The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-25

away with q Chicago mans wife and
was followed by the irate husband
and severely beaten.
The Rocky Mountain News tells the
story as follows:
Admitting that she is the wife of the
Rev. James Ambrose Ryan. n Catholic
priest, who was former assistant 10
Father William O'Ryan of St Leo's
church, Susan Moran Ryan. an unusu-
ally pretty girl of II years. stated last
night that she was forced Into The
marriage through fear that Ryan
would kill her. She declares that she
will institute annulment or divorce
proceedings at once
81 realize what / have done. but |
could not help it." declared tho gIri
last night. II was afraid and even
now I do not believe that my life Is
safe since l have admitted my mar
riage to Father Ryan.
For the present l am going to re-
main here in Denver with friends, and
l will try to avoid everybody until
this whole matter Is Strengthened out.
] am the wife of Father Ryan. but 1t
is my intention to get divorce just
as soon as | can
Ryan's whereabouts is a mystery.
Even the girl declares that she does
not know where he lives and that,
while she frequently has met him and
gone to different hotels, she never
has been to his lodgings.
The child wife Of the 4u-year-old
priest Is living with friends In North
Denver. Her parents reside at 30O6
Adams street, Ogden, Utah. After her
arrival In Denver, a few months ago,
she lived for time at 1914 PennsyI-
vania avenue. She also lived with her
aunt, Mrs w S. Wing of 1902 Tenth
avenue, but recently her relatives de-
clined to have anything to do with
her
Behind the marriage OF Ryan and
Miss Moran is a remarkable story.
Duped into believing that Ryan was
a relative of an old friend, Father
O'Ryan brought the man here from
Chicago and later, when warned by hie
friends that his life was in constant
danger. he was forced to put Ryan
out of the rectory.
Although Ryan denies the marriage.
the girl declares that 1t took place at
Colorado Springs on January 30 and
her statements are borne out by the
records in the county clerks office
there.
Ryan, it is charged, forced her and
her friends to collect funds for his
support Mrs. Ryan said yesterday
that she had collected more than S20c,
which she turned over TO her husband.
Ryan entered the monastery OF the
franciscan order at Pittsburg and
after taking the prescribed course oil
studies was ordained
During the battle to save the llte or
Billlk, the Chicago prisoner, Ryan was
one OF the principal defenders of Bil-
lik. Largely through his efforts the
case was carried to the United States
supreme court and to the president,
with the result that the death penalty
imposed on Billik was commuted 10
life imprisonment by Governor De
neep.
About ten months ago Father DRY
an received a letter from Ryan. or
whom he had never heard before. The
letter said that the writer was a
nephew of Father Dan Ryan of Ire
land, who was one Of Father Organ 8
earliest preceptors. Ryan stated that
his health was poor and he asked
Father O'Ryan TO use his influence
to secure him curacy in Denver.
Not suspecting that the priest would
be guilty of deceit. Father O'Ryan
brought Ryan to Denver and made
him his assistant, although Ryan was
never recognized by Bishop Matz ana
the other local dignitaries OF the
church
Ryan, 1t is said, after coming to Den
yer, showed symptoms of possessing
an unusual temperament AT times
he would be seized with flts of hys
teria and would be confined to his oed
for two and three days at a time. He
also claimed that he was subject TO
severe hemorrhages and that he would
have as many as twenty-five hemorr-
hages In a night He asserted that IN
one day he suffered ITO hemorrheges.
Father Organ observed these hal
lucinations of his assistant, but took
q charitable view OF the case and con-
tinued to care for him. Then change
seemed to come over the curate. Faith.
er Organ family took cognizance OF
the actions of his assistant.
DIR. P. " Carlin and DR.. Edwari
Delehanty were called in by Father
ORyan, submitting him to many
tests. with the result that thoy de-
clared him TO be mentally unbalanced
The physicians said that Ryan was
suffering from an unusual form of IN
sanity which was liable 10 result IN
almost any kind OF outbreak They
also declared that Ryan was not an
invalid, and that his Illness was mere
ly an hallucination.
The result of this examination
caused Father Organ to dismiss Ry'
an. This action was taken on last
Thanksgiving day. Ryan remained IN
the city and early in December at
tended the Good Shepard ball. There
he met Miss Moran. The latter had
Just arrived from Ogden. She wat
employed as a telephone operator II
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