SOMBRE TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 135, 12 June 1929, Page 9

SOMBRE TRAGEDY

LAWRENGE-BENNISON AFFAIfi

Australian Press Association.

•/;-....' NEW YOKE, 10th June. While.: there " is-^xuit a "single;.scintil]i of further fact;,to^ explain -the:Lawi rence-Bennison killing, investigators have just-revealed that considerable interest has been aroused by the dis« closures of friends of the victims con-, cerning their lives together in the city* A tozieologist has confirmed.the !facs that,both had consumed' a' large quantity of liquor, aiid a medical examiner] confirmed. the: original view that X' Margaret Lawrence ■_ came by ,her deathrbjr homicidal shooting,' and, Bennison'4 death was due to'suicide.'* ~

While Lawrence was fofty years old| and was the mother of two children byj her first husband, and Bennison was in his fifties, both aspired to continn^ stellar .parts in the theatrical world* Lawrence expressed disappointment re* cently Over h«r failure to secure good! parts, and only a week '■• ago: consulted her attorney, asking his advice whetheij she should. enter the talking movies* Less Lawrence";.incurred" ill* favour .with the Actors': - Association! here when she failed to appear for a' scheduled performance, and it is ra* mowed.-that the failure was due to intoxication. -,Her • attorney said thai monetary difficulties could not enter into the tragedy, since she had considerable property,,and was to have received a half-share of the estate of he? second husband.

Wallace Eddinger BenniEbn, who had played; at one time in Western flimsy is .believed to have had difficulties in, securing a movie contract, and it is reported that he was to have appeared in! a play here to-night, but was asked Jt» withdraw last week without explana* tion. .: ,; '■.--' ;' ■■;■ ■:-.-. ■': ■ "■'■:'.■ ■,

A short time ago the couple appeared together in a vaudeville sketch, which" was a failure. Various friends Btateei that'their life together was a jnoTosa and unhappy one, with much .heavy; drinking. Bennison is said to''-have! be?n insanely jealous. Various members of the Lambs' Clubhere stated 1 tha* Bennison during drinking spells wonlj; talk wildly and usually brandish tw«f revolvers, reminiscent of his ■' cinem£ roles. The whole affair appears to baj extremely sombre, and the newspapers^' on the basis' of their own investiga* tions, present many lurid details al» legedly responsible for the undoing ©i| the pair. „It will probably be somtf time before the accurate facts ■win b«J known. • •