The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-08
ACTOR'DEN|ES HE.
CAUSED CHICAGO.
SOCIETY J|[T|NC.

HCCuSou VI WoNtItS NIL w
Baker cormick Love.
GROOM WAITED At CHURCH
Eootlight Favorite Admits
Friendship for Near-Bride, But
* Insists It Was Platonic.
=, NEW YORK. Jan. What is
the real reason for the nervous col
lapse Of Mary 1andon Baker on
her wedding day? -
A story Of great mutual admira-
ton was unfolded TODAY between
Barry Baxter. leading man in "B'ue-
beard's Eighth Wife," and the pop
Nlar society girl who collapsed just
before her wedding. while her fiance
matted at the church in view Of
Chicaro's elite.
Doesn't Know Anything About 1t.
Whatever the reason was that made
Mary Baker refuse to marry Ailister
Mccormick, Barry Baxter doesn't
Know anything about it. He saio so
Z today and was emphatic about 1t. Re-
ports had come from the West init.
mating that the young actor knew
more than anyone else why the wed
ding was SO spectacularly called off.
when he heard these rumors. Mr..
Baxter said:
MARY Baker is not in love With me.
4 didn't marry her three weeks ago.
That's sheer nonsense. It's prepos-
terous to say that there Is a love
nffair between us.
..Allister Mccormick is one of my
very closest pals. l don't have the
slightest idea why they aren't mar
Fied." ... . ...' ..'
The stunning young Englishman
tossed his blond head and flashed an
angry blue eye, then his voice soft
eued and he continued:
, sMary Is a most wonderful girl,
charming, exquisitely beautiful and
delicate as a flower. To nurt her Is
D CRIME. And think of people limiting
she did this because of me. 1t IL in
conceivable!
He Wants to Comfort Her.
II know 1t is mysterious and there
must have been tremendous emotion
To have caused ner sudden collapse.
Oh, / am Observation-Disclosures.
wish could go to Mary right now
end comfort her as a friend.
81 feel as II / ought, but that would
only make things worse and people
talk more"
Friends of the young actor said last
night that Mr.. Baxter and Miss Baker
had been in communication and that
he received a wire the night before
the marriage day which read:
when ! put on my wedding dress
I found could never go through with
Mr.. Baxter continued to talk as he
walked to his dressing room:
MARY and I are great pals: We
had many jolly times. I met her In
Chicago last year while playing in
Happy Go Lucky" Lord Allerton,
who I knew in England, introduced
me to her family and the McCormicks.
Such delightful, charming people they
an arei We swan, road horseback,
played tennis and golf and danced!
q He's wild at Her Suffering.
Then Mary was extremely brilliant.
When she was a little girl she was on
her back with spinal trouble for eight
years. During that time her mind
must have grown twice as much as
other peoples, for she Is ten years
ahead of average girls in intellect. We
were interested in books and read to
gether.
when I think Of the unfairness OF
her suffering I go wild. I have not
:, slept since the thing happened. In
one second / would gladly go back to
England and throw up everything. But
II any one says anything untrue and
hurts Mary through me, shall go TO
the fullest extent Of the law, for JUS
tice!
Eyes, 1t is true that Mary was In
New York last fall and came to the
theater to see me and I dined with
her--but always correctly chaperoned
fyv her aunt"