TRAGEDY ON LINER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 56, 8 March 1937, Page 9

TRAGEDY ON LINER

ACTOR DISAPPEARS

THEORY OF FALL OVERBOARD

SEQUEL TO A PARTY

United l'ress Association—By Klcctric TeleKi'apli—Copyright. LONDON, March 6. Frank Vospcr, a noted playwright and stage and film actor, disappeared from the liner Paris between New York and Plymouth.

Officers of the ship conducted an inquiry behind locked doors before the liner berthed at Plymouth. They believe that Vosper fell overboard after a farewell party held in the cabin of Miss Muriel Oxford, who was "Miss Great Britain" in 1935. During the party Vosper went on to the private balcony attached to Miss Oxford's cabin at 3 a.m. and did not return.

A passenger states that he heard a man in one cabin shout: "If you won't marry me I will jump overboard," but he does not know whether this related to the tragedy or was in any way concerned with Vosper.

On arrival at Paddington Miss Oxford emphatically denied that Vosper told her he would jump overboard if she did not marry him. She explainedthat he and she talked for some time on the balcony. She returned to the guests while he remained on the balcony. They were merely friends. She had met him for the first time on board the ship, and there was not the slightest question of a love affair.

Peter Willes, an actor, who was proceeding home in company with Vosper, says it was an accident. \ There was no question of Vosper threatening to jump overboard. "Vosper went to bed early," said Willes, "but when Miss Oxford said she was 'throwing a party' we dragged him out of bed about 2 a.m. Vosper whispered to me that he was tired and bored, and was going tombed. In order to escape notice he went out on to the balcony, presumably to climb down to a lower deck and return to his cabin. I am certain he did not know the balcony did not overlook any- deck and opened only upon the sea." Willes later admitted that it was he who said jokingly to Miss Oxford: "If you don't marry me I will jump overboard."