The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-08-26
NEWSPAPER MAN TRAILS
WIFE AND AFFINITY FROM
SPRINGFIELD TO DETROIT
J. H. Bay Leaves Crime Beat"
Long Enough to Do Some
Sleuthing For Self
PAIR LUGGED TO CELL
Case Dropped When Woman
Makes Confession of Guilt;
Husband to Get Divorce

On the second anniversary OF his
wedding. which occurred Aug. %.
1910, Joseph H. Bay. sO-year-old po-
lice and court reporter for the Spring
teld Union. OF Springfield. Mass,
caused the arrest OF his pretty wife,
Valeria Bay. 20 years old, and Mar
tin Healy alias Martin. Barnett, cor
net player In the Miles theater, with
whom Mrs. Bay was living at No.
1888 1-2 Third-st., under the name OF
Mrs. Martin Barnett.
Back of the arrest, which occurred
at midnight, Friday, as the woman
and her alleged affinity were on their
way home from the Miles theater,
there Is a little detective story of
unusual interest. the Springfield news
paper man figuring as the sleuth.
Healy, who was known here as
Barnett, formerly roomed In the Bay
home in Springfield, where he was
employed az cornetist In the Gilmore
theater, mixed" showhouse whish
Offers burlesque shows the first
three days OF each week, and melo-
drama the last three. Healy Is %
handsome. Mrs. Bay Is a statuesque
brlnette-very much brunette-and
her husband Is OF that complexion
which Is halfway between the two.
Last fall, Healy, whose relatives
SILL reside In Springfield, was given
a room In the Bay home. Bay says
that an immediate attraction between
his wife and the new boarder was
noticed by him. Bay worked days, and
Healy worked nights, leaving wife and
boarder together all day long. while
the husband traced crooks and wrote
cfme stories, and stories about other
persons marital troubles such as ar
rive in the criminal courts.
IL didn't take Bay long to order the
new boarder to leave his home. Mrs.
Bay, he says, frankly told him that
she knew where Healy had gone, but
she would not tell her husband, and
la coldness developed in the Bay
household. May %, Bay was sent by
his paper to cover" homicide trial
before the supreme court In Boston.
He returned home the next day, to
find that his wife had departed, With
all OF her personal effects, leaving a
kttle note which read:
! think you have ceased to love
ne, and that you are not salts
fed with me. I'm going away.
Not even my mother shall know
where l am going.
Bay worked, after that, always with
Ms mind set upon getting some clue
as TO where she had gone. He found
that Healy had disappeared, too, and
| he heard many rumors that the pair
had been seen together. But he re-
ceivcd no definite clue until last
"Wednesday. when he learned through
some correspondence between his
wife and some OF her friends In
|Springfield, that she was In Detroit,
Ind that Healy was with her.
Bay CLEANED up" his work for the
last edition OF his paper, Wednes-
day, and without changing his clothes
OF taking anything but an extra col
lar and handkerchief, came to Detroit,
and set out on the trail. A motor
man, his only acquaintance here, ac-
companied him. and the two located
che home OF Mr. and Mrs. Barnett"
Thursday.
motorman went 10 the door, on
fake" mission about an accident.
Bay saw his pretty wife step to the
door, and heard her say, Yes, am
Mrs. Barnett"
Wife OF Martin Barnett?" asked
tae motcrman.
YES" she replied, and In response
to a further question said her hns-
band was not at home.
The two "sleuths" waited near the
house, in the shadows. saw Mrs. Bay
leave shortly after to go to meet
Healy. with whom she shortly re-
tNrhed, and the two went into the
house together, not knowing Bay was
watching their every movement
through a window.
Bay went to court, Friday morn
ing, and swore out a warrant charg-
ing the pair with statutory offense.
At midnight, Friday, Bay and De-
tecriyes Wilson and Black, arrested
The couple as they were on the way
home from the Miles theater
They were arraigned before Justice
Stein, at noon, Saturday. Attorney
James r. Neill representing the wo-
man, and their hearings were set for
Aug. 27.
Bay with his motorm9n friend was
present in the court room, and de.
cfared that he had reachet an agree
mcnt by which his wife would furnish
him with a signed admission OF her
misconduct, which he could use In
obtaining a divorce under the strict
Massachusetts laws.
Later, the statement was delivered
TO Bay, who then asked the Judge to
dismiss the case This was done and
Healy and Mrs. Bay left the court at
different times The husband depart
cd without a farewell for his wife.