AN ENEMY’S WIFE

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 12

AN ENEMY’S WIFE

TRAGEDY OF THE WAR ENGLISH WIDOW OF GERMAN INTERNEE SAD END OF BEAUTIFUL SOCIETY BEAUTY [Special to the ' Star.’] AUCKLAND, March '22. An interesting story lies behind tho sale of the late Mrs Carl Scegner’s property at St. Stephen’s avenue, Parnell. After Mrs Sccgner's death a few months ago largo sums of money, principally in bank notes, were found lying loose round her home. Tho total thus accumulated ran into hundreds of pounds. Mrs Secgncr’s last years were shadowed by tragedy. She was the widow of Herr Carl Seegncr, lormcr German Consul at Auckland, and she retired to live in absolute seclusion after her husband’s death, which followed an illness contracted at Motuihi. where ho was interned during the war. Mrs Secgnor herself was an Jhiglishwomau noted in her earlier days for her beauty, and always lor her culture and charm. Quo of her nephews was a very gallant officer in the British Secret Service, and several otliei relatives served with distinction on the British side during the war, Mrs Seegncr, however, remained steadfastly loyal to her husband, and his suffering as an alien, ending in his death after being released from Motuihi, left her permanently embittered

Attended only by an elderly servant, and with only n number of pet dogs lor company, she cut herself oil from the social life in which sho had formerly figured. The front gate of the house in St. Stephen's avenue was usually locked, and dense trees raised their barrier in front of the dwelling In 1927 a nieco came out from England to visit tier, and later a grandnephew, Mr C. E. \\. M’lntosh. Mr M'lntosh, a fine Rugby three-quarter, remained in Auckland for twelve months, leaving in January of this year. In the meantime Mrs Seegner had died, and it was Mr M‘lntosh, helping to put her affairs in order, who discovered the hoards ol banknotes scattered among boxes ami diaries, and in other places where they had been lightly and carelessly cast.

In her life of .solitude Mrs Seegner had given no thought to business affairs. Sho owned a property near Taupiri, but had given no attention at all tn farming the land. Instead she .spent her time writing verse (some of which was published), and in reflecting, no doubt, upon the happy days when her husband, as German Consul, and a member of the firm ol Seegner and Langguth, was a man ol prestige and substance in the community, in flic days before the catastrophe of war brought tragedy in its train.