THE YARRA MYSTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10968, 24 January 1899, Page 6

THE YARRA MYSTERY.

MADAME RADALSKI.

ANOTHER PAGE IN THE STORY OF

HER LIFE.

Numerous stories have been circulated in connection with the past career of the woman now in the Melbourne Gaol under the name of Madame Radalski. In our issue of yesterday we published the history of her life (as given in the Melbourne Age), as related by herself to persons whom she professed to take into her confidence during the past two years. Amongst those who implicitly believe the tale were a large number of prominent ladies and gentlemen wellknown in society, including three doctors practising in Collins-street, with whom this extraordinary young woman lias come in contact during hei efforts latterly to obtain employment. To anyone whom she has met whilst under the style of Madame Radalski, she has appeared to be well educated, well informed, and of w amiable and entertaining disposition. Her acquaintances never for a moment doubted the entire truth of her romantic story. Further inquiries into " Madame Olga Radalski's" past history amongst those who have known the young woman from childhood show, however, that the "romantic story" was, indeed, nothing but romance, without any foundation in fact. The true story of her life, which we have now obtained, has been a most remarkable one.

The father of the young woman is an old gentleman of German extraction, and an old colonist, who for a great number of years has occupied a responsible position in the employ of a well-known city firm. He is now over 82 years of age, and has been married three times. His family is a small one. but, as is often the case, the most wayward and the least industrious of his children was his special favourite. This was the young woman whose present terrible position has stricken him down with a blow from the effects of which he may never lecover. Wayward and self-willed from the first, Elizabeth, or " Lizzie," as she was affectionately styled, had very much of her own way all her life, her doting father thinking nothing too good for her, and being unable to see in her anything but affection, dutifulness, and obedience, though these were qualities none of which the girl possessed in any remarkable degree. Born in Adelaide after the second marriage of her father, her parents brought her to Melbourne at an early age, the family taking up their residence in a northern suburb, where they have resided ever since. During her girlhood, "Lizzie" developed an intenso passion for fiction. Slie delighted in reading the most exciting stories she could procure of travel and adventure, with the result that hen mind became filled with all kinds of nonsensical ideas; and she frequently delighted in pretending that she was of noble birth— princess or a countess— admirers galore. When about 18 years of age the girl met Carl Adolph de la Ledebur, a native of Switzerland, who came to Melbourne from Calcutta in 1883, in the sailing ship Newman Hall. Ledebur was at that time a good-looking young fellow, 21 years of age. Though only a seaman at the time, he persuaded the foolish girl into believing that he was a young man of fashion, with plenty of money. The couple were married within the year, though the parents of the young woman strongly objected to the match. After her marriage Mrs. Ledebur discovered that, though remarkably clever, her husband had no other fortune than his good looks, and a bold, pushing spirit, which latter, however, sadly misdirected, was the means of causing him a good deal of inconvenience two years later. At that time the couple resided in Young-street, Fitzroy. Burglaries suddenly became of frequent occurrence in that suburb. After a good deal of fruitless investigation by the detective force, the police suddenly hit upon the righttrail, and the result was that on April 1, 1886, Ledebur was found guilty of breaking into the residence of William Morgan, Greeves-street, Fitzroy, on March 10, 1885, and stealing a quantity of jewellery; other stolen property found in his residence led to his being found guilty of two similar robberies, one at the premises of Morris Cook, Royal Terrace, Nicholson-street, Fitzroy, and the other at Grantown House, Nic-holson-street, Fitzroy, the plunder consisting entirely of jewellery on each occasion. For these offences Ledebur was sentenced to terms of imprisonment totalling two years and nine months.

The shock she received on discovering that her husband was a ruthless criminal staggered the young wife, and completely altered her feelings towards her husband, her love for whom speedily disappeared. Whilst Ledebur was undergoing his sentences the second and last child was born— girl, which is now under the care of the unfortunate mother's step-brother, at Cheltenham. Mrs. Ledebur, whatever her feelings towards hor husband may have been, waited patiently for him to complete his sentence, residing with her parents in the meantime. Ledebur was released on July 6, 1887, and he and his wife and child then went across to Adelaide. After spending some time in that city, where Ledebur practised as a masseur, the family returned to Melbourne, where Ledebur earned his living as a painter, a masseur, and by other means. About 1891 lie undertook the training of a football team, and continued to act in that capacity till 1894. Before accepting this employment, however, Ledebur got himself into serious trouble in connection with an affray in Essendon, in the course of which a baker named Williams was stabbed. Ledebur was put on trial for the offence, but was discharged. At the end of 1893 he and his wife went to Tasmania, where they resided for about 12 months, Ledebur practising as a masseur and electric healer. Ledebur found it necessary to leave Launceston, where he had settled. They accordingly went to Now Zealand, and settled in Dunedin, where Ledebur. adopting the style of " Professor," managed to make a very good living. The husband and wife lived very unhappily, however. There were frequent quarrels between them, and early in 1896, as near as can be ascertained, in consequence of a dispute of a specially serious nature, Mrs. Ledebur packed up her belongings, and, accompanied by her daughter, an intelligent, pretty little girl of 12, made her way to Melbourne. Her husband continued his practice in Dunedin until January, 1897, when he had the misfortune to bring himself under the notice of the police, who despatched a memorandum to Superintendent Brown, of the Melbourne Criminal Investigation Department, requesting information as to his Victorian career. Tins was promptly supplied, and Ledebur, having been made aware by the Dunedin police that his history was known, promptly disappeared and has not *ince been ] heard of by his wife or her family. A communication has, however, been received to the effect that he was in San Francisco, but the authenticity of lie information is denied by Mrs. Ledebur. who adheres to her statement that her husband was accidentally killed in South Africa.

When the remittances ceased, tie deserted wife, compelled by pride to provide for herself and child, adopted the name of Madame Olga Radalski. and essayed various ways of earning a livelihood. Massage, as already related, she twice attempted, but with no success. During this period she was reduced to dire extremities from poverty, and she placed her position before some charitable people, by whom her story of her " history," as published yesterday, was accepted in good faith, and who have, in their sympathy, with a lady supposed to be of noble blood, reduced to such sorry straits, assisted her in various ways. The adoption by the woman of the style, " Madame Olga Radalski," nearly two years ago, and the fact that she has never been known by any other name since, save to members of her own family, at once contradicts the theory that she adopted the name subsequent to the death of the girl Ambrose, in order to save her family from disgrace. The proprietress of the lodging-bouse at South Yarru at which " Madame" stayed for six months persists in her statement that the young woman's conduct there was irreproachable. During tJie whole time she was there, the lady in question asserts, "Madame" only had one visitor, and that was her father,

Not long ago a difficult and somewhat dangerous operation was performed on Madame Olga in the hospital. Subsequently she received assistance from the Charity Organisation Society. At South Yarra, while staying at the house of a female friend in Palermo-street, she became fairly wellknown. Here she first met the girl Dub- ' THE AMBROSE FAMILY. A friend of the Ambrose family, who has known them intimately for a 'number of yean, communicated some particulars of in-

terest. He mentions that Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose were not married under that name, but that of Desceartie, the real cognomen of the family, which for some reason or other was discarded both by the late Mr. Ambrose and his father, who is still living and in occupancy of a good position in New South Wales. '" As to the deceased girl, whom I have known since she was quite a child," continues this informant, "she was of good disposition, although always a little flighty and headstrong, but under the influence of anyone for whom she cared she could be induced to do almost anything, having no real will of her own. I remember that about four vears ago she came under the notice of Mr. Forster, of the Try Excelsior Society, at South Yarra, iynd he secured for her a place with a family in the country, but hero she showed herself a little 'wild' in her conduct, and after a short trial was sent back to South Yarra. When she was hardly 17 she ' kept company' with a young fellow in the neighbourhood, but threw him over when she became infatuated with Todd. Her mother and others looked upon the girl's relationship with Todd in the light of an engagement, and when Mabel left home some four months ago without saying where she was going, and spent a week at a house which Mrs. Ambrose knew to be of doubtful repute, she communicated the fact to Todd, who had been in the habit of visiting the girl at her home frequently. He appeared to be teiribly shocked, and said he would go and get Mabel away, although, as he declared, if it was not for the necessity he would never dream of setting foot in such a house. Eventually the girl returned home, as the result of action being taken by the police against the keeper of the house in que st ion." .