The Washington times., 1920-12-19
O'BR|EN BEAT
NE, SOBS WIFE
Famous Veteran Given to Un-
controIIable Fits Of Temper,
She Charges.
UNBALANCED, SAY FRIENDS
Woman Companion Of Widow
DiscIaims Any Response
biIity for Deed.

S"Ny wv SSS
LOS ANGELES, Dec. l9.-Mrs.
Pat O'Brien, formerly Miss Virginia
Elizabeth Allen, of Washington, d..
c., movie actress and famous beauty,
and widow of the former British
aviator and noted war hero, who
shot and killed himself here Friday
night, vigorously denied today that
Mrs. Sarah Otis was responsible
for the estrangement of the couple,
as alleged in love note left BY
the suicide.
SUFFERS FROM SHOCK.
She spent most Of the day on cot
in her room suffering from shock.
She feared To meet her husband be-
cause Of prcmonition, that a tragedy
was impending, she told officers, be-
tween sObs.
~ was in mortal fear Of Pats'
axe said. ~ was afraid to live with
him for fear he would take my life.
That Is why I dreaded to 20 to his
room when h. telephOned that he
wanted 10 talk 10 me. ...
"nS JUN ="
US, more like a mother than any
thing else. and I don't know what
would have done IL she lad not
comfOrted nae in ny terrible dis-
tress. She was not to blame. and
feel ! must contradict the awful
statement left by my husband.
"Nr. OBrien and / were married
at Chicago. We came to Los An
geles to live. and he and I botf
worked in motion pictures. As time
went on. he became subject to ter
rible Rts of temper. He often
struck me.
WOMAN CAME TO VISIT.
Mrs. Otis. who had known both %
OF us several years, came from
Chicago two months ago to visit
U.S."
Mrs. Otis also talked to the
authorities. She said:
Il have known Lieutenant O'Brien
for three years. j met him in Chi
cago while working with General
Pershing's sister-in-law. Mrs. Jean
ME Pershing, in a war booth. 1 be
came friendly with him and never
had a quarrel with him.
81 accompanied Mrs. O'Brien to
Hotel at her request. ! always ad-
vised Mrs. O'Brien to return to hoI'
husband il she wanted to-
While friends cared for the widow
today. the opinion was expressed that
the American flier who Joined. til,
British forces before the United
States entered the war and made hi
sensational escape from German
after being shot down behind Tia"
lines, was mentally unbalapced when
in al
PICTURE WAS FAILURE.
His mental condition. II Is said. was
due to his war experiences and the
additional fact that he Ind beeu
threatened while starring in an anti
Japanese picture, "Shadows Of the
West"
SO great was the opposition to the
picture, II was said. that the film was
far short OF financial success.
II was stated today that Mrs.
OBrien fled kurriedIy from her home
In Hollywood Friday afternoon after
. quarrel with her husband. Mr..
Otis WINS with her and they took
adtotninG suites 1T hotel.
O'Brien was the aItltor of the Ia
nous book, "Outwitting the Hun" and
was said to he the only man outside
of Government officials and diplomats
who ever had an interview with ths
King of England.
WIFE WAS ID. &. WOMAN.
A certificate OF suicide without the
formality Of an inquest will be issued
by the coroner In connection wit
O'Briens death.
The body will probably be sent Is
Momence, ILL.,. his former home, il vas
stated by the widow.
Mrs. OBrien formerly was a Wash
ington newspaper woman writing un-
der the names of "Virgini Dale" ana
virginia Dare ...
MoMENCE, Ill. Dee l9.--"Pat -
dead!" ....
These words passed from mouth 20
mouth today and = hush fell over tie
gay holiday crowds. This little coUn-
try town, nesting on the prairies T
Illinois, was tho home OF Lieut.. ras
O'Brien, hero of the world war, whor:
life OF adventure terminated with his
tragic death In Los Angeles.
Momencc was stunned by the story
from Los Angeles OF how Lieut.. Pa
o'Brlen had killed himself.
II was just three years ago tina
Pat came home after his greatest al.
venture overseas. -Four German air
planes had attacked him. lie was
wounded. His plane fell 5000 feet
lie returned to consciousness in n Ger
man hospital. While being moved he
ieapod from tho train and staggered
his way to Holland. thon making his
waw 40 Apoertcs