The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-02-09
SLAYER OF FILM
ACTRESS SOUGHT
IN UNDERWORLD
New York ButterfIy's. Apart
ment Ransacked by Gem
Thieves,
By United Preso

on IHtt6H GTtco
NEW YORK. Feb. Back home in
the Texas town where her daddy kept
the grocery store, Louise Lawson was
child prodigy. Not a girl for miles
play The plano as Louise could at II.
Her folk sent her to New York from
WALNUT Springs to complete a mu-
sical education-a little slip of Texas
girl with winsome. cultured manner
that made her influential friends.
Today a grief-stricken mother waa
hurrying north and physicians were
performing an autopsy upon the brain
Of the girl, who was "a, when she
met violent death Friday, to determine
whether she was strapgled or
smothered in her luxurious west
side apartment known as THE
Monastery"
And it was not in musical circles
police and detectives searched for
murderer and motive. but in the
haunts of bootleggers and fences"
and the murky byways OF the city's
underworld where jewel thieves hide.
Wealthy friends and sponsors Of the
Texas girl. including Gerhard NJ. Dahl,
chairman of the executive committee
Of a big transit company, were being
questioned
Sprawleo Across Bed
Miss Lawson's body, clad in q blue
silk uightgown, was found sprawled
in the abandon Of death across the
lace coverlet OF an expensive ma.
hogany bed in her apartment. Silken
hose and torn slips Of filny under.
wear bound her hands and feet. while
across her mouth. apparently the
cause of death, Turkish towel had
been fastened with strips of surgeon 8
plaster.
TWO men, who gained admission to
Miss Lawson's apartment a few hours
before her dead body was discovered,
told the elevator boy they were boot.
leggers.
Three jewel cases fashioned in ma.
hogany that matched the furniture in
the apartment had been ransacked.
Platinum watches. diamonds and other
jewels were missing.
When police, summoned to "the
MONASTERY by calls of a colored mad,
found the slain girls body and the
evidence that jewel thieves, masquer
aiding as bootleggers. had committed
the brutal crime. they turned to a
search of the victims personal be-
iongings.
Photographs Of men, one on the ma
hogeny dresser In a big silver frame.
others scattered about the dainty
furnished apartment led to the true
story 0f her life for the past four
years. =.
She had been friendly with Angler
3. Duke and had been present on the
yachting party when that heir to a
$4,000 tobacco fortune was
drowned last September
Signature Translated
One OF the photographs was in
scribed Jerry Doll" and astute de.
tectives soon had translated this in.
TO Gerhard M Dahl, of the Brooklyn
Manhattan Transit executive COM
mittee.
"Mr. Dahl was interested in Miss
Lawson's musical career She was
remarkable pianist, hear said
Frederick Landeck, attorney.
Stock of the Brooklyn Manhattan
Transit Company to the value of
$4,000 was found In Miss Lawson's
name, held by Hayden. Stone & Co.,
where Dahl had his offices.
A pass book ISSUED blythe Com
mercial Trust Company showed
balance to Miss Lawsons credit of
81 900.
The murderer or murderers made
their getaway" cleanly The men
who were early callers at Miss Lar
sons apartment Friday left singly.
with a remark to the elevator boy
that "she wanted rye instead OF
Scocth. You know how women are,"
and a wink.
Louise Lawson's sojourn in screen.
land had been brief. 1t developed A
few extra" parts had been played
with Indifferent success by the am.
bilious little southernep@ Then she
had returned to her musical educa.
ton amidst the wealthy friends 6f
whom Angler B. Duke and Gerhard
M Dahl formed a part