New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-11
Olive Thomas
Is Dead; olice
Begin Inquiry
Rllmors of Drug Orgies and
Champagne Shippers Com
nected With Poisoning
of the American Actress
Husbands Story Sought
American Army Captain
Named Spalding, Now i'm
Prison, Is Questioned

PARIS, Sept. 1o.-The French police
have begun thorough investigation
into the death of Olive Thomas, an
American motion picture actress, who
sHccumbed at the American hospital
at Neuilly this morning to poison
taken. it is said, by mistake several
days ago.
The authorities have issued a per-
NIT for the cmbalming of the body of
Miss Thomas, but as yet have not sane
toned it's shipment to the United
States on board the steamship Maure-
tania sailing from ~Cherbourg Septem-
Der 18.
Investigation also is being made by
the police of sinister rumors of CO.
caine orgies, intermingled with cham
payne dinners which lasted into the
early hours of the morning, that have
been afloat in the American colony
and among the habitues of the French
cinema world for the last week.
In the Sante prison tonight the po-
lice were closely questioning man
named Spalding, said to be a former
American army captain, who was sem
fenced to six months in Jail last Mon
day for vending cocaine,~
In connection with the death of Miss
Thomas the police say they desire to
interview Jack Pickford, a motion pic
ture actor and husband of Miss Thomas,
and also woman friend of the actress
who is said to have accompanied Miss
Thomas during her last pilgrimage to
the Montmartre district Saturday eve
ming. Mr.. Pickford to-day left the
Ritz Hotel, where he had been stop
ping, and has taken up quarters in the
Hotel Crillon. He declined to receive
visitors to-day. The physician who is
in attendance on Mr.. Pickford said he
was in very bad state Of health.
Police Inquiry Unfinished
Police Commissioner Docrocq said
this evening that he had intrusted the
investigation Of the death of Miss
of the LIST District. When questioned
concerning the case, Captain Catrou
said he had not concluded his inquiry.
He had received the testimony of the
walters, porters and chambe rmaids at
the Ritz Hotel, where Miss Thomas is
said to have taken the poison, but had
been unable as yet to obtain Mr.. Pick
ford's account Of the affair.
Several of the Montmartre resorts
which Miss Thomas visited Saturday
night were subjected to close inves-
tigation to-day.
Recently Miss Thomas had suffered
from nervous depression. it was said
First aid was promptly given to her
by MIR. Pickford when he returned Sun
day to the hotel where theytwere stop
ping and found his wife in serious
condition, and every possible effort
was made at the hospital to counteract
the effects Of the poison, but without
avail.
Olive Thomas, whose right name before
her marriage was Olive Elaine Duffy
was born October 20, 1898, in Charlie
roi, Pa, suburb of Pittsburgh. After
attending high school in Pittsburgh
she went to work in department
store there when she was fourteen
years old, at So Ii week. A year later
she was induced by friends who had
been attracted by her beauty and the
excellent quality of her voice to come
to New York to study music. She was
sought out by Harrison Fisher, the il
illustrator, for whom she posed as a
model, and whose drawings Of her, ap-
pearing on popular magazine covers at
the time, helped to focus the attention
Of theatrical men on this new beauty.
| Florenz Ziegfeld engaged her for his
| midnight Frolic of 1914" She was
(Coatinued on ueae ssyvn)