Evening star., 1932-09-10
STORIES SAY BERN
THREATENED WIFE
Allegation CompIicates Mys.
terry of SuiCide-DOrothy
MiIIette Sought.
BY the Associated Press.


LOS ANGELES, September 10
Newspaper assertions Paul Bern threat
ened his beautiful wife, Jean Harlow
of the films, the night before he killed
! himself, complicated the mystery Of his
suicide today as authorities searched for
'the other woman"-dead or alive.
Reports of a possible quarrel with
Miss Harlow came in story by the
Los Angeles Examiner that the movie
executive threatened the actress with
death last Sunday night. His body was
found in his home Monday.
From various sources close to the
actress. the newspaper said, "it was
declared that Bern flew into a rage at
Miss Harlow and screamed: Get out
and let me alone. If you don't, Ill
kill you"
Contradicts Testimony.
sources and contradicted testimony
given at the inquest, when John Car
michael, the Bern butler. testified the
couple parted Sunday night the best
of friends"
Further mystery came in the re-
ported disappearance of Miss Dorothy
Millette, once known as Mrs. Paul
Bern from a Sacramento River
steamer while en- route from San Fran
cisco to Sacramento, Calf, the day
after Bern's body was found
Sacramento authorities today pre-
pared to search the river for her body,
meanwhile asking police in Reno to
determine whether Miss Millette ever
reached the Nevada capital
The double search was ordered be-
cause officials were not certain whether
the woman drowned, swan ashore or
left the steamer at Sacramento un-
noticed. All they knew was she boarded
the steamer in San Francisco, was seen
only twice en- route, was not seen to
leave the boat at Sacramento and her
luggage was left aboard An empty
bathing suit bag found in her effects
| lent some credence to the theory she
may have faxed suicide.
Search for Body Narrowed.
Sacramento officers narrowed places
to be searched to a comparatively small
| area after conferring with men familiar
| with the river and were positive they
HOdA0 ACSONCi blAC OOoy IL 1Aloo MIL
| lette drowned in the river.
| While the search for his common
| law wife went on, the ashes of Paul
Bern lay at rest.
| In cloistered scene, with few in
| innate friends gathered about the cas-
ket, funeral services were held yester-
day while his grief-stricken widow wept
| quietly
In a brief eulogy. Conrad Nagel,
screen actor, said 'inSincerity is be-
setting sin of Hollywood. but Paul Bern
never bowed down to that false god. u
In statement concerning the mys-
| terry woman, Henry Bern OF New Ro-
chelle, N. Y, brother, said Paul Bern
had become infatuated with Miss Mil
lette many years ago in Canada, while
| they were with theatrical company
! They fell in love and went to New
York.
Possessions Found on Boat
| The woman was stricken with men
! tai ailment and for years following, up
to the time of his DEATH Bern cared
| for her, paying her approximately $3.50
month. Bern said her mind forSook
| her almost to the extent of apparently
forgetting the man who provided Tor
her and last April she decided to go to
California for her health. She lived at
a San Francisco hotel The day fol-
lowing the film executives death she
left a San Francisco hotel, taking a
steamer for Sacramento.
! She had a light meal and retired to
her cabin. In the early morning hours,
watchman, making the rounds Of the
deck, found her coat and some other
possessions near a rail. In the state
room she occupied were other personal
possessions but the woman had gone.
No trace of her was found and Henry
Bern, upon learning of the facts con-
cerning the woman. collapsed.
The brother said he had found no
reason for the note left by the film
executive in which he mentioned a
"frightful wrong" done to Miss Har-
low. and said in his brief interview
with Miss Harlow she had mentioned
none.