The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-11
A HUSBANDS DUPLIcITY.
The Parish Priest Surprised at Mrs.
RiIey's Appcarance.


PHILADELPHIA. Aug. 1t.-on> of the
| most weird and startling stories ever told
by a woman of the alleged duplicity of her
husband is that which comes from Mrs
Alfred T. Riley. In this story a mythical
coffin shrewd priest and police magis-
trate figure. If the woman's tale is true.
the husband. who is now in Moyamensing
prison. awaiting further hearing, will be
dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
1t was not an ordinary hearing that took
place in the office of Magistrate Jermon
yesterday. The principals were Alfred F.
Riley, solicitor for mercantile agency in
Philadelphia: Ada L. Riley, his wife, who
resides on North Eighth Street.
This is the wife's story. Twenty-three
years ago they were married, in Columbus,
Ohio. There they resided until two years
ago, when Riley received the offer of a po-
sition in Philadelphia He came here, ac-
companed by his wife. The latter, how
ever. was taken seriously i'll, and surgi-
cal operation was deemed necessary There
fore, at her husbands suggestion, she says,
she went back to Columbus to have the
operation performed in hospital there
This was December 10, 1898, and she
was unable to leave her bed until the fol-
lowing August
Mrs. Riley alleges that on May Z. 1898.
while she was helpless eonYaleseent in
the hospital. her husband and a young
Philadelphia woman went f-em this city to
Coney Island and were married there But
the strange part of the story is still to
come. Last Monday. Mrs Riley declares,
after having been in the city for nearly
Two months. she called on Rev Gerald P
Coghian, Of the Church of Our Lady of Mer-
cy, one OF whose pensioners she had been
some years before. The priest, she says.
was surprised TO see her I thought you
were dead" he is said TO have exclaimed.
Then. according to the womans story,
the priest told her that Riley had called
on MIN over year ago and had represent
ed that his wife was dead and asked the
priest TO go with him 10 Broad Street Sta
ton to meet the remains the casket hay-
ing come from Columbus
She says the priest was told by Riley
that it would be impossible TO open the
casket, owing to the decomposition of the
body and that the remains therefore could
not be viewed. She says Father CaghIaa
thereupon declined to go with Riley to the
railroad station.
Mrs Riley also alleges that after an in
Vestigation Of her own she caught her hus-
Ddhd emerging from house on Darien
Street. She accused him of being married
again, having been told that he was. she
alleges, by a relative of the woman he was
supposed to have married. Riley denied
that he had married a second time but she
says that he took her back TO the house
he had been in, where she was confronted
by the woman he was alleged To have mar
ried. Both Riley and the woman says
Mrs Riley, denied that they were married
Learning that Riley moved over to Cam
den within few days, Mrs Riley says she
sent TO Coney Island and received a GER
titled copy Of a marriage certificate, show
ing that Riley had been married to the
woman In question. This copy she placed
in the hands of her lawyer, Evan B. Lewis.
On the strength OF the document a war
rant was sworn out for Riley's arrest, and
yesterday he was held by Magistrate Jer-
mon in $500 bail for a further hearing to-
day.
Riley was asked by reporter what he
had TO say TO the charges against him.
Riley die not deny them, but when pressed
for an explanation OF the coffin story he
declined to discuss it. This end Of the
matter will be thoroughly investigated be-
fore the case is disposed Of
The RiIeys have seven children.