The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-06-26
THEATRICAL MAN
| DECLARES YOUNG
,rnont stase IHUli
2OseptiS lU uIIUI
Oscar A. Hirsh in Hospital with
Serious Wound
WIFE HELD UNDER BOND
Shooting Followed Lawn Party
at Home of Rene Davies,
Screen Star 4

Freeport. N. Y, June 26.--oscar A.
Hirsh, wealthy former theatrical
producer OF New York, is in critical
condition at the Nassau County hos
pital, and his young wife, Hazel, is
under arrest, charged with having
shot him following quarrel at tho
close of a lawn party given by Miss
Rene Davies, all actress, early sun
day morning.
The shooting occurred In front OF
the home of Miss Davies, who Is
sister OF Marion Davies, moving pic
ture star. Rene Davies Is the former
wife OF George Lederer, theater man.
agei
The cause OF the quarrel which
led up to the shooting Is not known.
Hirsh, who was slot through the
cheek, the bullet ranging downward
and apparently lodging near his
heart, said the shooting had followed
threats of violence by Mrs. HIrsh,
according to Bernard ]. Douras, a
New York city magistrate and father
OF Misses Davies.
Magistrate Douras. who ran to
Hirsh's side Immediately after the
shooting, told Assistant District At
torney Edwards the wounded man
had gasped.-
She did 1t. She shot me. She
d IT,
Mrs. Hirsh, running from the scene
of the shooting, was heard to say.
At ccording to witnesses. "Oh. shot
my daddy Later at the police sta
tion, Miss Rene Davies told the au-
thorities the accused woman declared
that her husband had kept .ier a pris-
oner in their home here for flour
days, with little food and drink, and
when he picked on me | didn't know
what did
The Hirshes, who had been guests
at lie party, left soon after midnight.
A short time later the guests, IN
cluding several well-known men and
| women Of the stage and screen, and
3 Magistrate Douras, heard shot in
J front OF Miss Davies home. Magis-
trate Douras and George Van We've.
] a writer, ran 10 the place where
lIirSh had fallen, and say they saw
Mrs. Hirsh running down the street.
Magistrate Douras notified the au.
thorities, and Edwards hurried to the
Hirsh home, where ne declares he
learned Mrs. Hirsh had gone to bed.
When she joined him, he said, she
had large cut over her eye and that
1t was bleeding profusely.
She told me, Edwards said, that
1t was all a dream-I do not know
how 1t happened"
A charge OF assault with intent to
kill was lodged against her. After
spending the day in the county jail
at Mineloa, L. l., Mrs Hirsh was re-
leased on $4,000 bail. Magistrate
Douras, in a sworn statement to Tie
authorities, later told OF conver.
station he had had with the accused
woman.
1t was reported that Mrs. Hirsh
did not wish to accompany her hus.
band to tie party at the Davies
home, but that she did so on his
insistence.
The Hirsh's recently returned from
Europe.
Marion Davies, in whose honor tho
lawn party was said to have been
, given, last night denied that she was
present at her sisters home last
night Miss Davies. who also has
just returned from Europe. denied
all knowledge OF the shooting.
George NJ. Levy, who had been re.
tanned as Mrs. Hirsh's counsel, late
last night, following a visit to the
bedside OF Hirsh said the wounded
man had declared the shooting was
accidental.
Mr.. Hirsh told me-" the lawyer
said, that he had been collecting
rent and had muc'l money with him
last night. For that reason he said
} he had taken pistol with him. He
. left the party to rest in secluded
spot in the garden, he told me.
[ where his wife found him. 1 had
been drinking, MIR. iiirsh said to me,
and my wife frightened me as she
approached. pulled my gun out OF
my pocket and she struggled with
! me. In the struggle the gun was ac.
cidentally discharged and was
shot"
Mrs. Hrsh accompanied the lawyer
:. to the hospital and Il was said a
reconciliation had been effected.