Evening journal., 1922-03-01
MARY DENIES
FILM AGENT
Never Discussed Salary
With Woman Suing Her
For $1O8,OOO
CANNOT MAKE
10 FILMS A YEAR

NEW YORK. March MARY
Pickford attracted large crowd to
the Federal Court building yesterday
when she sat in the witness chair
and denied that she engaged Mrs.
Cora c. willSenning TO get her a big
increase I'm salary in 1916. Her hus-
band. Douglas Fairbanks, appeared
bored by, the proceedings. He walk
ed into corridor. sat on a radiator
and spent the afternoon gazing at
nearby skyscrapers.
Miss Mary, as her lawyer called
her, looked Mrs. Wilkenning straight
in the eye and denied having told
Eher in 1916 that she was distressed
over business affairs. She also de-
MED that she engaged her at 10 per
cent. commission to get offers from
other producers. so Adolf Zukor
would feel like increasing the s2,-
600 a week salary she then received.
Mrs. wilkenning is suing for
| sos, 600 which she claims is due her
for having Miss Pickford's pay en-
velope fattened.
mot then or ever" was the way
Mary put It when asked II she had,
discussed salary with the plaintiff
in 1916.
on cross ss-examination It was
brought out that another phase Of
Mary's testimony confiicted with that
given by her in a previous trial.
''I was nervous them the star ex-
planned but I'm not nervous now"
Into her testimony the actress in
/ jected a word about an interview at
tributed to her.
"It says I wore pink fiuffy
! waist" she explained with a bit OF
I resentment. II never owned a pink
fluffy waist in my life"
Miss Pickford said she had plan
ned early in 1916 to leave zukor's
employ because she was informed
that her secretaries had been showed
out of his office into the hall. There
were other unpleasant incidents she
added which moved her to go to
Mr.. Zukor and ask to be release d
from her contract.
Mr.. zukor she pictured as saying.
MARY, you're excited. Go home and
think about It. and II you're OF the
same mind tomorrow, I'll let you
60"
She did not change her mind over
night. but upon going back to quit
the next day she was persuaded to
stay until she had made one more
picture. Later. she continued. she
was told by her representative, Den
mis- OBrien. that zukor denied hav-
ing released her and would hold hei
! 20 her contract.
The news that Mary planned tS
leave became known about the studio
and pretty soon Mrs. Wilkennini
came upon the scene, the actress ties
tilted. Later Mary admitted, sh,
P signed an option with Benjamin p
Hampton in Mrs. wilkennlng's Of
fee, but only after he had promised
to tear It up II Mr.. O'Brien was dis
r satisfied with It.
e Describing this scene. Mary,
2 mother. Mrs. Charlotte Pickford
Y who testified earlier in the day, SAID
4 she asked Mrs. Wilkenning at tn,
] time where she came in on this
e She quoted the agent as having re
piled; Il don't want thing bu
p the pleasure OF having the contrac
b signed in my office It will help m,
d in a business way"
s Mary said she refused to accep
a contract offered by John F. Freu
e Ter because he expected 10 pictures
J. year from scenarios by unknown
v writer's
81 felt that he couldn't make an
= money that way and l knew I woul
= = be killed. artistically." she continued
e Il wanted to come out bigger than
q went in. It is impossible to make 1
n good pictures a year"
2 Mrs. Wilkenning had testified tina
Z Freuler's offer was made throug
G her efforts and that it called 10
Il $4,000 a week for IS weeks with
bonus Of s15O.OOO.