The Washington times., 1929-08-19
PANTAGES MAY.
FACE NEW
CHARGES

Los ANGELES. Aug. 10 U.s.l-
Another girl--once an usherette for
Alexander Pantages--exploded a new
bombshell in the theater mans af-
fairs yesterday.
In 3 136.page deposition now in
the safe Of District Attorney Burton
Fits. the ex.usherette, according to
district attorney officials. tells
story that closely parallels the
charges Of Eunice Pringie. the II.
year-oId dancer on whose accuse.
tions Pantages IL to be arraigned
tomorrow morning In Superior
Court.
Escaped, She Says
But between the stories Of Eunies
Pringls and the one.time usheretts
there Is one big difference--th
usherette escaped Pantages' ad.
vances. she says. and she il no
longer in the theater mans employ.
The existence Of the girls deposi.
tion--which il being held In readi.
ness for use at a strategical roint
In the prosecution of the theater
man-was admitted today by Fits.
de and his aide, Deputy District
Attorney Harold Jones. revealed the
contents Of the story. which was
dictated by the former usherette in
the presence Of Deputy District At.
torney B. F. Matthews several days
ago.
The name Of the girl. however.
is being withheld at present. The
district attorneys office said:
Cali her Miss X until We
can release her name-and the
names Of the other usherettes
and ex-ushereftes she tells about
IN her story"
For Miss KS story does NOT
concern only her own experience
1t deals too. with the experiences
OF other girls who worked for
Alexander Pantages as usherettes in
his theater.
Names Are Checked
Miss x" named all Of the girls
to whom she referred In her state
ment. District attorneys inves.
| ttgators have begun a complete
| check-up on these names.
Revelation Of the Miss X" de-
position came today. on the eve
of Pantages' arraiRnment tomorrow
before Superior Judge William r.
Aggeler presiding Judge Of the
superior court
Pantages faces two parate
charges. both based on the story OF
Eunice Pringle-her story is already
well known, told in detail as it was
at the preliminary hearing last week
at which Municipal Judge Leonard
Wilson. without hesitation, bound
Pantages over to the higher court
for trial.
The Pringle girl told how, trying
to get booking for her vaudeville
act, she was taken by Pantages into
his mezzanine conference room"
and there. she alleged, forcihly and
brutally attacked by the theater
man. AS a result Of that story.
and OF evidence accumulated by the
district attorneys office, Pantages
faces a charge Of statutory assault,
based on the girls age. and a
second charge of assault by force.
Faces Long Term
The penalties which he faces. at
his age-54-would mean, that he
would probably spend the best or
his life in the penitentiary. on
conviction.
Pantages' lawyers indicated last
Saturday that they would not offer
plea tomorrow
We shall demand more time IN
which to study the charges" said
Defense Attorney W. J. Ford, in
conference Saturday with his CO.
defense lawyer. w. I. Gilbert.
Neither Ford nor Gilbert could be
reached today to comment on the
sensational revelations of four wit.
nesses late last week. They were
Pantages' employees, who in a series
OF dispositions told Of how PantageR
had suggested that they give false
testimony in an effort to save him
from the penalty for the offenses
charged against him. Originally
telling these false stories, the wit.
nesses yesterday went to District
Attorney Fits. said they wanted "to
tell the truth" ard gave the district
attorney depositions.
Whether Fits would ask tomor,
row for higher bail for Pantasea
was an open question today. Pan.
tages is now at large on $3.50
bond.
Most OF the witnesses In the
case were under official guard to-
day.