THRICE REPORTED DEAD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12229, 29 August 1925, Page 13

THRICE REPORTED DEAD

JENNIE LEE’S STORY "JO" POOR IN OLD AGE. "This is the third time my death has been reported/ 4 says Jennie Lee, referring to a report from Los Angeles, where the death of a film actress of the same name caused the confusion, states a message from London. "I was staying in Sydney," she says, "when X saw a newspaper placard announcing the death of a famous actress. I bought the paper, and was surprised to read my own obituary/ The Becond occasion was in 1909, in London, when the death of an American actress who had taken my name misled the London newspapers." Jennie Lee, now 67 years old, is living alone in two rooms in London. She is in comparative poverty, and is suffering from acute arthritis. Jennie Lee made her first appearance | on the stage at the London Lyceum, on > January 22nd, 1870, in the comic opeia

"Chilperic." Later, she played in New York and San Francisco, appearing in the latter city, in 1875, in her famous part of Jo, in "Bleak House." Her subsequent career was associated almost entirely with this play, in which she toured the world. She visited Australia and New Zealand, remaining here till 1885. Jennie Lee married J. P. Burnett, an actor and playwright. LONSDALE AND THE COSTERS With vigorous thrusts of his arm Lord Lonsdale warded off the attack o an. angry costermonger in full view of 10,000 spectators at the International Horse Snow at O.vmpia. The incident occurred in the arena during the awarding of prizes for the best costermongers' turnouts. Lord Lonsdale, 1 judging in evening dress, with the usual cigar in his mouth and buttonholes in his coat, apparently displeased the costermonger by awarding him the third prize. The man made some Temarks, and Lord Lonsdale shook him, defending himself energetically the next moment from an attempted reprisal.

He pushed the costermonger away, and two inspectors then removed the man from tho area amid the protests of his wife, who had also to be turned out of the arena by the police. CIGAR FOR A WOMAN.

This incident came immediately after a more amusing one, in which Lord. Lonsdale also figured. While the turnouts were lined up in the area a donkey became restless and started off with ita barrow, in which a man, a woman, and two children were seated. i As the animal galloped aronnd tho area Lord Lonsdale dashed over to it, and, catching hold of the reins, pulled it to a dead stop amid the cheers of the spectators At an earlier stage the huge audience had been highly amused by the, spectacle of Lord Lonsdale listening to what was obviously a very good story told by coster women in a yellow* jumper. When she ended he gave her one of his cigara, which she smoked on the spot with evident enjoyment. Of the forty turnouts entered for the competition onk two came from east of Aldgate Pump. The majority were from the Hammersmith and Sotting Hill districts.