The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-02-21
Rex E. Beach Tells As
siStant District Attorney
About His Hostess.
Sorority Initiation Stunt
Leads to New York
RumpHS.

hest production OF his pen. whether MI
Reach is The victim Of a practical joke
or of hostile conspiracy Is a question
which Assistant District Attorney Carl
Miner Is trying to determine.
The first act or this drama Is lsid IN
the library OF the Lambs Club There
IS a prologue. however. that goes back
four years TO a cO-educatiOnal college
in Illinois and 10 a hilarious initiation
of fraternity candidates. where the
p foundations OF the tangled plot were
laid deep and strong.
But as to Act ], Mr.. Beach, COM
fortably euscOnced in'the Lambs easiest
chair one afternoon two weeks ago, was
summoned to the telephone.
Woman Calls Him Up.
ITS lady. SIR explained the page.
land she says it's important"
At the phone the unsuspecting author
opened the conversation with the usual
''Who IS it,"
IL is a lady from Chicago who wants
? you to come up to the Hotel Astor ana
see her on an importanE matter" came
the answer in voice ful or laughter
and music.
The name, please?' queried mr..
Beach
81 am Mrs. BadenoclI." was the an
swer. Don't you remember your old
friend Chief Badenoek. or the Chicago
police? Well. I'm a relative. and more
over I'm a great friend OF your brother
Elmer. Now, please come
Mr. Beach did remember Chief Ba-
denock perfectly well. Mr.. Beach also
has a brother Elmer who boasts a
aHv. s,F.
author decided 20 accept the Invitation.
Arriving at the Hotel Astor he sent
his card to Mrs. Badenock's room. He
was not kept waiting long. Back came
his own card with the penciled mes
sage on its back;
'Am busy. Kindly watts at the Lambs
tin 1 can call you up VIII explain
later"
The rnystihed author went to the
Lambs Club. Presently the arrival OF
q visitor was announced.
Muffer Hides Her Face.
1t was the mysterious woman OF the
Hotel Astor. Mr. Beach found her in
the corner OF the cab. which was dark
ened by lowered curtains. He could
see only the outline OF her hgure, muf-
fed Ia a long wrap and heavily yelled.
The lower half OF her face was COW
cred with a silk muller also. and the
brim OF her big plumed hat was drawn
down over her eyes.
Startled. Mr.. Beach halted at the door
. OF the cab until a soft persuasive voice
urged him to enter. Impelled by curl
Osity he Obeyed. According TO Mr..
were commonplace and uuinGeresting.
The self-styled Mrs. Badenock emerged
from her mufrlers, revealing a youthful
face bright with intelligence, but thin
ffnnHd e-7a
She talked OF mutual friends IN Chicago,
OF 1.-The Spoilers" Mr.. Beach's most am
bilious novel; Of his work as a dramat-
iSt, and OF herself--a stranger ia a
strange city. They parted with mutual
expression OF good viii.
Tragic Awakening.
In Act II the scene shifts to the ONCE
Of Assistant District Attorney Carl
Miner. a friend or Mr.. Beach. Three
days had elapsed since the cab ride
days OF R..rallening for the author
dramatist. IRE mysterious Mrs. Babe
mock had handed out surprise No. 2.
Mr.. Beach lives at sol West lO9th
street with his bride or q year, the
actress Edith Crater. Mrs Badenock
had called up his house on the tele-
phone and communicated with his wife.
il Is said that Mrs, Beach collapsed at
the phone, and that the young husband.
who is about as big and as rugged as
Jim JefGries, almost swOOned when the
amazing news reached him, Mrs Bad
euOck's message TO Mrs. Beach vas ft
is charged. a demand for protection
from the unwelcOme attentions or heF,
husband.
Mrs. Badenock did not -confne herself
20 telephone messages to Mr.. Beach
and his wife, but wrote several letters
10 the perturbed author. These letters
were supplemented by messages from
Ia ri7n oil - ira
BadenOcl. The inference that money
was desired was drawn BY Mr.. Beach.
Settlement limited.
Reach was unable to OFFER any expIa-
nation Of the attack. All that ne could
tell Assistant District Attorney Miner
was that the mysterious woman seemed
bent upon the destruction Of his happl-
ness. Only once had Mrs Badenock
limited at a clear purpose. said Mr.
Beach. anu this was when in sheer
desperation he had sent his brother
in-law, Mr.. Crater to see her and de-
mand an explanation. Then she had
limited. according 10 statements made
20 Assistant District Attorney Miner,
that there must be some financial atone
roent made.
Mr.. Miner requested Mrs. Badenock
30 call at the district attorneys Office
she promptly IEHIlOlutu anu INFORMED
Mr.. Miner that Mr.. Beachs story was
absolutely false, that the summons to
the district attorneys office had not
frightened her in the least, and that she
had employed competent legal counsel
TO protect her interests.
Mrs. Baden0ck's Story.
Flouncing out Of the office. she left
the assistant district attorneys mind
as befuddIed as the authors. This hap
pened three days ago. and was followed
Immediately By the disappearance OF
Mrs. Badenock from the Hotel Astor.
Meanwhile a slender. styhshly gOWned
woman, strongly resembling Mrs. FADE
mock. as described by Mr.. Miner, called
upon a Wetl-knOWn New Yorker yesteT-
day 10 request his good services in
making public what she said We're the
facts about Mrs. Badenock. Positively
refusing 10 reveal her Identity. the
woman said:
Mrs. Badenock is not Mrs. Badencck
at all, but the wife Of q prominent
Western business man with big inter
ests IN both Chicago and Milwaukee.
Long before her marriage, which took
place three years ago, she was grad
uated from a college at Evanston, H.
In college she and her cham were ap-
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