STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 172, 20 July 1907, Page 13

STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

DOCTOR'S WIFE PLUCEXLY CAPTURES THIEF. The wife of one of the best-toown doctors in New York, named Kxemer, was in her husband's consulting-room when a supposed patient ■was announced. The doctor was out, and the newcomer agreed to wait. Mrs. Kremer felt nervous. She did not Uie the looks of a large valise the man carried. Therefore, although a woman of slight bnild, she kept a sharp eye on. the stranger, especially as the adjoining room contained valuable surgical instruments. Presently the man asked if he could use the telephone, which was in this room, but Mrs. Kremer was equal to the occasion. "I'm sorry," she said, but I am only tie maid, and the doctor's wife is asleep in there, and I would not like to awaken her." The stranger waited a little while longer, and then, on one of Mrs. Kleiner's peviodiI cal returns to the consultation room, he told her he would have to go. She noticed then that as he lifted the valise it seemed heavier than when he appeared, and, almost in the same glance, she saw that the bookcase was open, and a set of very valuable I books had gone. I Mrs. Kremer ran Into the street after the I man and plnckily grappled with him untu j the police came to her aid. MODERN SAIISON AND DELILAH. I A true story, which in some respects re- ', calls the old Scriptural tale of Samson ana j Delilah, comes from Indiana, U.S.A. Edward Harden, who was shot in the side by a sheriff's posse that was trying to captur him a few days ago, has died from his I injuries at his home in Brown connty. Harj den was a farmer, and a short time ago a ' wsrrast was issued for his arrest to keep : the peace. Harden heard of the warrant, I and, arming himself with a shotgun and a I revolver, he hid in the woods, excepting at J snch times as he would steal back to" His . home for something to eat. • The fngitive's i wife notified Sheriff Roberts, of Brown I county, of a time when her husband wouldJ appear at his home for his dinner. Snowing i Harden to be a desperate man. Sheriff Ho--1 berts armed a posse of eight men, and went !to his home at the time appointed by his j wife. When Harden was at dinner, his wife j barred the back door to her home, that her husband might not "escape through it, and removed the shells from his shotgun. I When the police arrived he attempted to I escape, and was shot. I ——— j A SURPRISE DOWBT. j Mr. C. W. White, a prosperous fanner of j Newark, Delaware, recently advertised for a wife, asking some little woman to help him to pull in dollars. It was added that "no chronic caggrer need answer.'" White, who made no reference to the amount of his property, which ie considerable added the following points: He is 47. Has been divorced. Is of good habits. Possesses iron will and flashy temper. From the 40 answers which he received White selected the second. This was from Helen Smith, of Waynesborongh. Pennsylvania. She sent photograph and a Tetter, stating, -'Please do not think I'm fast for writing you. I am 25, bnt I do not think the difference in ages matters. I always said I would marry someone older than myself. You said you wanted a good cook," acid I think I am that I can also play and sing by note." Letters passed, matters were' satisfactorily arranged, and the marriage took place on Sunday, June 2, when Mr. White disclosed the extent of his prosperity. His bride then matched his caufldn In this respect by disclosing that she. too, possessed a fair fortune, having received £12.000 as one of the heirs of "SUent Smith." ■_-.0T UP TO SPECIFICATION." On arrival of the Hamburg-American liner Pretoria at New York on May 31 a discomforting scene was witnessed by many of the passeDgers. A yonng German named Philip Felder boarded the vessel with a bonquet in his buttonhole, and smiled expectantly. "Is Franlein here?" he asked, mentioning the lady's name, and producing her photograph. There was snch a. person aboard, but she failed to correspond in appearance with the handsome young woman represented by the portrait. "Lead mc to her," said Mr Felder, and the young man was wafted by a ship's officer to the second cabin, where a remarkably plain yor.L? woman sat-looking inquiringly at everj who entered. When Mr Felder approached she blushed, and half rose, with a look of recognition. She had corresponded with him, and had exchanged photos with a matrimonial agent. Philip said, "Is this Fraulein ?" "Yes." was the reply. '"And are yon Philip?" The young woman made a move as if to fall into his arms, but Fhilip's gaze suddenly became cold ami steely. He drew the photograph from his coat pocket, and looted at it closely. Then he regarded the girl with an earnest scrutiny. "There must be some mistake," he said, in disappointed tones: "yon are not op u> the specifications, or the photograph deceives." With tears In her eyes, the young woman assured him that she was the girl he had promised to marry. "Where are my letters?" he asked' She replied that they were in her baggage, and that she would produce them as soon as she got ashore. "Oh. , Philip," she sobbed, as she tried to throw her arms about his neck, "how can you be so cruel." It's all off," said Philip, with cold deliberation, and, disentangling 'himself from the embrace, he added, "I have been imposed upon. Yon are not the girl. No wedding bells for mc." And he rushed off the ship and ashore, leaving his bride that was to be waiting on the vessel. She will probably go back to Trieste. MOTOR SMASH STOPS AN ELOPEMENT. A tragi-comedy of a motor-car and a deserted wife reached, an eminently satisfactory, though startlingly unconventional, climas on May 31, amid the enthusiastic applause of the entire body of New York newspaper readers. The scene was laid in a sick-room in a large hotel, where Mr Louis G. Meyer, a wealthy merchant, lies stretched on a bed of pain. Three days before he and a lady, whose photograph is placarded across every broadsheet, were the victims of an alarming motor accident. When fate tins cruelly overtook them, they were escaping in a racing car from the scene of the only too well justified wrath of Mrs Meyer. But on reading in the newspapers how terribly her husband had been mangled, the wife, oblivions of her wrongs, rushed to his bedside, smoothing hie pillow with loving care, and awakening him to a tardy wptisi? of remorse, wfeidi la given expression to la a lesU document, iali b*oad

and sealed. la order to render the unique docmnent effective, Mrs Meyer has communicated the text of it to the newspapers as follows:— Whereas tie said Louis Meyer, feeling repentant, Is desirous of being forgiven by the -'plaintiff." and having an opportunity of re-establishing himself to his wife's affection and favonr, with a view thereafter to renewing marital relations, the said Meyer does hereby promise and agree to his said wife,. Ada A. F. Meyer, as follows:— First, that he will in all things hereafter treat the said wife kindly and in a proper manner. Second, that he -will hereafter abstain tram all relations of every name and nature, both social and otherwise, with Mrs Kathryn Conrad Fuller Hartness, and will at all times conduct himself in a loyal and ■honourable manner befitting the husband ot the said Ada A. F. Meyer. The third clause provides for the regular payment of the household expenses, while in the fourth the "defendant" agrees to a probationary period of three months, "during which "the said Ada A. F. Meyer shall determine whether or not she can hereafter repose trust and confidence" 4n her husband. Mrs Meyer, a lady of powerful physiqne, explained to the reporters that if her rival , , waen she recovers from a broken limb, attempts a fresh rapprochement with Mr Meyer, she will first horsewhip her and then sue her for damages for alienating the affections of her husband. Unfortunately, the condition of Mr "Meyer is'now so precarious that the doctors fear that he may not outlive the probationary period provided for in the matrimonial bond.