IMAGINARY ROMANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1939, Page 2

IMAGINARY ROMANCE

DEATH OF “PRAIRIE ROSE’’ SYDNEY, January 27. For 20 years a Sydney woman, a wealthy former actress, deceived her friends into believing she. was the first wife of the famous American humourist and screen star, the late Will Rogers. Her recent death revealed the imaginary romance, which was shattered this week, when her brother. Mr. Eric Shaw, arrived from New Zealand. The woman was Mrs. Elinor Hunter, 51, born in the United States, and was known as the “Prairie Rose.” She owned a block of flats, valued at 416000, in. fashionable i Bellevue Hill, living in one and renting the others., Mrs. Hunter had been dead for several days when, on December 20, her body was found in the kitchen of her flat, suspended by her dressinggown cord from the tap of her oven gas jet. At the inquiry into her death, the. coroner, in returning’ a finding of accidental death from coal gas poisoning, said: ‘‘She must have been making coffee and then either fallen or collapsed, the cord of her dressing gown catching in the tap of the gas jet and turning it on. She was subject, to heart attacks, ami one of these attacks may have caused her to fall. ’ William Martin Niland, a solicitor, told the coroner that, he had known Mrs. Hunter since she arrived in Australia in 1909. “In those days I was solicitor for the Actors' Federation." he said. “At that time she told me that, she had been the wife of the famous American film star. Will Rogers. then a. lit tie-known vaudeville player in America. They had a. cowboy act. Both were knifethrowers 'and sharpshooters. He used to throw knives at her, and she| would throw knives at him. She) was known as the “Prairie Rose." and used that, mime on the Australian stage. During the Great War she became a nurse on the other side, amt there met Lieutenantcommander William David Hunter, of the British Navy, whom she married. Hunter died about six years

Mr. Shaw said il'.at before coming (o Australia lie had hoard a rumour that his sister had been the first wife of Will Rogers, but lie could definite! v donv its truth.