The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-15

81 n w u
wish. All / John barrymore
say Is this: I have broken my
engagement with Mr.. Barry.
more. Recent events have proved
cOncIuSiveIy that it would be
impossible for us to plan q
happy married life together
The personal relations Of John
Barrymore, the actor, and his pro-
tege, Elaine Barrie-the modern
"Caliban" and his "Ariel"-are
purely platonic.
At least they we're on June 18,
1885, when Miss Barrie signed an
affidavit to that effect in New
York city, it was discovered upon
examination of a huge filing cabi-
net, crammed with papers and
documents relating to Barry
more's business affairs. The cabi'
net now repoSeS in Superior
Judge Charles L. Bogue's court
room, where it has officially been
placed in evidence, along with all
of its contents.
Reason Unrevealed
The reason for such an afft"
davit is not revealed in a folder
marked "affidavits- Barrie" con-
tanned in the cabinet, but the
document signed by Ariel reads
in part:
with regard to the personal
relations between Mr.. Barry
more and myself, / state most
emphatically that they have
been and are of a strictly pla-
tonic nature and only on the
basis of the professional arts
tic relationship indicated by the
fact that we have already made
q radio appearance together
and are planning to do theatre
cal work jointly in the future.
SIMILAR AFFIDAVIT
The affidavit, sworn to before
a notary public and bearing the
signature, Elaine Barrie
(Jacobs)," further declared:
"Mr. Barrymore and I have
not been together privately ur-
der conditions that could justly
arouse suspicious but have al
ways been in the company OF
either my mother or my father
or some trusted friend or en-
plOye."
A similar affidavit signed by
Mrs. Edna Barrie Jacobs, mother
of Miss Barrie, declared:
Gas her mother, 1 have seen
to it that my daughter and MIR.
Barrymore have not been alone
together, but have always been
in the company Of Mr.. Jacobs,
or myself or Of some trusted
friend or employee"
It was further stated that Mrs.
Jacobs had the conviction" that
the relations of the actor and her
daughter were strictly platonic."
In another folder contained in
the cabinet relating to Barry.
more's divorce from Dolores Cos
tello Barrymore, letter signed
by the actor declared that he
and Mrs. Barrymore had not
lived together as man and wife
for more than one year, prior to
March 9, 1885.
"The personal relationship IL
over, except in our devotion to
the best interest of the children"
Barrymore said in the letter.
which was addressed to his attOr-
ney, william III. Neblett.
The Barrymore letter to Neblett
said that in six months the actor
had received only one letter from
Mrs. Barrymore, which was very
cool and studied in Tone" and that
her attitude for nearly year "haS
been not only unfriendly, but actu
ally inimical."
WIRES TO FRIENDS
Besides that, she has said
and even sent kilograms to my
friends and employees to the eff
feet that I was not In my right
mind when 1 left her, and not fit
to travel and go abroad, and
under the domination of Others"
the letter continued.
"Of course, all this is q PAL
pabIe abSurdity, but it shows her
state of mind and as one never
knows what a person will do in
that mood, thought 1t WELL
not only soon after leaving her
last August, but also very re-
Gently on my return to New
York, to have myself thoroughly
examined by one Of the most
prominent and eminent special
lists here. He, Of course, gave
me a fine bill of health and his
report makes Mrs. BarrymOre'S
statements (if she still adhereS
to them look very absurd"
VOTE AMERICAN-