fire himself." Broaddus had joined with Olney recently in urging Atty. Gen.

Howser not to send Lentz into the Mendocino County probe. In Kern County, scene of a recent punch-board probe, one of its investigators, Undersheriff Jack Huston, said he knew Olney and "You'd have to get a better talker TESTIFIES Questioned by Dep. Coroner Ira Nonce, left, British Actor Rex Harrison denies that he knows any motive for the suicide of Carole Landis, whose body he found last Monday. He also said he does not know of any second note left by her. marily about the possible existence of a second suicide note.

Mrs. Wasson recalled seeing "a Tiece of paper other than the note addressed to Miss Landis mother. said to take care of Miss landis cat. Miss Mrs. Wasson told Dep.

Coroner Ira Nance. "I don't even remember what the rest of the contents was, but it did not relate to motive or. anything like that" She said she did not know what became of this item. It was shjwn her by "some man in the house at the time" and taken away by him. There was nothing to indicate when this note was written, or if Miss Landis wrote it Called to Stand Harrison was called to the has been attributed to an overdose of sleeping pills, colloquially called "red devils." An autopsy also disclosed her tissues contained .12 alcohol, .03 under the amount medically termed sufficient for intoxication.) "Was in Good Spirits Harrison, in clipped British accent said he never knew Miss Landis to take sleeping pills and had no idea where she obtained them.

AVhen he last saw her, he said, she was in good spirits. Harrison's personal testimony went on: Q. Did she discuss with you any business difficulties or property difficulties? A. Yes, she told me she had Durante Upheld in Suit Brought by Radio Writer 'Unreasonable refusal of a reasonable request'' to rewrite a Actor Makes Fatal Dive of Five Stories A 3-1-year-old actor-set designer, Abraham Levine, known-in the films as Robert Love, yesterday plunged five to his death on Ivar just off Hollywood narrowly missing throngs of early afternoon shoppers, police reported. Love's roommate, Daniel Harris, told police Love had been brooding over the Carole Landis suicide and had been in a nervous condition for several days.

r-y Earlier 3resterday, Dets. C. i i mi in aa0-: Howser Undergoing Checkup at Hospital Atty. Gen. Howser, suffer- ing from hypertension, is un- dergoing a complete physical examination at Queen of the Angels Hospital, it was announced yesterday.

Howser, under the care of Dr. Joe Zeiler, will be in the institution for several days. His condition was described as due to nervous tension and high blood pressure. script yesterday lost Jack Doug leprtain financial emharrassmpnt and difficulty in meeting the bills. But she didn't seem unduly depressed.

Did she ever express anyi worry over the future? A Ambulance Man Charged With Defrauding U.S. Fraud charges were returned by the Federal grand jury yesterday against Norris Ford Wilkinson, 1041 Alvarado St. The indictment followed investigation of transportation of veterans to the Birmingham Hospital. Wilkinson, operator of the Ambulance Service, was charged with putting in claims for individual trips in the transport of veterans. Investigating officers said he frequently transported as many as four in one ambulance on one trip.

He was surrendered by his attorney and released by U.S. Commissioner Howard V. Cal-verley on $500 bond pending arraignment. Conviction would make him liable to a $10,000 fine or 10 years' imprisonment or both on each count. Ambulance Rate-Fixing Voted by City Council The City Council yesterday voted to have the City Attorney prepare an ordinance fixing rates for private ambulances within the city.

The rates were previously fixed at hearings conducted before the municipal Board of Public Utilities and Transportation. The proposed legislation would establish a base rate of $8 for a one-way haul of less than three miles; 60 cents would be allowed for each additional mile. A list of special service rates, such as transportation of mental cases, is also set up. These range from $1. to $5 in addition to the base rate.

Those favoring the rate-fixing ordinance asserted that it would eliminate a price-cutting war among ambulance services aimed at establishing a monopoly and far higher prices than those provided by ordinance. las, radio writer, his breach of contract suit. Superior Judge Harold B. Landreth thus upheld Comedians Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore and Producer Phil Cohan in their contention that the S1250-a-week writer, by "his willful and flat refusal' to change a comedy sketch, was wrong. Writer's Contention Douglas claimed he wag fired unjustly Oct.

11, 19-16. The show trio insisted that not only did the top-flight writer refuse to make changes but he walked off in a rage and did not return until too late to help. "The performers are sole judges of what they put on the air," Judge Landreth commented in part. "Theirs is the final responsibility. "On radio work has to be done under.

pressure, and it requires the highest degree of co-operation from every member of the team," he continued. "It is evident to me that Mr. Douglas knew his duties and that they were not unreasonable, One of Major Duties "He was not employed to write a script and throw it in and say, 'Take it or leave the judge said further. "One of his major duties was to listen to criticism 1 3 I I A. I dont think she was entirely happy with her career.

Q. Was she worried over illness? A. No. Q. Did her divorce action worry her? A.

I don't think so. can't give any explanation for it at all Maid Taken Stand Mrs. Bolden testified that she was unaware that Harrison had gone into Miss Landis' bedroom and found her lifeless until the actor came back downstairs and found her in her room. "Then he said, "Have you been in Miss Landis' the maid said. "I said I hadn't, and he told me she was dead." Mrs.

Bolden returned with Harrison to the bedroom, when he found the note Miss Landis had left for her mother. "Mr. Harrison looked at the note and said 'Oh, darling, why did you do it, why did you do it?" the maid said. Found No Motive than Lentz to make me believe the things he said about Olney are true." In Santa Cruz Chief of Police Al Huntsman, who recently accused Lentz of bungling a gambling investigation, said of Olney: "I don't think Gov. WTarren would have picked a man for that position who was not beyond reproach." Lentz had charged that Olney and his "hoodlum advisers" had hampered the Attorney General's office.

Quiz to Continue Today John Hanson, chief investigator of the Crime Commission, replied to that accusation: "The only advisers we have are the members of the Commission itself. I wouldn't want to call them hoodlums." The controversy echoed as far east as Alexandria, where Adm. William H. Standley, Chairman of the Commission, is on vacation. Informed there of Lentz's blast, he said: "Let Lentz holler his head off.

The Crime will continue doing their work." witness stand by Nance after a previously prepared deposition taken by his attorneys earlier in the day as read. The unusual proceeding was described by- Coroner Ben Brown as an informal inquiry." To questions amplifying the deposition, Harrison, who found Miss Landis body Monday in her Bel-Air home and who was the last to see her at 9 p.m. said he could not explain her act "Did she," Nance asked, "express anv worry over the future?" "I don't think she was entirely happy with her career," Har-riscn answered. Only Hint of Motive This was the only hint of a motive to come from the hearing. surprised Brown by announcing that he would give his testimony in the form of a deposition, read into the record.

Atty. Judd Downing explained that the actor desired to answer in Jull all of the questions raised ir' newspapers concerning Miss Landis death and his position in the matter. The hearing was delayed an hour while the deposition was being typed and delivered from Downing's Beverly Hills office. Prior to its reading by Nance in the inquest room, Brown stated publicly that the hearing had no bearing on the verdict of suicide and thanked Harrison for appearing voluntarily to answer questions. "There is no question but that Miss Landis' death was suicide," the Coroner said.

Tell of Friendship In the deposition Harrison said he and his wife, Lilli Palmer, were- friends" of Miss TimM photos FRIEND Mrs. Florence Wasson, Miss Landis' former stand-in and a lifelong friend, who followed Harrison to the stand and told of "possible" second suicide note. RITES SET FOR ACTRESS; SCORES PAY RESPECTS Scores of visitors, including Irma Reed of Santa Monica will Capt. Emmett Jones, of West friends and acquaintances of be the organist. Interment is toj and suggestions from other Los Angeles detective bureau, lie in Forest Lawn.

Miss Landis will be buried today in a gown of her favorite hue blue, the color which pre members of the team, without losing his temper." The jurist added that he could not help but feel that "Mr. Douglas' refusal to rewrite was an unreasonable refusal of a reasonable request." dominates in the decoration of her -Brentwood home. Chosen from her own wardrobe, the testified briefly that his investigation had not uncovered a motive for the suicide and that he had found no second note. Mrs. Wasson, telling of the "piece of paper" directing that the cat be cared for, added that she had instructed Mrs.

Bolden not to tell an3-one about it Mrs. Bolden said she didn't. Coroner Brown late yesterday said there remains no reason to Carole Landis, and motion-picture fans, called yesterday to pay their respects to the actress at the Wilshire Funeral Home in Santa Monica. About 100 of her friends and admirers had called between 3:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

when her body lay in state. Friends may call again today between noon and 10 p.m., it was announced. Solo umbers Set Funeral services for Miss Lan Robert Love Forbes and K. E. Weaver learned, Love went to the office of Dr.

John F. Fahey, 320 Guaranty Building, to consult him, presumably about his nervdua condition. While there he jumped up suddenly, fell over a piece of furniture and cut his finger, a receptionist told police. Then he went up two floors to the office of Dr. Clyde and strode through the.

waiting room, brushing past Receptionist Sybil Rickel of 5462 Marathon St. Miss Rickel said Love, wjio was muttering, "I'm brave, I'm brave, I can stand it," ignored her request to be seated, darted into an adjacent office and dived through a half-opened windoAV facing Ivar his feet tearing splinters from the sash. Police said Love had played minor roles in several films under that name but was; primarily a studio set designer. dress is of turquoise blue with blue and white sequins and beads and with beaded butterflies on the sleeves and shoulders. Flowers from relatives and friends already had arrived at the mortuary.

Among them was a large bowl of pink gladioli, lavender iris and white hybrid delphiniums from Pomona bear Landis, that the actress death conduct an inquest dis will be conducted at 12:30 p.m. was a great tragedy and should Payment of $2771 tomorrow at the Church of the Recessional, Forest Lawn Me morial-Park, by Bishop Fred L. ing a card signed ''From a great Wild Four-Car Chase Follows Store Robbery Thomas J. Misko, 29, of 907 Atlantic East Los Angeles, was held on suspicion of robbery at Venice Police Station yesterday after the holdup of a grocery store and a wild chase. Three radio police cars and another car occupied by a policeman on his way to work took up pursuit of Misko's automobile after a market at Venice and Centinela Blvd.

was robbed of $1800. The chase, punctuated by 10 shots from police guns, ended at Main St. and Marine Santa Monica, where the fleeing vehicle crashed into another car. Two of the pursuing cars crashed into the wrecked vehicles but nobody was hurt. Police said the $t800 loot was recovered but that the holdup weapon apparently had been thrown away during the chase.

Pyman of Santa Monica of the admirePf Atafa Reale The film Evangelical Orthodox Church. star's mother, sister and brother not be clouded by sensational innuendoes. He said he wanted to "help clear her name." The deposition continued: Question Did Miss Landis write her real reason for her suicide in a second note? Answer No. Q. Do you have any Informa Solo numbers to be sung at a hasket rpd Clothing Bill Asked Payment of a S27T1.29 clothing bill supposedly left by the late Carole Landis was demanded yesterday from her husband.

Horace Schmidlapp, theatrical producer, in a suit filed in Su- HOLLYWOOD TRACK SUED FOR $100,000 IN EJECTION CASE James E. Rist, 35, a carpenter and veteran of two years of combat duty, in the European war theater, yesterday filed suit for $100,000 4 damages in Superior Court on the complaint that he was forcibly ejected from the Hollywood Park race track June 20 because he had "a record." Rist contends that his only record involves a violation of the National Prohibition Act in 1930 when he was lfi years old. He asks that the track management be enjoined from denying him admittance or ejecting him. He sued through Atty. William Herbert Hall.

pink gladioli and bluebells and a group of relatives in her native rites by Fred L. Sc-ott, tenor, of Beverly Hills, will include "In the Garden." "The Lords Prajer" and "Ave Maria." Mrs. jperior Court tion regarding a second note? A. None. Two Chosen for City Posts Mayor Bowron notified ih The petition was presented by Charles L.

Wilpan, who informed the court that the claim was assigned him for collection by the Ocean House, doing business under the name of Don Loper at 8720 Sunset Blvd. Wilpan contends that Schmidlapp should be held responsible because the obligations were con City Council yesterday that, subject- to its confirmation, ha Building Hit by Third Fire in Fortnight The third fire in a fortnight yesterday struck a two-story of Cross-Filing Ban Will Be Sought More than 150 members of the "house-cleaning" Los Angeles Democratic County Council have voted unanimously to seek initiative change in the present system of cross-filing by political aspirants for more than one party primary. They announced yesterday that they took this action in an organization session. The council members who said last February that they aimed to clean house in the Democratic County Central Committee also agreed to raise necessary funds to circulate the initiative petitions. At the same time they nominated the following slate of officers for the 1948-40 County Council: Rollin McNitt, chairman; Paul Mason, vice-chairman; Clover Gaston, women's representative; Bernard J.

Kelley, treasurer, and Frank B. Scriven, secretary. At the State convention of the group next month they will offer Will Rogers Jr. as vice-chairman and W. C.

Fields Jr. as secretary. Their next local meeting will be held at the State Building Tuesday night. had made two new appoint Wisconsin five dozen long-stemmed red roses. In Slumber 1 too in The actress lay last night in the slumber room of the funeral home in a half-couch casket of brocaded peach plush silk lined with pale pink silk and with gold-plated handles.

Pallbearers at tomorrow's rites will include Actors Cesar Romero, Pat O'Brien and Wil-lard Taiker, Bill Nye, Miss Landis'. personal make-up man Tit 20th Century-Fox Studios, and Lou Wasson, the golf professional, whose wife, Mrs. Florence Wasson, is the star's longtime friend and former stand-in. ments to city commissions. Clark J.

Milliron, president of Milliron's Department Store. tracted between February and was named to the City Planning WOMAN FOUND GUILTY ON LOITERING CHARGE Commission to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of William Schuchardt. Questioned on Talk Q. What did you talk about with her at dinner Sunday night, the day before her body was found? A. We discussed the script of a new play, and I was also hoping to be able to help her return to England to make a picture.

Q. Where did you have A. At her house. Q. When did you leave? A.

Between 9 and 3:30 p.m. Q. Was anything of a disturbing any argument? s'one. Asked About Liqnor jQ. Did you drink any liquor? -A.

I think we had one Scotch and soda before dinner, but nothing during or after dinner. Was Miss Landis intoxicated? A. She was completely sober. July, 1947, while Schmidlapp and Miss Tndis were living together. The suit demands 7 interest from Aug.

1, 1917. At the time of her death. Miss Landis had pending a suit for divorce from Schmidlapp, her fourth husband. Anthony Thormftv secretary of the Southern California chapter of the American Tnstl. tute of 'Architects and a' graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technolsgy, was appoint fice building across the street from the City Hall at 132 1st St.

Yesterday's blaze in the dental office of Dr. Charles F. As-chenbrenner occurred when an assistant. Dr. Julius Ilersch-mann, and a representative of a dental gas company, Mike Ervin, were installing new equipment.

There were no patients in the office at the time and damage was limited to the office. Freddie. Rubio, Latin-American dance band leader, and Eddie Green, building garage operator, assisted in putting out the flames. Two weeks ago flames dam- ed a member of the Building and Commission.rhor- min lives, at 72. Lafayette Hog Prices Soar to AH-Time High CHICAGO, July" 8 (U.R) Hog prices soared to $30 a hundredweight new all-time highs at Park Place.

Eichelberger to Quit Army YOKOHAMA, July 9 (Friday) (U.R) Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, commander of the U.S. 8th Army, announced today he is returning to the United States for reassignment prior to his early retirement from service.

No successor was named im ecuted the case, said the three women may receive terms of up to three years each. The prosecution's case was based primarily on wire-tapping reports by patrolmen assigned to listen to telephone conversations of the three women. Conversations read in court included one in which the Blavier woman allegedly told Mrs. Choremi, regarding a date with two men: "You will get paid and enjoy 3'ourself at the same time." Mrs. Choremi savs her father is Dr.

C. Paul Fletcher, U.S. Consul General in Casablanca. She is 27 and is married to George Choremi, a wealthy cotton broker reported to be in Egypt. They have a 5-year-old son.

NEW YORK, July (JF) Mrs. Nancy Fletcher Choremi, beautiful brunette who says she is the daughter of a U.S. career diplomat, tonight was found guilty of ioitering for immoral purposes. Two codefendants, Madeleine Blavier and Mrs. Margaret Starr, also were found guilty of related charges.

Magistrate Arthur Markewich raised the bail of the three women from $1000 to $2500 each, but paroled them in custody of their lawyers pending their appearance in court tomorrow. He said he will fix date of sentencing then. Counsel for the three said they would appeal the conviction. Gabriel Mosner, police legal bureau representative, who pros Jn the deposition Harrison some markets today as meat then told of going to a friend jon-the-hoof quotations rose gen home, where he remained Atomic Energy Project Dispute Referred to U.S. EL PASO, July 8 (JP) A dispute between contractors and workers at Los Alamos (N.M.) Atomic Energy Project has been referred to national officials, a spokesman said today.

Labor officials said about .2000 about 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Mon-j The new top prices were paid aged a bar and restaurant below day. He then went home and hogs at Columbus. here yesterday's scene.

Last Sunday mediately. Eichelberger had Reno Official Named Nevada Police Chief CARSON CITY, July 8 (JP) Appointment of Edwin E. Gily, 33. chief criminal investigator for the Washoe County Sheriff's office at Reno, as State Police Chief has been announced by Gov. Pittman.

in Chicago and at Indianapolis. I an overheated motor caused to of a. Monday he said he aroc at 0 a.m. and telephoned Miss Landis at 11 a.m., just before Leland Hayward called for him to drive been considered likely to replace Gen. Douclas MacArthur as Allied supreme commander in the event that MacArthur returned home.

In Xew York, all classes of smoke and flames which prompt-fresh meat rose 1 (n 4 cents aed firemen to answer a call to pound retail. The advance was i the corner cafe below the office attributed to short supply. space. in- construction workers are volved..