BLAYNEY MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 149, 26 June 1934, Page 11

BLAYNEY MYSTERY.

WOMAN IN THE CASE. N.S.W. POLICE MAKE ARREST. STOCK DEALER'S LOST WEALTH (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 20. The shooting of the old etock dealer, John Ryan, at Barry, near Blayney, presents certain peculiar features, of which the full significance is not yet understood. But it seemed to be following the accepted tradition, or at least the established stage convention, when the police suddenly decided that there is "a woman in the case." After interrogating a large number of people in and about Blayney they got particulars of a man who might be able to "say something." A headlong dash from Blayney to Coonabarabran and back—over 200 miles—was made in torrents of rain and sleet, and the man, who was off on a trapping expedition over the Queensland border, was duly intercepted. He said enough to induce the police to believe that they were on the right track, and last Sunday they detained an elderly woman resident at Blayney,. and after closely questioning her for some time charged her with the murder of John Ryan.

The woman, Charlotte Fowler, is 58 years old, married, but living apart from her husband. She ie described as tall and strongly built, with a high complexion. She is said to have made a statement to the police, which they believe justified the subsequent proceedings. Mrs. Fowler has a grown family of three daughters, with whom Bhe is evidently on affectionate terms, nnd also a son living in the district. When charged at the Blayney Police Court on Monday, she naturally declined to make any statement, • and was remanded till July 10, the date fixed for the coroner's inquest.

Sensation in Blayney. The arrest of Mrs. Fowler on such a charge has been accepted by the people of Blayney as a sensation of the first order; and it is naturally the main topic of conversation in the district. But the police have also other aspects of the case to consider. They are particularly anxious to find the weapon—apparently a small rifle, or revolver of .22 calibre—with which Ryan was killed; and they have been scouring the whole district for traces of it. This has meant working night and day for nearly a week in rough country, often in heavy rain and intense cold, raking over soft ground, draining wells, digging out rabbit burrows—over 200 of them—and searching springe and hollow trees. House Strongly Barricaded. Then there are houses to search; and one place, they discovered, was strongly barricaded with wire-netting and barbed wire, and heavily padlocked. Here, however, they found three revolver bullets hidden under the linoleum; but so far this represents their greatest success in this side of their quest. Then they have tho tremendous task of unravelling the complications of Ryan's business affairs, and discovering by what means his assets, once worth, perhaps £30,000 or £40,000, have been reduced in a few years practically to nil. According to tho "Sydney Morning Herald," "the police arc working on the theory that the old man was cajoled into parting with large sums of money, and that when he threatened to take action to recover his property he was killed to ensure his silence." They have collected over 300 books of cheque butts and large numbers of cheques, and have forwarded them to Sydney for examination by experts, and a great array of documents will also be submitted to accountants.

Tho police evidently have, as one of them put it, "a man-sized job" in hand. It is astonishing how little the neighbours, and even near relatives, knew of the old man's business, and there are many of the elements of real tragedy present here. But tho examination of the woman now in custody, who is said to have been a close friend of Ryan for many years, may, when tho time comes, throw somo light upon tho dark places in this blood-stained mystery.