MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. A SYDNEY WIDOWS FORTUNE MISSING. SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF THE WIDOW AT SAN FRANCISCO.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 390, 3 August 1889, Page 4

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. A SYDNEY WIDOWS FORTUNE MISSING. SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF THE WIDOW AT SAN FRANCISCO.

San Fkamjisco was excited several weeks ago by a strange and mysterious case which engaged the attention of the authorities and led to the exhumation of the body ot a widow who died recently in the city. The story is one ot romance and of love' of fortune, of the mysterious illness and death of a wealthy widow, and in all probability the unearthing ot a ten iblc crime. Mi.s Theiesa Shepherd-Honey went to San Fiancisco eight years ago. Her husband had died in Australia. She was a woman ot means, and entered upon a prosperous business career in San Francisco. William Warneke, an adventurer trom Holland and later a grocer's clerk on Stock-ton-street, became- enamoured of Mrs Honey. Then he became her companion, and soon thereafter she died under mysterious circumstances. Mrs Honey's will has disappeared, and in its place a strange contiact will come. 1 - to liejht, in which her property i« given with out reserve to WarneUe. Mrs Honey's entire fortune of $85,001) has disappeared, and -Warneko has returned to Europe, presumably in the company ot a young girl whom he loved. The story in detail is one of those extraordinary tales that rival fie- | tion. The deceased lady had been married twice before she was united to Cap bain Richard Honey, a sea captain, who formerly had charge of a Cunarder plying between New York and Liverpool. Honey died suddenly ot heart disease at Brisbane, Australia, four years after their marriage. Soon after his death Mrs Theresa Shepherd - Honey arranged her business affairs and with $10,000 in gold sailed from Sydney for San Francisco, arriving there about eight years ago. Fiona the day of her arrival Mrs Theresa ] Honey accumulated money lapidly, and a year ago her fortune was estimated at £20,000. She conducted lodging and apartment houses at Montgomery-street, TurkStreet and Bush-street, owning furniture and fixtures, besides purchasing and selling houses and lands in vaiious portions ot the city. She also invested in mining stocks and in Government bonds. Her cash sur- ■ pins, frequently to the amount of £6,000 or / £8,000, was- deposited in the Sate Deposit I Bank. Mis Honey was a lady of fine pre- ! sence, highly intelligent, and made many warm friends in San Francisco and Oakland. One evening three years ago, while at Profee&or Drews's Dancing Academy leception, Mts Honey was intioduced by Mrs Drews to a very handsome young German named William Warneke. He came eight years ago trom Amsterdam. Holland, w'lere hie. father is a minister in the Lutneian Church He arrived in San Francisco four years ago, and spemed employment at a grocery stoic. From the time Warnoke was intioduced to the handsome and wealthy widow Honey lie was smitten with a love for her, or at least such weic his declarations. He sought her at her home, dogged her footsteps everywhere, accompanied her to places of araiiiomenfc, and besought her to marry him. Mrs Honey sternly reiused, and endeavouied to cast him aside. Some of the friends ot" Mrs Honey declare that Warneke was an adventurer, a money hunter, and possessed a psychological influence over the widow which she could not resist. A year ago the adventurer, Warneke, deserted his grocer fiiends and his salaried po-ition of $30 a month, and devoted thenceforth his entire time to taking good care of Mrs Theresa Honey. When she became ill and went) to the springs, Me Warneke wore better clothes and acted as her escort. When she returned he lived like a lord in her dwelling, and while she persistently refused to marry him, for some reason or other she was unable to send him into the world about his own business. When Mrs Honey became seriously ill, Mr Warneke was her nurse and constant companion, and one day, it is said, when she was lying ill at her home, Warneke proposed that each should make a will bequeathing their respective fortunes to the other. He claimed to have large landed e&tates in C4ermany, and made an attempt to describe them in bib will. Thus he coaxed her into making a will deeding all of her real and personal property to him. At this time Mrs Honey had on deposit in the bank about and after the two stiange wills were duly signed and acknowledged, Warneke prevailed upon Mrs Honey to withdraw her funds from the bank and keep them in a strong iron box in the house. Under protest the widow consented to the arrangement, and Warneke s-oon came in possession or ab least control of considerable gold coin. Mrs Honey's health continued to fail, and although physicians were called, they could nob locate her disease. Warneke took her to Piedmont springs, and finally, when she lay near death's door, he brought her back to the city. After lingering there for a number of weeks Mrs Honey quietly passed away. The funeral was a quiet affair. Mr Warneke and other friends were there, and Mr Warneke shed many tears of sorrow for the departed. After the funeral he purchased a lot, at the Oddtellows' Cemetery and had builded over the last restingplace of Mrs Honey a monument costing -^?00. The name of " Warneke "' is inscribed upon the stone fencing that surrounds the cemetery lot. Thiee weeks after the funeral of Mrs Honey, the grieved and sorrow-stricken Warneke gathered his effects together, and departed silently tor the East. Arriving in New York, he hastened to the steamship wharf of the Bremen line, secured passage, nnd now is reported to live in royal style in Berlin, Germany. There is no doubt that ho has possessed himself of the entire fortune of the deceased lady. It is the opinion of the San Francisco authorities that hor death was caused by foul means, and consequently an order has been issued for the exhumation of the body.

Somo months ago we mentioned the fact that some Wellington gentlemen interested in aquatics had opened negotiations in England for the purchase of a yacht, and the only difficulty in the way of her being procured Avas the demurrence on the part of the shipping companieb to carrying such a large package as the boat would make, as deck cargo. It is now more than likely that the boat will be in Wellington if not by next season, certainly shortly afterwards. Wellington yachtsmen are delighted to learn that His Excellency the Governor has evinced a strong desire to become possessed of a yacht in that harbour, and has instructed Air R. E. Harjnan, of tho Thorndon Baths, to procure a fast comfortable boat. The well - known yacht Thetie, which was originally built in Auckland by Mr C Bailey tor Mr K. 15. Isaacs, io under o(lcr.