The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-12-22
Mate Says S
Plot to Sell
Wife Myth
Movie Director Explains He
Sought to Restore Her Hap
piness = Denies Negro
Purchaser Lives.
She Wanted Fine Clothes

La Male, tnealrlcdi man anu 'o
picture director, accused by his wl1e'
Helen, two days ago in divorce
complaint of having tried to sell sen
to Lou Harris, supposed negro leader
of the Juarez, Mex underworld, TO-
day made a signed statement TO the
Long Beach Telegram, In which ne
characterized the entire charge as
myth.
He said there was no such person
in existence as Lou Harris, and de-
clared he had invented the story to
bring my wife back to hfe.'
The statement asserted that his
wife's brooding over the loss OF five
children by a previous marriage had
induced him to invent the negro-sb0o,-
900 sale story to arouse her interest.
"Lou Harris negro gambler, Is a
myth" said the statement. Ne ne
gro by that name exists, so far as l
konw. | invented the Lou Hassis
story to bring my wife back to life
and to keep her from brooding con-
stantly over the loss of theN five chill
dren which were hers by a former
marriage and who were taken away
after she and l began living together.
She was despondeDt over the absence
of the children and also over our H.
nancial condition.
Met Wife In 1914.
I'm 1914. after just getting out OF
the hospital. having been confined to
my bed with rheumatism for month,
and when l was heartbroken over the
loss of my wife, who preferred pleas
ure to home cares, / met In Modesto.
Cal. the woman who is now my wife.
I'VE became infatuated with each
other. At that time / was not di-
vorced from my former wife although
not living with her.
1--WE lived I'm Santa Cruz together
for two years and were most happy.
Then the authorities took the five
children away from us and / was ar
rested for contributing to the delin-
ouency of minors. The charge was
dismissed but the brother In Modesto
of her first husband. was appointed
guardian. Their mother was heart
broken oysr their loss and much OF
the money she could get she sent to
them.
Lacked Pretty Clothes.
I'VE came to Los Angeles. found
work as moving picture director.
but later lost my position. Since
could not earn enough so that she
could buy pretty clothes and send nice
presents to her children, she was dis
contented and anxious to do some
thing to make lot OF easy money.
Finally hit upon the Harris idea
as scheme to make desperate test
of her psychological reaction.
"'Ah,' / said. I know a man who
could provide you with loads OF
money. He is a negro. very wealthy.
owns 150 gambling houses in this
country and Mexico and has $780,
900 home at Beverley Hills. He Is
worth $4,000. 900 and he would give
$3.50, 900 to any white woman who
would yield herself to him.
Trick Didn't Work.
"The letters she claims 20 have re
ceived from Harris / wrote myself
The thought OF possible chance
of obtaining a big sum OF money
brought my wife up from the terrible
state of dependency in which she
had been engulfed and she began 70
appear TO be happy. However. her
eldest son came down from Modesto
to live with us and Immediately trou-
BILE started. After several violent
ouarrels over this boy we separated.
That was in August. 1921.
Girl True Friend.
"I went to Dallas. Tex, where
tried to put across a moving picture
company proposition. That Noveni'
her / met a Mrs. Howe. I was finan-
cially up against IT, all this time.
had a small studio there, with just
few pupils, one of whom was the
daughter OF Mrs. Howe. l visited
Mrs. Howe several times. trying to
interest her in my f1lm company
project.
Here met the woman referred to
In press dispatches as Mrs. Violet La
MAZE. She has never been anything
but a wonderful friend to me-"
Mrs. Helen La Maie corroborates
her husbands statement In one par
ticular. that they lived together a con-
siderable period as man and wife.
without being married. and that they
were not married until 1918. The
ceremony took place In Stanta Ana,
Cal.