Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-30
IiCE19N LEWIS LETTER
''Clsopatra" Denies Sensational Stories In
CireuIatioa About Her.

CircuBasisa About Her.
Lillian Lewis. the actress. concern
ing whom there. is always more or
less local interest in view of the fact
that early in her career she was man
aged from this city which was for n
few years her home, has written q
letter taking exceptions to the story
in circulation connecting her with
scandal. In brief the report al.
luded to, which has been published in
The ARGUS, was to the effect that
Lawrence Marston. her husband and
the author of the hair raising lurid
plays affected by the fair Lillian,
burst into her room in q Chicago
hotel and ending the actress enter
tanning Edmund Collier. the leading
man in the Chicago combination,
proceeded to kick up terrible row.
As the story goes he made . savage
onslaught on Collier, and soon found
the odds two to one. as the actress
FASTENED to the assistance of the &C
tor. the outcome being that Marston
was compelled to beat hasty re-
treat from the room. He packed his
grip. hied himself to Peoria and
vowed that he would never come
back. But he did. and is once more
looking after the financial depart
ment of the Lewis combination,
which for obvious reasons does not
keep him very busy. ..
Now comes Lilliau's denial written
Lil;ian's Denial.
There is q story Of very serious
nature. and one affecting my charac-
ter as a woman aud wife going the
rounds of newspapers. which 10 JUS
tice to myself and all concerned l am
duty bound to contradict. and to
state the truth and the true facts re-
garding the whole affair. Here is the
account:
'''For fortnight past there have
been ugly stories afloat regarding
the marital relations existing be.
tween Marston aud Miss Lewis. One
newspaper account recently stated
that during the Lewis engagement in
Chicago Marston gave it out that he
was going away. and returned nnex-
pectedly, only to find Collier, her
leading man, in his wife's room.
There was row and it was reported
that between Collier and Miss Lewis.
Marston got very much the worst Of
it.
Now comes the truth. 1t is
true that Marston left town and it is
true that he came back. 1t is true
hat Collier was in my room, so was
my brother and George Vessels. 1t
is not true that the door was locked;
It is not true that Marston was re-
fused admittance. 1t is true that
Marston attacked Collier. 1t is not
true that Collier whipped Marston.
and it is not true that l assisted
Collier to do so. The fact is that
Marston had one of his mad fits and.
without rhyme or reason, he struck
Collier with what I am told is called
a billy on the head, and struck him
again and again. till Collier fell BY
the table; then Marston drew a razor
and would have committed an act for
which he would have been sorry the
rest Of his life had NOT interfered.
My interference saved Collier, who
recovered Consciousness and ran out
OF the room screaming murder.
Marston has by this time seen the
error of his action and is sorry, and
the business of the company goes on
As heretofore. This is the fact, and
all who were witnesses will bear me
out in the truth of this. The publ
cation of the distorted story has put
me in false light. has put Collier in
a false light. who has a wife and
family in New York, and has placed
Marston in false light. and ask
the press of the United States to do
me and my character justice by
printing these facts.
~ LILLIAN LEWIS"