The Washington times., 1921-03-18

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Who is she?
What did she do?
Where did she come from?
These questions and many others
have come up, and until yesterday
had remained unanswered.
GREAT STAGE BEAUTY.
Yesterday reporters continued their
Investigations into the mystery sur
rounding the identity of the woman,
mother of baby Jay Ward Leeds"
and some little known episodes in her
life and career were brought to light
The latest inquiries show that mrs
Florence Helena Leeds is the same
Florence Leeds" who was one Of the
chickens" in the chorus of the
Century Girl company, which opened
with great success in the Century
Theater on November 9. 1915
The Century Girl was a Ziegfeld
and Dillingham; production, and one Of
the features Of the "revue" was n
Chicken walk" which brought the
first act to a close. and in whicn small
girls appeared costumed as little
chicks a week old.
KNOWN AS "CHICKEN.,
Miss Leeds" as she was then
known, was one of the Chickens"
She also appeared in a card scene, in
which she represented n "piaying
card" Her role inquiry revealed, was
simply that Of pony" in the chorus.
Miss Leeds" 1t was learned, was
with the Century Girls only a short
time-perhaps two or three weeks.
So short was her stay. in fact, that
representatives OF Ziegfeld AMI Dill
lingham yesterday did not remember
her, nor could any official record Of
her be found.
Mark A. Luescher, manager for
Mr.. Dillingham;, could not remember
Miss Leeds" nor could he find any
trace of her among his archives.
NOTED ON PROGRAM.
Newspaper clippings of the "Cen-
tury Girls" premiere, under date of
November 7, 1915, however. contained
the following legend in the body If
the program of the productions:
The Chickens - Misses Marion
Fairbanks, Madeline Fairbanks,
Yvonne Shelton, Ruby Lewis, Greete,
Gade, Dewey. Feltes, Alexander.
Leeds, Field, Perry, Jeppson, Curtis,
Loring, Ellsworth, Adair. Carr"
And farther down:
THE Card Girls-Misses Erlich,
pelmar, Mack, Gardner, Tashman,
Conway, Hart, Baker, Mackensie,
Colby. Kohler, Donaldson, Leeds,
| Marion Fairbanks, Madeline Fair
banks, Jeppson, Hirsch. Fisher. Bor-
den, Chase, Whitney, James, Magnus,
Perry. Wallace. Curtis, Ellsworth,
Field. Carr. Bade, Adair, Loring, and
c. Carroll"
In the same company with "Miss
Leeds' were some very well-known
footlight stars: Katherine Perry, IA
nous Ziegfeld beauty, who caused
| many gasps when, she pulled a
powder puff out Of her stocking /:
Florence Bruce, Martha Ehrlich. Lola
Curtis, Mildred Fisher, Ruby Lewis.
Annette Bade, Lilyan Tashman. Billie
| Allen, and so on.
RECEIVED $40 A WEEK.
One of the principals of the Cen
tury Girls company yesterday said
she remembered Miss Leeds very
well. Miss Leeds" received $40 a
week salary, but despite this fact. she
always came to work wearing a mag
nificent fur coat worth several thou
sand dollars.
Miss Leeds didn't take her work
seriously" this informant continued.
"She only remained with the company
te" weeks. Inen she left, and MOTH
ing more was seen of her.
1t was generally known in the
company that Miss Leeds had a very
wealthy man. high up in the financial
ladder on the string
once, Miss Leeds told members OF
the company, she received a tip from
her wealthy friend to invest in a Ger.
tain stock. Miss Leeds put up 2
couple Of hundred dollars on the stock
and made $4,000 on the deal.
| "She had all the money and all the
clothes she wanted, Miss Leeds tolt
us, so she should worry about beinr
a chicken in the Century Girls 4
few days after Miss Leeds had cleanet
up the $4,000, she left the COMPANY
HER FORMER ADDRESS.
While she was with the "Centur,
| Girls" it was learned, Miss Leeds
gave as her residence IS West Sixty
fifth street. The investi gator paid 9
visit to the place and found that II
was an unpretentious apartment
house, with a large garage in tn,
same block.
No one could be found in the build.
ing who remembered Miss Leeds
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