New-York tribune., 1922-04-06
woCharge Son
OF Millionaire
With Bigamy
I'D. Grafton. of Pittsburgh,
Said to Have Welded II
Davs Before Marrying
Peggy Davis, 'Follies' Girl
No. | Before Grand Jury
Mother of No.2 Accompanies
Her: Records Bear Out
Allegations of 2 Women

dav by Assistant District Attorney
Nurphy into allegations that Joseph
nonald Grafton, said TO be the son Of
millionaire furniture manufacturer
Of Pittsburgh. committed blgamy wnen
he married Peggy Davis. seventeen.
year-old member of "ihe toilies.
Three weeks previous to MS marriage
TO Peggy Davis here early IN Decem,
hcr Grafton, it is alleged, married
Ellen Curley Mcintyre IN 1ouhsS'o""'
Ohio.
Mr. Murphv. acting under instruc-
tons from District Attorney Banton,
went before the grand jury yesterday
accompanied by Mrs. Capitola Laird
mother Of Peggy Davis; Ellen Curiey
Mcintyre and Albert A. Sheppard OF
"The Garment News" $50 Lafayette
Street. Miss Mcintyre was armed with
marriage certificate showing that she
mad been married to Grafton IN
Youngstown on November 2S, seven
teen days before the marriage OF MISS
Davis and Grafton at the Union Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, on MaoIson
Avenue New York records show that
on December TO, 1921. Joseph d. Graf
ton and Mary Margaret Laird were
married there.
Records Prove Youngstown Marriage
NpCOTUS
Grafton and Miss Mcintyre were mar
red by Justice Of the Peace J. B.
Rosonsteel on the date mentioned
After she had told her story before
the Grand Jury Miss Mcintyre told
reporters Of Graftons ardent love
making. She said he swept me off my
feet" His wooing, she said, caused
her 10 break off her engagement to
marry boyhood chum. Her marriage
10 Grafton was objected to by her
family, she said The objection was
because OF Grafton's numerous esca-
pades.
Following the marriage she accom-
panied Grafton to Cleveland. where
they lived for a tune in the Winton
Hotel, later coming to New York and
stopping at the Hotel Markwell. Here,
according to her story, Grafton desert
ed her, and she was forced to leave the
hotel and go to a boarding house at
l5G West SeveHty-fourth Street. where
she now lives. Graiton's desertion, she
said. left her without funds, and she
was obliged to leave most of her be-
longings at the Markwell as security
for bill against her.
Bride Got Money From Home
White honcymooning in New York
Miss Mcintyre said Graft induced
her to write home for $500, telling her
that money from his home had been
heid up on account of an affair he had
with an actress named polly Lor-
raae Miss Mcintyre said she re-
cciyed the $500, and with it they were
able to live very comfortably for sew
cral weeks.
Mrs. Laird. Miss Davis's mother, in
he presence of her attorney. Charles
Pistsky, of 1872 Broadway, said that
her daughter had met Grafton when
she was only twelve years old. This
meeting took place in St Augustine,
lIa.. where Miss Davis was engaged in
moving picture then being filmed.
Grafton, following the marriage to
"inc FollieS' girl. Mrs. Laird said, OBJ
]ected to any marriage notices being
published, This procedure, according
to Mrs. Laird, Grafton told them might
start something' if polly Lorraine"
should learn Of it. The marriage was
kept secret.
Grafton and his bride left New York
shortly after the marriage ceremony
and went to Troy, n. Y, Mrs. Laird
said and here, at her daughters re-
quest, set up housekeeping in an apart
ment for which they paid $40 month
reHt. Peggy had decided to give up her
stage career and become a housewife.
Peggy Davis Abduction Case
Pcgev Davis has appeared at the
District Attorneys once before Early
last fall she went there with her attor-
noN Tor the purpose Of filing com
pia'nt against two reputcd wealthy oil
operators for abduction of herself and
another CIR! who at that time was ap~
pearing at "The Folies."
Miss Davis told Assistant District
Attorney Morton that the two voting
men induced her and the other ac
tress TO so to the home of one Of the
young men in Greenwich, Conn, and
'old them they would spend the week.
end there. The girls consented, accord
ing to the story told by Miss Davis, at
Uat tlno, out Instead of going to
greenwich, As had been arranged. the
party stopped off at a roadhouse in
Westchester County and decided 20
stay there for the night because the
ooVer OF the car was ILL., The young
man escorting her. Miss Davis said
registered the party df four as two
married couples and rooms were as
signed to them.
Al this stage Peggy became aware,
She sad, that something was wrong.
ana LETT hef room and ran down stairs.
Sno tod her pl CIV to the manager and
avmahded that he assign her to an
e'Rer room, which he did The next
morning she refused t. continue the
ZIP 70 Greenwich, and returned to
Nsw ork, where she immediately broke
VI relations with the Greenwich young
nan and told her mother of the West
SIhester episode. Then she visited her
.a"yer, and civil and criminal prose
nuon was talked of against the oil
msh' However, the criminal inquiry
s.o not 60 through, the District Attor-
aey deciding that if any crime had been
SSs.uamltted 1t had been committed in
,"sestchester County and should be
prosecuted there
~ was about the time that the com
na.es was being made by Miss Davis
me District Attorney that she met
,eaai'on. After this meeting the in
~ rHued complaint against the two men
40 mad taken her and her companion
"estchester was dropped, her at
~ AfS- IS Laird admitted yesterday that
.sI, hestchester affair had never been
fi.'a 10 Grafton. Her daughter. Mrs
san s;aIa explained. dropped the abduc-
i ;'h complaint because she was afraid
would be misunderstood. peggy is
NJ sensitive about such matters, ;
N,s Laird said.
s.s MSS Davis is now patient in a
20. a'orlum, where she is convalescine
W. recent operation.
.Ss Mcintyre asserted yesterday
D.,; she did not want to name Miss