WOMAN ARRESTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20342, 27 June 1934, Page 5

WOMAN ARRESTED.

Charged With Murder of Old Stock Dealer. POLICE SEARCHING FOR GUN. (Special to the “ Star.”) SYDNEY, June 20. The shooting of the old stock-dealer, John Ryan, at Barry, near Blayney, presents certain peculiar features of which the full significance is not yet Vinderstood. 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 ajile to “ say something.” A 200-Mile Dash. 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. lie 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 is 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 she is evidently on affectionate terms, and 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. Of course 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 springs and hollow trees. 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 on this side of their quest. Then they have the tremendous task ot 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. Police Theory. According to the “ Sydney Morning Herald,” the police “ are 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. •The 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. The examination of the woman now in custody, who is said to have been a close friend of Ryan for many years, may, when the time comes, throw some light upon the dark places on this blood-stained mystery.