The Washington times., 1922-06-06
IS
F A 7 Al To
QUEEN Of
U.S.ST
Fall on Steamer Cause Of
Death-Last Days Given to
Befriending Poor.
by international News Service.

ny To"u CSfNtSNs
PITTSBURGH, Pa, June g.
Lillian Russell (Mrs. Alexander p.
Moore, of Pittsburgh, for years q
notable figure on the American
stage, died early today after an ILL.,
ness lasting but little over a week.
While returning from Europe
recently she slipped on the deck
Of the ship, and the fall resulted
in complications which were fatal.
Her husband and daughter were
at her bedside when the end came
at 2:20 o'clock this morning.
Funeral To Be Held Thursday.
Funeral services VIII be held
Thursday at $40 at Trinity Epis'
copal Church, and interment will be
held at Allegheny Cemetery.
A flood Of telegrams Of sympathy
poured into her beautiful East End
home today. They came from all
parts of the country and from por-
sons in every walk Of life, The
humble who had been befriended
sent their condolences; the great
figures of the stage and other lines
Of endeavor sent theirs,
In Pittsburgh thousands Of chil-
dren today were without their good
friend who poured out oountiess
dollars to brighten their lives.
Miss Russell was one Of the few
women who ever wore the Amet-
can Army uniform. At the out
break Of the war she enlisted as q
private for recruiting service. she
did such wonderful work that Cen
eral Barnett promoted her to ser.
geant. She proudly wore the uni
form of the army and at the end
of the war she received an honor
able discharge. She was a membor
Of the American Legion.
Sold Millions In Bonds.
During the war Miss Russell sold
several million dollars worth Of
Liberty bonds.
Besides her husband she leaves
one daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Calbit.
Ill Ten Days,
Mrs. Moore had been i'll about ten
days. Her condition late yesterday
became very grave and eminent
specialists were summoned for q
council today, but she died this u.orTt-
ing.
For many years Lillian Russell
was an American institution, the
same as Mrs. Pat Campbell is today
in England.
Sixty-one years ago she was born
in Clinton, Iowa, and before she had
passed pig tail" days, was seeing
visions of starring in the sentimental
Italian operas Of the day.
Shaking Iowa dust off her little
feet. she came to New York and
studied with Leopold Damrosch.
Then Tony Pastor, the father Of the
variety show, heard her sing, maj
yelled at her fresh beauty, and i'm.
mediately offered her $50 a week to
sing in his music hall.
Visions of grand opera faded as
Nellie Leonard-her real name
stepped before the crude gas foot.
lights of that day and made a hit
in the music hall.
Adopts Stage Name.
She then took the stage name by
which she was known in succeeding
years.
Those were the days of extravs
gance, and sentimental French
comedies with music, such as lie
Petit Due" in which she revealed
her charms to an admiring audience.
Through the years that followed
she succeeded greatly in both Eng.
land America. The harder sho
worked the more beautiful she
seemed to become. II is not a far
fetched comparison to say that she
was the Queen Victoria Of the Ameri.
can theater-but a beautiful queen.
In her later years she starred in
straight comedies and occasionally
appeared in high.class vaudeville.
She was married four times. She
lived the principles ip which she be-
lleved-temperance, Joy, the exile OF
fear, and "the greatest Of these In
CHARITY"
\ 30 harsh criticism of . fslis>