A LOST ACTOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 9

A LOST ACTOR.

"What has become of Mr. Raymond Hitchcock, the "star" actor in "The Yankee Tour : ist-," next'to tho "Dairymaids"the most successful musical comedy - of ; the season ? Has lie fallen a victim to Armenian assas3ias or has he. put - an end to his-own life to avoid the shamo of, a public trial on charges preferred against-him.'by tho Society for the Prevention of'.' Cruelty to Children? All Broadway and the theatrical world of Now York is echoing these anxious inquiries. But yesterday the favourite's " picture smiled 'from hundreds' of billboards. Mr. Hitchcock's portrait. to-day is tho most prominent foature of tho police publications, and scores of detectives are watching tho railway stations and the steamship piers in tho hope of capturing him. For ho has broken his bail of £GUO, and failed to ap T pear in answer to six indictments of a gravo character.. Missl'lora Zabello, the beautiful comodionne who is his wife, whom I visited this afternoon, is distracted by her husband's sonsational disappearance, and will not b(i able to play her part to-night in "Tho Yankee Tourist." She is the daughter of a wealthy Armenian preacher, Mr., Mangasar M: Mangasarian, of Chicago. She tells me sho has absolute confidonce in her husband's innoconce, and is convinced that he has boon murdered by. Armenian blackmailers. "Members of tho Hontschakist Society," tho actress observed, "have driven our family 1 from the fine estates which wo formerlv occupied on the liosphorus, and for a year past have directed their persecutions against niy husband. Raymond loft me yestordav morning, saying that ho had not slept at ail and would tako a Turkish bath to freshen him for tiic niatineo. Ho has not returned, and I feel sure that he has been assassinated." i AVhilo many of the actor's friends aro of' opinion that. Mr. Hitchcock has committed suicide, declaring that his behaviour has been most strange and erratic sinco the charges were proforred against him, Mr. Horman J'Yommo, the comedian's lawyer agrees with Miss Zabello that ho has been kidnapped aiul murdered. Mr. Eromme declares that Mr. Hitchcock's life lias been made a burden to liini by a blackmailing gang consisting of about a down 111011. "if the case should ooine into court," Mr Fromnie declared, "names of 111011 far more prominent than Mr. Hitchcock will bo involved, and as air. Hitchcock has a complete : uiswer to all tho charges the' blackr mailers wero desperately anxious to prevent Ins appearance. Knowing this, I am convinced that the actor has mot with foul play." The authorities, though mystified by Mr Hitchcock's disappearance, incline to tho view that ho embarked yesterday 011 tho Majestic or some other steamer bound for Europa