FEAR OF REVENGE.

Western Star, 10 April 1934, Page 3

FEAR OF REVENGE.

SECRET SERVICE WORK. NURSE FOUND DEAD. Stories of Secret Service work during the war, and of her fear that enemies she then made would seek vengeance, were told .by friends concerning Miss Mary Jane (Marjorie) Bartasky, aged 37, a nurse, who was found dead recently in a furnished bungalow in Minster, Isle of Sheppey. The tragedy came to light when Mrs Atyeo, who was looking after the place for the owner, visited the bungalow. Miss Bartasky was thought to have left on January 22. Oil entering the bungalow Mrs Atyeo saw a woman’s handbag lying on the couch and a hat lying on the opposite side of the room. • She went to the kitchen, where she found a cup and saucer .and some food on the table, as if someone had had a hurried meal. Mrs Atyeo then knocked at the bedroom door, and, receiving i.o answer, opened it, and found Miss Bsrtasky dead in bed. ; Miss Bartasky left papers which contained references to cases which apparently she had attended in vsi:ou« parts of the country. She took the bungalow about a month ago,- and was last" seen alive nearly a fortnight before her death was discovered by , a tradesmen, and then seemed to .bo in good health. It was presumed that she had been dead for three or four days. Miss Agnes Lloyd, a nurse and ckse friend of Miss Bartasky, stated that .the latter was very secretive about her war work, but she once said she worked as a spy for the French police during the war. She was afraid always that her enemies would track her down and kill her.

“Miss Bartasky was always afraid to go to Liverpool, where she said she used to follow people about during the war,” Miss Lloyd said. “She stated she was instrumental in denouncing German agents. Once she told me how her enemies nearly trapped her in Liverpool.

“I gathered from her that she spoke German, French, Polish, and Russian. She told me that at one time she was in a convent and intended to become a nun. She also confided to me that she was in love with a commercial traveller who could not see her always, as he was travelling about the country.”

Only formal evidence was taken at the opening of the inquest. A postmortem examination failed to reveal the cause of d.cath. Certain organs were sent to the Home Office experts for examination, and the inquest was adjourned for the analyst’s report. Mr Harris produced a letter found in the bungalow addressed to Mrs Margaret Sheehan, of Adelaide Road, Chalk Farm, London, who gave evidence of identification. The letter was stated to be in the handwriting of Miss Bartasky, but it was not read aloud. The coroner, having perused it, remarked that it seemed as though Miss Bartasky, was disposing of some of her belongings. Mrs Sheehan said she did not attach any importance to that, as Miss Bartasky often gave her things to give to the maids or anyone who might 1 ave use for them.