Victim of Gang Murder

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 22

Victim of Gang Murder

Actress’s Ordeal —Played Part Knowing Her Lover was Killed

GANGSTER well known in -Boston, Michael Rocco. known as “Mickey, the Wise Guy,” was arrested in Boston by New Y'ork

detectives and questioned concerning his relations with Frank Marlow, the New York racehorse owner and boxing promoter, who was murdered recently. Rocco. at the time of the murder, was known to have been in the vicinity of the spot where the body of Marlow was found. One of the four men detained in connection with the case and released on bail of £IO,OOO is Johnny Wilson, the former middle-weight champion of the world, for whom Marlow' once acted as manager. Police-Commissioner Whalen has stated that several of the Boston gangsters had vowed veugeance against Mr. Marlow on account of losses they had sustained over alleged crooked races and fights staged by the murdered man. “My heart is broken.” That was ‘the first line of a song sung by Miss Dolores Farris, the American actress, who takes the part of Julie in “The New Moon” at Drury Lane. She faltered —and the audience knew why. Apart from this little lapse, however, the actress carried her part through with easy grace and cheerfulness. She laughed, she smiled, she danced enticingly. She took a perfect part in a quartet entitled, “Love is Quite a Simple Thing.” ■Her engaging solo dance in the second act was the tit-bit of the entertainment. Miss Farris had collapsed just before the performance on hearing the news that her friend, Frank Marlow, had been murdered by members of an “underworld” gang. When a “Daily Chronicle” representative called at Drury Lane, Miss Farris had just arrived, pale and upset, but resolved to do her best. Miss Farris is indignant at state-

ments which have been made about her lover in messages received f- om New York. “He was not a bad character.” she said. “He was not a bootlegger. He never carried a gun. nor was he in l one of the gangs. “He ran racehorses, promoted boxing matches, and had the Silver Slip, per Club, which he built up out of his cafe on Broadway. “I loved him more than auy other man, and when he had got his divorce which was pending, we were to have been married. He was the straightest man I know. lam certain he had more friends than enemies and dur ing my acquaintance with him he did not show any signs of fear of being ambushed.” Neither the statement made that Miss Farris benefits under the dead man’s insurance policy, nor the fact that his real name was Gandalfo Curto appear to have been known to the actress.