Solve It! The Twisted Case of the Terrible Twins
— From the Archives: A 1920s Article by Lanie Price —
The Parker twins, Josie (left) and Clara (right), c. 1924
Dear Reader:
The Harlem Grand Theater was rocked by tragedy five months ago when ingenue Clara Parker, the talented understudy to her sister, leading actress Josie Parker, was discovered in the sisters’ dressing room. The police investigation failed to yield any conclusive results, leaving this cold case shrouded in mystery and unresolved grief.
The Crime Scene
On January 28, Clara Parker was found sprawled on the floor, a pool of blood spreading beneath her head. A heavy candlestick lay beside her. It was later determined that Parker died from a blow to the head, inflicted by the candlestick. An examination of the candlestick for fingerprints yielded no results, indicating the killer had wiped it clean.
In addition, an ominous note lay on the vanity, its message chilling: “Josie, you’ll pay for what you did.” The note was signed with the initials “L.B.”
Adding to the intrigue, the sisters’ beloved parrot, Smitty, was in the room and highly agitated. Witnesses reported hearing the bird repeat, “It’s over now! Over! Over! OVER!” All in all, the scene was a bewildering mix of drama and mystery, fitting for the theatrical world of the Grand Theater.
What People Said: Taken from Newspaper Interviews
Investigators talked to a lot of people but in the end, concentrated their efforts on the following five individuals. These people also made statements to reporters, recorded in publicly available newspaper articles:
Josie Parker:
Profession: Leading actress
Relationship: She was Clara’s identical twin sister, older by about five minutes. Josie said she took this “difference in age” seriously and had always considered herself Clara’s protector and advisor.
Alibi: She said she stepped outside to enjoy a moment alone and smoke a cigarette in the alleyway. She blamed herself for what happened to Clara, saying that if she’d gone straight back to the dressing room, Clara would still be alive.
Statement: “I miss Clara so much. Losing her was like losing half of my soul. The cops think the killer mistook her for me. I hate to think Clara died because someone was coming after me. She was talented and loyal, always by my side. I used to encourage her to go and build her own career, but she always said, ‘No, Josie. My place is with you. I’m honored to be your understudy.’ I have a new understudy now. But she’s not as good as Clara and never will be. Life’s just not the same without my sweet baby sister.”
Leroy “L.B.” Brown:
Profession: Theater manager.
Relationship: Josie’s former lover and manager.
Alibi: None to speak of.
Statement: “Clara was beautiful and sweet. She was just finding her own way when she died. People keep looking at me, whispering that I did it, but I didn’t kill her. Why would I do something like that? The police want to say I killed her thinking she was Josie. Bull crap. I wouldn’t hurt Josie. First, she makes money for me. Second, I could tell the two of them apart—always could. And third, I didn’t write that damn note. Somebody else did and tried to put the blame on me.”
Marcus Tate:
Profession: Director of a new play being cast
Relationship: Previously worked with Josie and one of Josie’s admirers
Alibi: Wife said they were having dinner at a favorite restaurant where they were regulars, but none of the restaurant staff remembered serving them.
Statement: “I’m so very sorry what happened to Clara. She auditioned for the lead in my new show. I was thinking about giving it to her, but then … Well, Josie came to see me and we got to talking and it occurred to me that the part might be too big for Clara. If she did badly, then it wouldn’t just be a loss for me, but for Clara. It would put a dark blot on her career, ruin her future chances.” He paused. “It was hard telling Clara that she wasn’t getting the part. I told her the afternoon of the day she died. Naturally, she was very upset and tried to get me to change my mind. When she realized I wouldn’t, she asked me if I’d spoken to Josie. I didn’t confirm it, but didn’t deny it, either. She smiled actually and said, “Yes, Josie’s always looked after me like that.”
Samuel “Sam” Jenkins:
Profession: Jazz musician and Clara’s lover.
Relationship: Romantic partner.
Alibi: A young woman said Jenkins was with her, but later, after he dumped her, told police she’d lied at his request.
Statement: “Clara was everything to me. Sure, I smacked her around a bit. Some women need that. And yeah, we argued that day. I ain’t ashamed to admit it. She told me she was gonna leave me, was complaining about me going out with other women. Now, you know, I couldn’t have that. Don’t no woman leave me. I leave them and I let Clara know it. But no, I didn’t kill her. I liked having her around.”
Beatrice “Bea” Carter:
Profession: Costume designer at the theater.
Relationship: Josie’s friend and confidante.
Alibi: Said she was home alone with no one to verify her claim.
Statement: “Josie and I used to be close, but she’s changed a lot since Clara died. I think Clara’s death was just too much for her. I mean, it affected all of us. Even, the parrot. Josie got rid of it, you know. Said she had to. It witnessed the killing and kept screaming. A pity, Josie really loved that bird, but I can imagine it was a constant reminder of what happened.”
What People Said When Re-Interviewed
After reviewing the public statements, I sensed that something wasn’t quite right with the statements by Tate and Carter.
Tate admitted that his decision not to give Clara a major acting role in his new play had upset her and that she’d argued against it. Had their conversation turned into a heated argument, one in which he lost his temper at her refusal to accept his decision?
As for Carter, her statement that her relationship with Josie had changed since Clara’s death didn’t make emotional sense. Close friends usually grow closer rather than apart following a tragedy. Could there be another reason why their relationship had soured and could it have occurred before the murder?
Curious, I did a bit of digging and decided to confront them directly.
Marcus Tate: I explained to Tate that I’d heard rumors he’d had an affair with Josie and that she’d threatened to tell his wife. He denied it at first, but then, shoulders slumped, he came clean: “Josie demanded that I reject Clara and threatened to tell my wife if I didn’t. I nearly killed her. My hands itched to go around that little neck. But I resisted. I did.” And since Clara died? He leaned back, relief and guilt crossing his face. “She hasn’t approached me. Hasn’t looked my way. I’m sorry Clara died, but whoever killed her did me a favor. They put the fear of God in Josie.”
Beatrice Carter: This was a particularly difficult conversation. “I’ve learned that you’re a widow,” I said gently, “and that your husband committed suicide. I heard … that he died after leaving you for Josie only to have Josie spurn him.” Carter’s eyes widened in dismay and filled with sadness, but then she nodded, the sadness giving way to anger. “I wanted to bash Josie's brains in. Night after night, I lay in bed, thinking about it, about how it would feel to do it. But that's all I did. My Harry was gone. Killing her was not gonna bring him back.”
The mystery of “Clara” Parker's death calls for keen observation and sharp deduction. Each clue provides a piece of the puzzle, but it is up to you to put them together and uncover the truth.
Share your theories and thoughts on who the killer might be. Your insights could be the key to solving this tragic mystery.
Yours in pursuit of the truth,
Lanie Price
Society Reporter for The Harlem Chronicle
14 June 1925
