| Summary |
"Includes details about the wrongful conviction of Daisy DeVoe, who was actress Clara Bow's manager, at the time she was the most popular film star in the world. Ms. De Voe righted Clara's tenuous financial state, but as part of a power struggle with Clara's boyfriend and future husband false allegations were made against her that she had stolen money from Clara. Grilled for 27 hours straight by the police, she refused to sign a confession, exclaiming: "I haven't done anything!" (Clara Bow, p.213). Indicted on 35 counts of grand theft, her trial began on Jan. 13, 1931. No proof was presented she mishandled Clara's finances, and after 3 days of deliberations she was acquitted of 34 counts and found guilty of 1 count. Daisy couldn't have been guilty of that count because it involved an $825 check signed by Clara that was used to pay her income taxes. Sentenced to 18 months in prison, Daisy confronted her prosecutors, Burn Fitts and David Clark by telling them: "You two are railroading me, and you'll both come to a bad end because of it." (Clara Bow, p. 284). Daisy was right. Four months after her conviction DA Clark was charged with a double murder, and DA Fitts committed suicide in 1973. Ironically, Clara Bow was able to retire from films in 1933 at the age of 28 because of money saved due to Daisy's frugal handling of her money." |