The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-06-10
NOTED STAGE
STAR IS SLAIN
INDEATHPACT
Brilliant Stage Career of
Margaret Lawrence Is
Brought to End.
STAGE GUNMAN KILLS
Bodies of Pair Are Found
High Above Street in
Actress Bedroom.

f9 Hlfcd Prres
NEW YORK. june t0-The un-
even, brilliant stage career OF Mar
earct Lawrence. 40. who troupcd half
way over the world to fame has
been ended by a bullet. apparently
fired by a fellow actor.
Detectives agreed. pending the in
quest today, that Louis Bennison,
30. sometime player Of cowboy and
eunmen roles, had called up all his
skill with firearms to send a shot
through Miss Lawrence's heart
Sunday and then commit suicide
Their bodies were found high
above the street. in a bedroom of
the Penthouse which Miss Lawrence
occupied in East Fifty-drst street.
Two notes indicated that the ac-
tors had agreed tine time had come
to die; it was possible that they
norved themselves with liquor. for
half empticd bottles were found in
the penthouse.
One note was in Miss Lawrence'S
careful. clear handwriting. Pinned
10 the bedroom door. it read:
The sunset has a heart. Come for
us there tSigned Tianna."
Puzzled over "Tianna"
Friends were puzzled by the name
"Tianna." but surmised it was either
a pet name or one Of the many
characters which Miss Lawrence
portrayed on the stage
BenniSon's note also was brief:
Notify Mr.. AIussen at the Lambs
Club at once.
The message was intended for
Bennett Mussen. with whom Benni-
son had been collaborating on a
play.
Shortly after noon Sunday Miss
Gertrude ChalGir. a friend of Miss
Lawrence. entered the Penthouse
with a passkey which she has had
for sometime.
Finding the bodies. she notified
police. who said the two actors prob
ably died about eight hours before
Miss Chalair's arrival.
Miss Lawrence's body. clad in
nightdress. was on a bed Bennison,
fully clothed except for his shoes
and socks. was on the floor. Two Of
his trunks were found in the Pent-
house.
Suicide Was Threatened
Miss Chalair said Bennison had
been drinking heavily for sometime
and told of seeing him dawdle with
his pistol several times and threat
en- to commit suicide.
He grew especially morbid. Miss
Chalair said. whenever she men
toned that Miss Lawrence might
move out to Long Island City with
her.
Bennison has been in the cast of
several productions here. Miss Chal-
air said he was rehearsing in This
Thing Called Love" presumably TO
go on tour. as Violet Heming ap-
peared in that play here last season.
Bennison formerly was in the
stock company at the Alcazar
theater in San Francisco. and had
appeared on tour with Mrs. Leslie
Carter in The Heart OF Maryland.
For a time ne was in motion pic
lures. playing with Seena owen IN
Lavender and Old Lace.
Miss Lawrence had been married
twice. the second time to the late
Wallace Eddinger. comedian. from
whom she was seeking a divorce
when he died recently in Pittsburgh.
A long series Of successes marked
her stage career. although at the
time Of her death she was under
suspension from the Actors Equity
Association because she deserted the
cast of Edgar Selwyn'S production
Possession.
After her suspension Miss Law
renee and BennisOn appeared Tor
short time IN a vaudeville ski
which failed. Previously they hao
toured Australia. presenting rep
ertory Of American plays.
Started Career Early
Miss Lawrence left her home il
Germantown. Pa. at an early ag'
10 90 on the stage. Her debut wa
made in Chicago. where she ap
peared in Her Son" q play which
had a short run. but which made
reputation for the actress.
Then she came to New Hors
where critics were also unanlmou:
in calling her one of the most tai
ented performers on the contempo-
rarv stage. In the midst OF hel
triumph she retired to marry OrSor
D. Mum. wealthy patent lawyer.
That was in 1911 and 1t was no'
until 1918 that Broadway saw hel
again. for her name was on the
society pages instead Of in the the
atricaI section
In 1918 Miss Lawrence returned
in Tea for Three" and four years
later she and Mum were divorced
They had two daughters.
In 1922 she married Eddinger. th'
comedian. because the tilt Of M
nos. positively demands a laughing
expression.
After Eddinger's death his mothe
took legal action 10 prevent Mis-
Lawrence from becoming admins
trstrix Of the estate charging th'
actress with drunkenness and i'm
providence. Miss Lawrence won tn