The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-17
BEsT's STORY TO POLICE
ARROUSES SUSPICION
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loIlncu III the nome or lneouoIe ~
Frankfurth. NO A7 Wreford-ave. The
couple Immediately separated. Best re-
turning to Comber and the young wife
returning TO the home of her brother
Alfred.
Since then considerable correspond
ence had passed between the pair.
Best was very bitter toward his wife,
declaring that he would commit sui
eide rather than live with her. anu
warning her - keep their marriage
secret He was greatly exercised lest
his people I'm Harrow. ont. learn or his
trouble and when his wife. I'm one VI
her letters. threatened To appeal u
his people unless he would consent To
do something for her, he became very
angry. lie sent "A scathing reply, relt'
Grating his statement tina, he would
rather die than support her, and she
was almost Frustrated for. notwith'
standing the circumstances surround
ing the marriage young Mrs. Beat
seemed to entertain a deep regard for
the young man.
Met Wife Saturday Night.
A few days ago the girls mother
bad long talk with Best In Comber
and exacted from him promise that
he would do the right thing by his
wife. lie had tried TO persuade her
TO go to some institution during her
expected illness, but she had refused
After the talk with Mrs. Frankfurth.
Best sent letter 20 his wife. saying
he would come TO Detroit Saturday
hight to talk things over and do what
was right. inasmuch rs she did not
care 10 follow his suggestion He ask
ed her 10 meet the Michigan Central
train at 10 o'clock.
Mrs Best left her brothers home on
l.awton-ave. about s o'clock, Saturday
night TO go to the depot Before leGy
ing she prepared lunch for her hus'
! 6nd. believing mat he would come
back TO the house with her, as he had
planned 20 remain over Sunday.
Don't stay long said Mrs. Alfred
f'ankfurth, her sister-in-aw, as she
took her departure
NO. why should be- If he doesn't
want TO live with Inc | don't want 10
i've with him. AID it won't take rs
long TO talk that over"
That was the last seen of Mrs. Best
! Y any of her relatives When Sun
day morning came and she had not re-
turned Alfred VISITED all the othnr
relatives and other places where she
r. ght have gone and could find no
race Of Ter. Then the Detroit broth
ers called up Their brother, William, in
Comber. and asked him TO make Ia
quiries CT Best The latter said ne
had left his wife 1T II O'Clock. when NO
put her on a Brush car lie had gore
to Windsor for the night and had hur
iied back 10 com ner Sunday morning,
lie declared.
Relatives Suspicious Aroused.
Pests action In hurrying back To
Comber instead Of remaining In De
troit as planned. taken In connection
with the wife,s disappearance, aroused
The suspicious of the relatives. Nor
could they understand why he should
put her on a Brush-st car, as Mrs
Best would know better It an TO take
Brush car 10 go nome, they say
Their suspicious grew even stronger
when a letter came from Best. Mon
day, addressed To his wife. Under the
the relatives opened III
it, The letter was i'm strong contrast
to those he had been accustomed 10
send. lie spoke tenderly Of their
plans for the future. when they should
start housekeeping. OF his safe arrival
home and OF seeing her mother a.
church that Sunday morning.
Then IL was that the Detroit broth
ers decided TO put the matter i'll the
hands of the police. with the result
already stated. They are satisfied be-
yond doubt that Mrs. Best was the
~ rho
RIVER Saturday night, and believe that,
as soon as the body lis recovered by
the harbormaster their worst sus-
picions will be confirmed j..
Scout Suicide Theory.
The relatives are equally certain
that Mrs Best did not commit sui
eide.
Il never saw Alice any happier than
she vas last Saturday, after she got
her husbands letter" said Mrs. Albert
Frankfurth, Wednesday morning. She
also got letter from a sister-in-law In
Comber, who told of the promise Best
had made Alices mother She was
singing and humming to herself ALL
day long, to think that Arthur had
finally decided to do something FOR
her. He had never contributed cent
To her support since the marriage, and
mis- mean letters TO her had cut her
deeply We are positive that Alice
would never have thrown herself IN
the river with the intention OF com
hitting suicide Anyway. that does
not jibe with Best's story, for he says
he put her on d car to go home"
How Woman Was Dressed.
When she left her brothers home.
Mrs. Best wore black velvet hat.
trimmed with berries and gilded
leaves. long, dark cape and black
satin dress. She carried a small hand
satchel.
The young woman came To Detroit
from Comber two or three months ago,
shortly after her mother had discoY-
cred that she was in trouble. She
worked FOR time in home on Viz
giniaave.. but was Obliged TO give up
the place when the family left for
Europe. She had since made her home
with her brother on Lawton-ave.
Best and Miss Frankfurth had bean
friends for several years. Both at
tended the same church. the Presby
terrain. In Comber. and Best was very
attentive TO her.
Mrs. Best's father, who was a well
known citizen of Comber has been
dead several years. The family con
sists of the mother. six sons and three
other daughters besides Alice. They
are Nellie and Arvilla Frapkfurth and
Mrs. Anna Wight, all Of Comber. Alice