ARIADNE CASE RECALLED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19057, 20 July 1927, Page 3

ARIADNE CASE RECALLED.

DEATH OP MR RICHARD MARSACK. Mr Richard Marsack, formerly Superintendent of Police, who died recently at Auckland, served in Canterbury as a detective and was prominently connected with the celebrated Ariadne wrecking case. The Ariadne was stranded near the mouth of the Waitaki river in 1901,' and the owner, captain, and others stood their trial at Christchurch on a charge of wrecking the yacht, and of conspiring to defraud the underwriters of the insurance money. The owner had bought the vessel for £4OOO, and insured her for £20,000. The wreck was regarded with suspicion, and Detective Marsack arrested her sailing master, who was subsequently found guilty of wilfully casting her away, and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The owner wns arrested in New South Wales, and at his trial in NewZealand was acquitted. Then he made a claim for the insurance money. Detective Marsack was sent to England in 1903 to give evidence on behalf of the underwriters in combating the owner's claim. After the trial of the case had lasted ten days a compromise was effected, and the matter was settled.