The Washington times., 1920-09-12
Autopsy Tomorrow Further Probe of Olive Thomas Death

Company
According TO the story told here,
Miss Thomas declared:
The highest offer gets me-" Where
upon Zelnick offered her a huge sum
contingent on her agreeing TO star
in his Paris productions.
Jack Pfekford refused 90 top this
sua, go Miss Thomas, telling her
friesss, szslaiek thiaks I'm worth
more than nay husband does" closed
the formers oner, agreeing nrst.
however. 90 take a "seeOnd honey
aooaS 10 Europe with her husband.
The plans were, II Is said, for Miss
Thomas TO return to Paris In Novem-
Der with Zelnick.
Although most reports Indicate that
Mis-. Thomas did not speak once
after her first erie. following the
takiag of the deadly poison, there L. a
story among close friends here that
Jsst before she died she whispered
between spaSms of intsnse paint
"weil, doctor, this what Paris
did for metz
A few minutes previously. accord
Ing 10 the story, she had gaspedi
~ am going 10 fight death like 1
have fought life since I was n Md"
FOUGHT DEATH GAMELY.
Then, according 20 the story, olive
went into a senni-eomn. which wa.
marked by asoniEing periods, the
handsome young mntron containing
20 fight xameiy through fully three
hours of exerucinung attacks OF
pain which the doctors and nurses
were unable 10 relieve.
This was at 10 o'clock a. M. Fri
day, when, after the last convulsion,
she died in the arms of her husband.
Jack Pickford, who Immediately aft.
erward collapsed across the death bed
and had to be lifted out of the room.
After the last gasp olives face,
which for hours had been convulsed
with terrible pain, suddenly relax ed,
resuming a peaceful look and en-
bodying all her former beauty.
The body was embalmed by the
same specialist who prepared the late
w. G. Vanderbilt for burial 1t was
then laid at rest in a bed of roses.
white chrysanthemums, aud orchids,
which were rushed to the hospital by
innumerable friends and admirers.
PICKFORD IN COLLAPSE.
Jack Pickford was taken to the Rita
Hotel under a doctors care and in
ouNi a "Sahthcu SOtiulliOu dllCE llNt
days and nights of vigil, during
which he had no sleep and no food.
that he was unable to make even a
short statement.
The lobby of the Ritz was crowded
today by movie stars, including
Norma Talmadge, Lois Meredith, and
Owen Moore, former husband of Mary
Pickford, all expressing sympathy
for the bereaved husband. From all
over Europe kilograms are pouring
in for Jack Pickford, scores OF actors
and actresses announcing their inten-
tion of coming to Paris to follow the
bier at the funeral on Tuesday.
DR.. Warden, famous poison spe-
clalist, who had charge of the case
toward the end, declared a police in
vestigation into the circumstances
under which Miss Thomas died would
be of the utmost value in revealing
the facts.
WILL BE OF VALUE. .,.
ut would show" he said.
"whether Miss Thomas committed
suicide. as the medical evidence in
dicates, or. whether she took the
stuff (mercuriaI tsbIets) by mis-
take. Ms claimed.
"PersonaIly, i ann convinced that
IL she had taken n sleep potion In
the same quantity ms she took the
poison she would be dead Just the
snme."
ct had been claimed that Miss
Thomas took the mercuriaI tablets in
mistake for a sleeping potion.)
Immediately after word spread OF
Miss Thomas death it was learned
that efforts to force an investigation
were being made by highly placed
Frenchmen. These Frenchmen, it was
said, believed that the tragedy would
force a revelation of the dangerous
lure of wide open" Paris. They are
hoping, 1t was learned, that the stark
facts, when barred on the witness
stand, will force a stricter super
vision of tho dens camouf1aged as
restaurants" which not only crowd
the Montmartre, but also have in.
vaded the residential quarters of the
Champs de Elysee.
SUPPORTED BY AMERICANS.
The source of revenue for such
places is almost entirely supplied by
rich Americans, who, like the Pick
fords, come seeing "a goo dtime."
The tragedy is the sole topic of
talk throughout the city, compari-
son being made to the case of the IA