WOMAN IN WHITE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

WOMAN IN WHITE.

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC IN A BALI, GOWN. New Yoke, August 3.0n the arrival of the Red Star liner Kroonland here the Government officials detained a lady named Mrs. Constantine Phelan, who created a sensation by crossing the Atlantic in a white satin ball gown- The immigration, authorities declared her to be mentally unsound, and ordered her to be deported. Physicians certified her to be insane, though not dangerous, and she will remain on board the vessel until it sails next week. Mrs. Phelan is of attractive appearance. She is about thirty, wiuL ■■£. good figure, golden brown hair, and blue eyes; she- is well educated and an accomplished linguist and musician. She says that she is separated from her husband, who is connected with a Dublin brewery. She lived for some years in Dublin, but, her last ad ? dress was Cheltenham'. Four years ago she became ill and visited the spas of Germany. Then she decided to go to some baths in South Africa., and afterwards resolved to go to the hoi; springs of North Carolina. : She lived two weeks at Southampton, and then paid all her money ('about £9) to the Red Star line agent for a. ticket to New York. Mrs. Phelan recollects dressing for dinner and going to the theatre, but nothing further until she found herself out at sea. Since leaving Southampton she has constantly worn an elaborate white costume. She had no spare clothing, and was obliged to borrow some from the stewardess:. Her only baggage consisted of a case of mineral. water, in which she bathedShe played and sang every evening, and her voice charmed the passengers. Mr. Van Dael, the ship's'surgeon, says: "Mrs. Phelan seems perfectly rational on every subject except that she insists on bathing in mineral water, to which ' she adds a glass of cognac. She has an idea '.hat it keeps her complexion fresh." The officers say that when the lady came on; board at ; Southampton accompanied by the steamship agent no notice was taken of her .'until next "day, when her startling costume attracted general attention. The case seems to be enveloped in mystery.' The attention of Mrs. Phelan's London, j solicitors was called to a statement tele- | graphed to one of the agencies from New | York that the lady on her arrival produced i a letter to the authorities signed by a wellknown firm of solicitors of Lincoln's Inn Fields saying, "This woman has an annuity of £3000, and any debts contracted by her will be paid by us." | Mrs. Phelan"s solicitors stated that they had never signed any document making themselves responsible for .her debts.