The San Francisco call., 1896-04-24
HE BOASTED OF
HIS ELOPEMENT,
A Husband Leaves With
a Lady Who Supplied
the Money.
DESERTED HIS FAMILY.
Arthur Prices Mother. in Law
Tells a Remarkable Story of
His Career.
WAS AN IDLER FOR TEN YEARS
The Young Brother Hunted for His
Sister With a Gun, but Did
Not Find Her.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL, ],

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
90S Broadway April 23.
The unhappiest woman in West Oakland
tonight is Mrs. Birdie Price. She declares
that the man whom she married ten years
ago and who is the father of her two chill
dren has deserted her and gone off with
another woman.
A peculiar feature in the affair is that
Miss Matte Lynde, who is said to be the
woman in the case, has furnished the
money with which the faithless husband
is enabled to carry out his plans. In
Judge Cliffs court this morning little
transaction was conducted that revealed
the whole trouble. Miss Lynde decided to
mortgage her property on Fifth street, but
was prevented from doing so by reason of
q $50 attachment. Price settled this in
Judge Cliffs court this morning and $500
was raised on the property. From re-
marks that they dropped it was learned
that they intended to leave the State at
once.
Mrs. Price very reluctantly told her
story this evening. ~ have no idea OF
what led my husband to act as he has
done," she said. 81 have always treated
him well and he said that he has never
know the woman with whom he has gone
and l think he must really be out of his
head to act as he has done. have been
all that wife should be for ten years, and
till short time ago we lived in happi-
ness. Then 1 began to see that things
were not as they used to be and lately it
all came out.
"Tll never have anything to do with
him again. 1 hope he will keep away
from me and the children. don't ever
want to see him again."
Mrs. Leach, the mother of the deserted
wife, says that Price long since ceased to
deserve the respect of anybody.
'He is dishonorable from start to finish"
said Mrs. Leach. II have supported him
for ten years, and during that time he has
not brought in one cent toward the sup
port of his family. A few days ago he
came home and even told the servants
that he was gong to elope with the other
woman. He went away at Easter, while
his wife and child were sick in bed, and
| when we told him he should not leave, he
said, i am going to a French dinner, and
would not stop if a bombshe were in nv
way"
Ten years ago Birdie Leach, then II
years of age, met Arthur Price. They fell
in love; were forbidden to keep company,
and so they eloped. The girls parents re-
| ceived her back to their affection, but to
the day of his death Mr.. Leach never
recognized his son-in-law. Price tried sew
eral business ventures, but they all failed.
Once his mother-in-law set him up in
business but he again met with bad luck.
| Price, with his wife and children, lived in
| the Pullman House. at West Oakland.
This is conducted by Mrs. Leach, his
mother-in-law, and she gave him part of
the management. When 1t failed to pay
some Investigations were made, and much
of Prices doings were made public. A
few days ago Price openly announced to
his friends that he was about to skip out
with Miss Lynde. According to his wife's
story he has gone, and the shock mas
seriously affected her. Miss Lynde lived
with her brother on Fifth street and is
one of the handsomest blondes in town.
Mrs. Price says she will not sue for di-
vorce, as it would be altogether too agree
able 10 her husband.
Fred Lynde, lad 10 years of age, visited
the Pullman House at O'Clock this morn
ing hunting for his sister, who did not re-
turn home last night. He did not find her,
duu tuIcdtcHSu w iudhC IL w oil III lOl IiCc
when they met. This morning Price and
young Lynde effected a compromise so
that the mortgage could be made and the
money raised on which to elope.
Mrs. Leach said tonight that Price had
taken rig of hers and had sold it. and
also limited that Price had been laying by
money for some time in preparation for
this trip. She says he was not as poor as
he evidently made Miss Lynde believe.
Ten years ago Birdie Price was a very
attractive young woman. Now she pre-
sents the appearance of woman of 40.
AS she told her story, with the help of
her mother, it was pitiable to note the
mental suffering she was enduring.
The barefaced manner In which her huS-
band made preparations for his departure
seems to trouble her more than the fact
that he has deserted her. Her father was
| well-known First Ward politician and
for a time was Deputy Assessor.
Price originally came from good fam
lily, but he was totally without ambition
mother-in-law's house and do nothing.
BY many of the neighbors his boastin :
was regarded as idle talk, but now that
| they see he was in earnest 1t will not be
well for him to make his appearance at
his old haunts.
/ After leaving Judge Cliffs office Price
and his second love lett Oakland, and it is
| supposed they are now out of the State.
|
Hunting Her Mother.
OAKLAND, CAL, April 23.-Margaret
| * oyirl af he