DEATH DRAMA.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1927, Page 1

DEATH DRAMA.

NEW YORK, July 28. . During the final act of a drama JStii • Street Theatre, New York was thrown into a turmoil last night hv a cry from the audience, “I’m dying, mother I’m dying!” Actors halted uncertainly while attendants rushed forward and carried from the theatre a woman who had appearently fainted. Physicians round that she had deid instantly from heart disease. She was Alias June Mathis, who ati the age of 35, was known as the highest salaried woman executive in the cinema world. The daughter of a theatrical family she abandoned the stage ior scenario writing and in a short while became one of the best known screen writers. She adopted such books as “The Four ’Horsemen of the Apocalypse” and “Ben Hur” for the films; served as a director; and was credited with discovering Rudolph Valentino. Impressed with his work as an “extra” she selected ihim for “The Four Horsemen,” his first great success. He always attributed his subseguent fortune to her choice.

£25,000 iFRAUD. (PARIS, July 28. After having been employed for 20 years by the same ifirm, Rene Lefrnne. head cashier of a business house in the Sentier quarter of Paris, lias confessed .that during .the .past two years lie Jins embezzled more than £25,000 by .falsifying cheques. “Recently‘he bought some land at the riverside suburb of Vernouillet—a sort of Parisian Ttidlimond— and built a sumptuous modern mansion. “He kept a chauffeur and two motor-cars, and explained .Lis .rise to affluence by the fact that .in Addition to his salary he was wafernc -money in 'btisitim.