“She accused her companion of the theft”

Yesterday I quoted two news stories from 29 Jan 1916 on Helen G. Roach’s complaint that a man had stolen her jewels.

That day’s Los Angeles Daily Herald recounted the lady’s “remarkable story” with dramatic detail: “Mrs. Roache [sic] first rushed into the home of Judge [Johnson W.] Summerfield in an hysterical condition and weepingly begged the justice to issue a warrant for the arrest of the man, who she said, was named Hill.”

She didn’t recall that man’s first name, only that he was an actor.

Later this article noted that “Mrs. Roache…first reported the robbery to the police under the name of Mrs. Woodbury,” the surname of her previous husband.

The Daily Herald story continued:

Calming Mrs. Roache enough to secure her story, Judge Summerfield was told that Hill, whom Mrs. Roache described as “awfully handsome,” persuaded her to go to the beach in an automobile with him. They dined at the beach, she said, and then they started home. . . .

As they neared Mrs. Roache’s house Mr. Hill told her that he was very ill, according to the woman’s story. She took him into her house and instructed her two colored servants to put him to bed in an apartment which was connected with her own boudoir by a small dressing room.

Shortly after he had been taken up stairs, Mrs. Roache told Judge Summerfield, she heard a noise on the second floor and went up. She entered her room and discovered that her diamond rings, a pearl necklace and other jewelry aggregating $5000 were gone, and also the actor.

Soon, however, Helen Roach was telling the authorities this mysterious man had drugged her. The Daily Herald simply mentioned that accusation without any further detail, but the Los Angeles Times for 30 January related that tale:

She first went to Judge Summerfield and told him that her friend was a motion-picture actor and that she was sure he had drugged her just before starting home from the beach in his machine. On the way home, she declared, she was seized with a fainting spell and had to be helped into her home at No. 1623 [sic] Van Ness avenue.

There her colored servants assisted her to bed and it was only early this morning, on regaining consciousness, that she discovered her loss. She accused her companion of the theft.

That is, of course, a different story.

Back to the Daily Herald: The judge (shown above) issued a warrant for Hill’s arrest and sent deputy sheriffs Cleveland, Moodie, and Cooper to find him.

At the Hotel Percival, however, where Hill lives, he was not to be found. The officers visited a number of cafes, but failed to locate Hill. It was discovered that he had cashed a check last last night in one of the cafes, but no one knew where he had gone after that.

The man was still unlocated on 30 January. If anyone has leads on a handsome movie actor named Hill in 1916, they would be welcome.

TOMORROW: Can this marriage be saved?