Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-02
SENATE RAT|F|ES FIRST OF Il
ARMS meet COVENANTS, 67=22.
FOUR POWER PACT ON TODAY
Jury to Pass
on Veracity
Movie Queen

New York, March federal Judge
Mack reached the conclusion today
that either Mary Pickford or Mrs.
Cora c. Widening, who sued the
cinema actress for S1OS,O0O had de-
liberately lied, and he left it to jury
to decide which one was guilty.
The jury returned its decision late
this afternoon, but rs Judge Mack
had gone home the verdict was seal
cd and the question will not be pub
hcly settled until tomorrow.
The lie. according tor the Judge.
rested some where in the conflicting
stories of the methods Mary used
back in 1916 to get Adolph Zukor to
raise her salary from $4,000 a week to
$4,000.
Mrs. Widening whose business is
that of locating jobs and better SAL
aries for people who live by amusing
others. claimed that it was she who
persuaded Mr.. Zukor 20 fatten Mary's
| income. She said the screen star
came to her and told about hearing
| that Charlie Chaplin was making a
million dollars a year anG she thought
her curls and her pout was worth just
as much as the comedians derby and
| shuttle, or words to that effect
According to Mrs. Wilkenning's
story it was agreed that she would
! sally forth and get other producers to
bid for TIary's services which would
| force Zukor to raise the ante, and
| then she would get 10 per cent. COM
mission on the new contract. Thus.
she claimed s10S,000 as her commits
! sion and extra charges, because Mary
got a $4,000 a week contract running
1 for two years.
| Mary, who was in the court room
today with her husband Douglas Fair
banks. and her mother, fatty denied
Mrs. Wilkenning's story. Her Iawye"
told the jury that Vary was such a
around to her with tempting con-
tracts ard that it was downright silly
to think that she would have to run
around looking for job.
Marys mother testified Yesterday
! that Mrs. Widening didn't have a
thing to do with the contract. but
wanted it signed in her Office because
it would lend her prestige. Today,
Mrs. Wilkenning's lawyer told what
he thought about .Nary's mother and
| Mrs. Pickford almost cried. But she
smiled again when Mary kissed her
and told her to brace up and show
her Irish" sense of humor.
This interview. between the plain
. tiff and the defendant either took
place or it did not take place." said
Judge Mack, addressing the Jury.
"One or the other has deliberately
lied. 1t cannot be mere Pigment Of
the imagination"
! Then he told the jury that if they
found Mary had been the one who
slipped from the path of truth, they
could award Mrs. Widening any
sum up to $10S,000.
\ crow. loafed all day in the cor
ridor outside the court room to catch
a glimpse of Mary and Doug. When
the screen stars depa rted after the
judge had charged TIL jury, these
movie fans formed an unsolicited es-
cort down the stairs to waiting
automobile. Douglas was so busy
slipping on n great coat of bearish
, fur that he almost lost Mary in the
mob of autograph hounds stenog-
raphers. CLERKS, star eazers and I'M
classified mortals who surrounded
her
"Wait a minute, dear" she said
That seemed to tickle the crowd
Just as though they had been wonder
ing all along what Mary called her
! husband