The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-27
THE MILnIoxAIRD MURDERER.
Escaping the Bansmsn aud Going into Prison
60 stay for Life.

From ne chicago Times
PETERBoRo', Ont, Nov. 2.-Think of n
milllonaire leaving his rlcn possessions and, sc-
COmpanied by the officers ~ the law, boarding
the train for the penitentiary there to remain
for the term Of his lifel Ihs morning james
RYAN was taken from the fail here. put on board
the early tram by the shetn and his const bles,
and conveyed to the provincial pcnitentiary IN
Kingston. He was folind guilty Of wife murder
n the Petetboro' tssizes on the 18th of October
last and sentenced To- death to-day. Tue Ex
ecutivo at Ottawa, however, heard the PRAYER 81
almost the whole province ~ expressed through
u DetitiOn asking for the merciful exercise OF
the Executive power, aud the sentence was
coinuuted to imrrlsOnment Tor lie.
RYAN In personal nd real estate IL worth, no
II is estimated. $l.SUOuOO. Twenty wears ago
when he was Of age, his father, Patrick II an,
now millionaire of 70, gave him hah u million
In gold with which to start in business. James
bought a large tannery, aud by energy 10 tusi-
ntss aud the wise and profitable Investment Of
his surplus capital soon doubled his fathers
Rift u MIN. Eight years ago he married mighty
accomplished young lady of Montreal, the
daughter OF a wealthy French lrm OF clotbiers
there. Everything he handled Drospe ed. and
tie was regarded as the coming Dives of the DO.
muiUn. In lHji, when, owing 10 the panic, real
estate was selling dit cheap, he purchased
largely In Chicago, st. Louis, New York. and
elsewhere, and obtained an interest Ia some
property In iiirkenbead, the chef snip building
centre In the north Of England, which brought
HIM handsome YEARLY inc me. lie sold out
his CnicagO property In 1869, Just before tue
VI, at fire.
la the early part OF this year. Mr.. Ryan took
to drinking On the stu OF May he mad an at
tack of deiirum trcmens. lie fed from MS
house In tue forenoon aud took refuge from his
ian ieinary pursuess In his tannery, hard by.
Toward evening he scnta workman for 10 tito
Of whiskey, nnu having drank 1t felt neryed
again, and returned home. ii sltdpwn III as
pHflOr and called his young wifeto him. She
walked no to MIN All put her arm around MS
neck. lheir two children, ono seven and the
81 iltr I've wears old, were iuthe room. suddenly
lkan arose from ms Gu tr anu stabbed his wife
IN the slle. she staggered from the room into
TIE hall and down Tue steps, aud with "A piercing
CRY FELL dead On the wn outside the front door.
He town constabl,s arrested Ry IN, sitting
mottonlcss IN his char. On being accused OF
killing MS wife, ne wept bitterly, tut made no
answer \ long, thin-hlid KNIFE. iinged at
the sharp uuint win blood, was found ON the
carpet Nv his chair, aud was rtcOgnzsd 10 a
knife used 10y the tam r. Tor preparing peltries.
The prisoner Wa 4ly committed for trill ut
the fii asstz -, .nu ON his trial Wa defended by
three II the aJle-t nisi lTtus aIvuC ties at the
C'nt bar. he defence WAS te uporary IN
: niiy-ln vi liner words. deliiium tiemens-dnd
when that failed, the learned counsel made an
Effort To snow that tia deceased VIE committed
suicide in distraction at ner nus sduu's drunkpn-
mess. the suicide theory was abandoned Di fore
tho close % the tritl, however. add the prisoner
was found guilty., after tIlal eNtenuing over
eight nnur-, aud sentenced - be hanged to d v.
The jury recommended Ryan to mercy, aud
this recommendation uoiug backed Dy a uetitiOu
reputable physicians in the country. Mr.. Blake,
the Minister OF Justice, advised the Governor
Geneial to commute the sentence, as already
stlted.
Under the old English law felon condemned
to death became "attaint Nv the Crown and
Crown. Hut mat practice has been Gropocd.
and itydn's miuiOu AMI quarter Is invested
win liustee-. VI whom his father Is one, for the
Ueurnt OF tue two children.