The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-21
MISS LYNCH WAS SELF SLAIN.
M REASON TO BELIEVE SHE MET
NTH FOUL PLAY.
u,d Been wayWard Girl and Gave Family
Much Trouble-Triei Suicide Several
rime,-Elderiy Man Admits He betrayed
Her-Mother Sent Money for Burial.

Hpr-Nother sent Money Tor burial.
There is no longer any mystery as to the
identify of the young girl who was found
Load near Greenfield Cemetery, Freeport,
I. in April last. She was the
laughter of Edward N Lynch well-to-do
Contractor of s44 Vernon avenue, Brooklyn.
There is likewise no longer any doubt as
~ the cause Of her death. She committed
spoide as she had several times threatened
sbe would and as she in fact wrote that
,be was about 10 do only day or 30 before
her body was found.
The only puzzle that remains in the case
is WIN. with the evidence 80 conclusive,
there has been apparently so persistent
an e!.ort to make a mystery OF it-why. in
view Of all that was known, there has been
such an insstence over the very far-fetched
theory that the case was a case OF murder.
instead Of a plain case of self-destruction
that il obviously was shown to be when the
facts were brought out at the first Coroner's
inquest to say nothing OF the absolutely
convincing evidence that was revealed
several days ago by one who was on terms
Of confidential intimacy with the dead
girls family.
This person was the Rev. Father Burns
OF the Church OF ST. John the Baptist, Brook
lyn, who a week ago told District Attorney
Nienan at Mineola all the circumstances
connected with the girls unhappy end
and the causes that led up to it. Had this
story been told at the first, instead Of being
held back at the urgent request OF the girls
family, the whole affair would have been
over and forgotten by all save those init
mately concerned.
1t was when at last the stories about
the case began to insist more and more
stro1 gly upon the murder theor.' and it
seemed possible that some person might
he actually arrested for n crime that never
was committed, that Father Eurns de-
termined to make public the facts which he
had told the Nassau county authorities
several day before. 1t was yesterday
that Father Burns spoke freely for publica-
ton for the first time, and the story that he
told was one that in a measure explained
why not only the dead girls own family.
but another as well. had made every. effort
to keep the facts in the case from becom-
ing KIN own,
The young woman" said Father Burns
Yesterday, was Margaret Lynch. i knew
her and her family well. They were par
ishioners OF mine. and attended the Church
Of St John the BAPTIST. Now, that every,
thing must come out, there is no good end
to be served by keeping back the fact that
Margaret was hayward girl. She had
caused her parents much trouble her
father, who Is a man of strong charac ter,
leading becoming life. He does not know
Of her death even now. or, at all events,
did not know up to the time OF my last in
formation. His wife wished it kept froni
him because it was feared that II the whole
story became known to him he might re-
aort tn yiolopt meaRllreS-mirlt shoot
some one.
Margaret had been away from home
for some time. Some years ago she be-
came acquainted with Oswald Maune. Jr;,
OF st. John. He lived with his father and
mother al, 400 Vernon avenue, and no and
Margaret becaine engaged to be married,
We knew Of the engagement here at the
church. That was about two years ago
Very soon after the engagement young
Maune's mind began to give way and he
finally became absolutely insane. He had
TO be confined In an asylum and he is still
there.
This, Of course. put an end to the en-
gagement, but the young mans. parents
were interested in Miss Lynch and she was
frequently at their house. They knew
s had been and W beo
her that they finally virtually took her into
their household. She lived with them in
Brooklyn, and in the summer Of 1908 she
went with them to Freeport: She and the
Maune family lived at the Woodclif Inn in
Freeport, where Miss Lynch passed as their
niece.
After the discovery Of the body Mrs
Lynch went to Mineola and identified 1t as
that OF her daughter. She said nothing
her husband. She thought it would be
better IL the body were buried without the
identity Of the person being made known.
Besides, as said, she feared that Mr.. Lynch.
II he knew the facts in the case, might do
some rash act.
1T was with the idea Of stopping any
further talk about the matter that Mrs.
Lynch sent the 500 to the Coroner at Min
cola with the request that the body be
decently buried under the name OF Martha
LAimbeer
.There is not the slightest foundation
for the theory that the girl was murdered,
and feel very sorry that the matter has
been kept before the public by the per-
sstent encouragement OF that theory.
have In my possession a letter in which the
to her mother that she had fully decided
to take her own life. In fact. for three
or four months before she killed herself
II had been the constant care OF those with
whom she was living to prevent her from
doing SO She had tried to take carooiio
acid at least three or four times, and the
fact that she at last succeeded in doing 30
With fatal results caused her mother and
friends grief, but no surprise
The last place where Miss Lynch, was
staying before she disappeared, only to
be found dead near the Greenfield Gene
terry, was In a maternity hospital where she
had gone some time before and where no
questions were asked her. TWAS there that
she made the different attempts on her
life mentioned by Father Burns.
How she went away from there is not
known, but on the Tuesday before her
dead body was found she wrote To Sister
Therese OF that institution that she was
going to destroy herself. She also wrote
10 her mother to the same effect. The
letter to her mother was received on Thurs
day, March 81. On the Saturday follow
ing she was found dead.
There had been painful scene at the
Lynch home some time before, in which
man well on in years had confessed that
he was responsible for the girls misfortune.
his confession was made In the presence
q friend and OF Mrs Lynch. and 1t was
lear OF Mr.. Lvnch's wrath against this man
That caused his wife to conceal from him
his d1ughter's death and the facts i'm
mediately connected Herewith.
his same elderly man OH this occasion
aHeIad 10 do all he could to repair the wrong
h. had doue, and was ccgni,ant OF the
t,rfs reti. ement TO the Tstornity hospital.
An elderly man, supposed to be this came