 In 1913 , Lloyd was booked by the Orpheum Syndicate to appear at the New York Palace Theatre . She and Dillon set sail on the RMS Olympic under the name Mr and Mrs Dillon and were met at the American port by her sister Alice , who had resided in the country for many years . Upon arrival , Lloyd and Dillon were refused entry when the authorities found out that they were not married , as they had claimed when applying for entry visas . They were detained and threatened with deportation on the grounds of moral turpitude and were sent to Ellis Island while an enquiry took place . Dillon was charged under the White Slave Act with attempting to take into the country a woman who was not his wife , and Lloyd was charged with being a passive agent . After a lengthy enquiry , a surety of $ 300 each , and an imposed condition that they were to live apart while in America , the couple were allowed to stay until March 1914 . Alice later stated that " the indignity of the subsequent experience [ while in custody ] went to Marie 's heart in a way she never survived . She could not bear to talk of that awful twenty @-@ four hours . " 
