The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-24
TO GET RID OF RYAN.
The Ex-Gsrdeners Wealthy wife OF Port.
land Wants q Divorce.

suit Of Elizabeth Ryan against A a
Ryan. which has just been filed. con-
tains very interesting sequel to the
! marriage of wealthy widow for her
possessions.
! Mrs. Ryan was Mrs. Elizabeth Irv-
Ing. wife OF Capt. John Irving, one OF
Portland's pioneers. who was a we'll
known steamboat and steamship man
with interests on the Columbia river
ana In steamships plying between
portland. Puget sound. Victoria ana
Alaska Captain Irving left valuable
land on the East Side. known as Irv-
ing's addition. and valuable water
front property between the steel bridge
and Albina- The whole, in prosperous
times. would be worth perhaps $780,
900.
A. @. Ryan was a gardener for Can
tain Irving. and several years after the
captains death Mrs. Irving and Ryan
were married. This was in 1856. Ryan
was then about 35 years of age, while
the widow Irving was 5S, and now
Ryan is A years old and his wife is 81.
At the time of their marriage Mrs.
IrvinR's had inherited her former hus-
bands vast estates. and Ryan was a
poor man. The children of Mrs. Irv-
i ing opposed her marriage to Ryan
but to no avail. She had set her mind
upon the match. and would not be dis
suaded from her purpose.
L Lht ptODcItl OWntQ Dy mTS. lIVl0g-
| Ryan includes what remains unsold
| of Irvings and Elizabeth Irving's ad-
ditions. the livingston race track, a
valuable ranch. and other properties,
and the present value of her estate is
at least 100000. Quite a portion of
her estate has been sold off in recent
years. and the children of Captain and
Mrs. Irving received share of the es-
tate and gifts from their mother.
Immediately upon his marriage to
the wealthy widow, Ryan proposed a
honeymoon tour to Ireland and
Europe. and together they went, re-
naming away several months. Ryan
subsequently made a second trip TO
Ireland. and he and his wife also visit
ed Los Angeles and Victoria, and made
other pleasure Journeys. Ryan infiu-
enced his wife to build the Irvington
race track. which. 1t is reported, cost
about $1,000. and he encouraged her
10 become patron of the races with
him. and otherwise seemed bent upon
making her have a good time and to
thoroughly enjoy life, all of which, of
course. she had to pay for herself
Ryan purchased a team of Shetland
ponies. about the size of large-sized
dogs. with carriage to match, and
daily he may be seen driving these
through the streets of the city. He
taught Mrs. Ryan to drive the ponies, |
and seemingly they were a very hap |
py couple. Ryan was certainly well |
thought of by his wife. for she built a |
new residence for their convenience at |
a cost of several thousand dollars and |
aimed to provide everything possible /
for his comfort. besides furnishing him
literally with money.
But appearances are deceitful The /
happy relations supposed by their
friends TO exist between the couple, il
is now stated. have of late years been
QnffrplU nf1 ha
legged. could not stand prosperity. He
desired to be hail fellow well met"
with his comrades, and being profusely
supplied with cash, was very liberal
in spending it.
About two weeks ago Mrs. Ryan
bade her husband a fond adieu and
went to Nanaimo, b. c., to visit her
daughter. Mrs. John Chandler and
some days after her departure Ryan
was served with papers in divorce pro-
ceeedings begun by his wife.
The complaint charges the defend
ant with coming home under the in
fiuence OF intoxicants and using the |
plaintiff in a cruel manner by apply
ing to her opprobrious epithets, and of
acting i'm such a manner as to render |
her life burdensome.
Ryan professed much surprise on be-
ing served with the papers in the case,
claiming that he and his wife parted
the best of friends, and that she told
him when she bid him goodbye at the
train that she would soon return to
Linn. He at once engaged lawyers To
defend the suit, and. IL is asserted, had
one of the principal members of the le-
gal firm to make a trip to Nanaimo
and wait upon Mrs. Ryan and endeav-
or TO adjust the matters. What success
was had in this venture has not been [
Monday a demurrer TO the
complaint filed by counsel for RYAN.
nod nd | 4
overruled by the court, an Traditional {
time was allowed for the filing of the
answer by the defendant I
Mrs. Ryan has had no children by :
Ryan, but has four children by Captain
John Irving. her former husband
namely: Captain John Irving of Vic
tor1a; Mrs John Chandler. residing at ]
Mrs Cox, now in California. i
and Mrs. Captain e. w. Spencer. of S
this city. Mrs. George w. Staver. the :
wife of the well-known steamboat man
Is sister of Mrs. Irving Ryan
1t Is said that some time ago Mrs |
Ryan started TO make a will disposing
or her vast realty holdings, when she
found out that she could not dispose of
her estate as she desired. because the
law gives her husband a life interest
In the estate. during which time he
would receive one-half of the profits or
earnings and the heirs could not come
INTO possession of their share until his
ieath, where the estate consists of all
real property.
Ryan denies that he has ill-treated
Or abused his wife in any manner. or
hat he is in the habit of drinking be-
Iond reasonable limit, and saws he
foes not propose to be euchered out of
husbands interest in a valuable
property by his wife's relatives On the
'ther hand, IL is contended that RYAN
'ince his marriage to the widow Irving
las sold on lots for her from time 10
ime, and used up most of the pro- n
leeds, aggregating. the Irving family ID
ay. probably 100000. The construc- S
ION OF the lrvington race track. and n,
he purchase OF farm on the PoweIps a.
ALLEY road by Ryan for large sum q
ire included in his expenditures. l.
Ryan managed his wife's affairs
argely since their marriage, and. as ,e