THE GIRL OF MYSTERY

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 9

THE GIRL OF MYSTERY

Unsolved Riddle of Strange Letter To Miss "B" : . : . _q _— < ■ : -

But the pay he was getting m Wellington was so poor that he agreed on the spur of the moment to come up to Auckland, though he considered it a case of coming out of the frying-pan into the fire, as no on© could agree with his father-in-law. Lawyer Denniston asked him to tell the Court the real story of the Foxton affair and Ryan explained. . ' ' While his unit was m training at Foxton, he said, there was a ball which he attended. There he me Miss "B." '.A Tragic "Joke" Me was not "stand-offish" and lie promised, to write; the complication arose through Ryan introducing . his pal. as; himself. ' They all promised to write and when back m barracks m Welling- . ton they all wrote letters. ■ His pal, Humphries, and others were "m the joke" and the letter finally sent was copied from a novel. T,he letter was nothing but a joke. A move having been finally, decided upon, Ryan stated that he said to his wife: "Come with me, or go on your own to your father, or else come to ray home." "I wanted us to be on our own," he explained. " ; . . In Auckland, he obtained employment and was earning £5 a week. He often went to see his wife; . sometimes twice a week. When the baby was born he went to see his wife and the, infant. "No, one seemed enthusiastic to see me, but' my wife allowed me to see the baby." • Later, he said^he called frequently to see the baby."' He now believed that the best thing to i do was to knuckle down and agree with his father-in-law, but the latter "would not let her come to me — or me go to her." \ Ryan contended that the . sole idea of his father-in-law's proposal to use his house was' to obtain a cheap housekeeper. "I object to paying for my father-in-law's housekeeper when she is my wife," he. said. The wifefs counsel commenced by asking Ryan if he looked upon himself as> a' truthful 'witness, to. which he repjied: "Yes, I do." , He did not consider that he had acted dishonorably* when he joined tlie military: service m not telling them that he was a married man— "l told them I was married," he declared. "Beyond Reproach" \ ■'"""'■' "You still contend that the letter was a joke?" asked Lawyer Matthews. "Who was the joke on?" "Oh nobody," Ryan replied. "I was not going to send the letter — McDonald was. I have no wish to incriminate anyone, m the barracks. The girl would understand." „ "Were there any untruths m the letter to the girl's- father?" counsel persisted. Ryan. replied that the letter was written "m the heat of the moment." .''.'• ! "Were the reasons Kathleen was to give her father honest or otherwise?" "Honest so far as she knew," an -. swered Ryan. "My wife believed I'd been unfaithful .and there was-cease- . less nagging and 'rowing.". "What about your frequent remarks to your wife when you were going, out that you were meeting other women?" counsel inquired. ... "I was wild. Possibly I said lots of things I have since regretted," said the husband. '. ' "What about you infidelity?"— "That's untrue." Magistrate Salmon remarked to Ryan: "The fact remains that you' said a lot of things m that letter you did not mean and that you regret now?" "I wrote the letter m a temper," was the reply. "Have you done anything to correct the impression conveyed m that letter?" the S.M. wanted to know. "I refuse to explain myself m front of my -.wife's father," retorted Ryan. He went on to say that his conduct —

with the exception of the girl at Fox- : ton — was "beyond reproach." Lawyer Matthews referred to a sixpage letter which his wife had found, written by him to a girl named Grant, but nothing definite was revealed. "You told her there was a Clarice?" persisted counsel. "That was a fabrication," said Ryan. He denied that any girl of that name had called him up. There was a "Clarie," he said. v. He could not remember the story he had told his wife about the tickets and Clarice running away with him. The tale about the razor was an absolute lie. "Then your wife is wrong?" said counsel. "My wife is evidently speakr ing as she believes," came the reply. Ryan's Admission Again and again,' while he was being questioned Ryan, who was very re- j spectful- to counsel — gazed down at his wife sitting alongside her lawyer with a flash m his dark eyes and at times what seemed to be an anxious look, almost of appeal. There was something tragic m seeing two young people not long started m life so estranged when both appeared fat* above the average type seen m the Maintenance Court. The ring Ryan admitted taking when "wild" with his wife for reading the letter, and going through his personal effects. "I admit that the letter looked incriminating when I re-read it, but it was only barrack fun." . Ryan told Lawyer Matthews that he had' "roughly — very roughly—" about £40 put away for his wife. It was m his mother's hands. He; had told . his wife that he had sold the furniture, but he had not done so: it was a lie. Again he said: "I will not pay money for my father-in-law's housekeeper, but I am prepared to pay for the expenses of ;the baby's arrival." Then, with some heat, he added: "Let my wife come to live with me arid noV.with her. father." "Then you* don't think the baby has anything to do with you?" questioned Lawyer Matthews. "It has a lot to do with me," declared defendant. Ten Hours Later ..Answering Magistrate Salmon, Ryan said he was- 26 and his wife, 30. , Lawyer Denniston made a final effort pn. behalf of. his client. "The wife's father is the disturbing element," he said. "Let them have another try." - \ Having listened with much patience for the greater part of the day to the sad tangle of two young lives, Magistrate Salmon observed that they seemed to be a hopelessly incompatible couple. "There has been a lot of time wasted -about other women. "Che '■■ evidence shows that he has behaved'in a most callous fashion. yHe has made little attempt to see her since April and only contributed 30/- to her, keep. It is a callous case. I don't think that he has shown bona fide intentions." ' The S.M. made an. order of 10/- for the child and 30/- for the wife. The cost. . of the baby's arrival and past maintenance would also have to be met, totalling £25. While the magistrate was making his remarks, husband and wife sat stonily; side by side, flanked by their respective counsel. ■ It was just one of those little touches of irony which Fate so often inflicts on those wh6 have sworn to love, honor and obey until death shall part them. Within^ twelve hours, Ryan, the vivid, vital, but impetuous young man, was de^d — by his own hand. After an interview with his wife that night at her father's house, when it would seem that reconciliation was not attained, he shot himself with an automata revolver on the verandah and. passed into the presence of the greatest Judge of all.