DESPAIRING LOVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)

DESPAIRING LOVE.

MYSTERIOUS WOMAN. MAN'S DEATH ON RAILWAY. LEFT WIFE AND HOME. I In spite of the mwt diligent inquiries, the police have been unable to trace a mysterious woman in the life of William Henry Mansell, 47, a writ-server, employed at Bush House, Aldvvvch, whose mutilated body was found on the railway at Potters Bar. Middlesex. Many years ago Mansell left his wife and home, changed his name to William Henrv Maitland. and for eight years lived with another and unknown woman. About a year ago they parted, and Mansell had been greatly upset by the separation ever since. At the inquest at South Minims the coroner, Dr. fleorge Cohen, declined to read in public a letter left by Mansell. "I dr> not like these things to be published," commented the coroner. "It is bad enough for the family to have a suicide without hurting their feelings any more." Evidence of identification was given by the widow, Mrs. Charlotte Elizabeth Mansell, of Lightfoot Road, Hornsey, London. Dr. Cohen: I understand he went by another name? —Yes, William Henry Maitland. The coroner handed Mrs. Mansell a letter and asked, "Is this your husband's handwriting?" Mi*. Mansell replied, "No. He always printed his letters." The coroner then showed her an envelope on which there were some printed characters. Mrs. Mansell recognised the printing as her husband's. Harry James Ashman, a commercial traveller, of Murray Street, Camden I own, stated that Mansell, whom he knew as Maitland, lodged at hi* house. "Talkative and Excitable." Coroner: Did h? ever threaten to take his life?—He always talked about these things to my wife when he had been reading books. He discussed the best way of committing suicide. It preyed on his mind, you think?— Yes. The coroner inquired whether Mansell was out of work, and a police officer replied that the man was in work, but had been on a fortnight's holiday. He was due back the dav he was killed.

Continuing his evidence. Mr. Ashman added: "He was very talkative and excitable, and spoke about a woman with whom he said he had been living for about eight years."

The coroner asked Mrs. ManseTl low long fhe liad been separated from her hunhand, and her answer was, "Eleven years." Oeorge Hagland. an engine driver, of Wood Oreen. said that he saw the mutilated remains of Mansell on the line near Potters Bar. and a railway police officer explained that Mansell must have climbed a fence to get there. Upset by Parting. Summing up, the coroner observed: "The dead man was not a usual type of individual. He had been living linder ail assumed name for some years, and possibly had his own reasons for that. "He had not been residing with his wife, but with somebody else for about eight years. Apparently be told his friends there was a quarrel. At any rate, there was a. separation between himself and the person with whom he had been living, and that evidently upset liim."

The coroner -then referred to the letter which was posted at Barnet and addressed to Mr. Ashman. "I do not like reading it." remarked Dr. Colien, "hut in it he practically save this is the end." The jury returned a verdict to the effect that Maxell took his life while the balance of his mind was disturbed. -After the inquest Mr. Achman stated that neither his wife nor himself had any idea that Mansell was a married man with six children. Undoubtedly he was passionately fond of "the other woman." and more than once said he could not get alons without her. Mans ell read a great deal of fiction, and in discussing suicide. suggested t> Mrs. Ashman that "The wheels of a railway enpine offered the easiest war out t-o anyone in trouble." When Mnnsell left his wife 11 years a»o he is believed to have gone to Ireland with about £3000 in his possession, and lived on that capital for three yearc.. Then he came back to England. As quite a young man. he is understood to have earned £1000 a year as direetr»r of a firm in London.

Bedouin chiefs and sheiks in the Transjordan desert can sit in their tents and telephone to London or New York. Many chiefs have had telephones installed in their tents on orders from Gaptain Olubb. known in the desert as "Abu Huneik" (Sear-face), head of the Transjordan Desert Patrol. The main job of Glubb's patrol is to guard the pipe line and the telephone wires. Finding that the Bedouins had more opportunities for cutting the wires than he had for cateliing them at it, he hit upon the plan of installing 'phones in the chiefs' tents. Now, if they cut the wires, "tkay also eat themselves off.