The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-11
KING OF PLUNGERS
Z SUED FOR DIVORCE
Another Woman Named in Al
ii, legations of Mrs. John
- = J. Ryan.
ALLOWED $25 A WEEK
Man Who Won $4,000 On
a. Africander Said to Have
-. =. Regained Wealth.

"Plunger'' Ryan, the pink-shirted. IA
nous, nervous. nervy little man from st
Louis who never batted an eyelash when
known as the king Of piungers," he stood
on a bookmaker's stool and saw the IA.
nous Africander carry q fortune Of
@lSb,00o over the winning line for him
Al the Saratoga course. when horse
racing was In its heyday in this State
-. back In the. limelight again.
>, Not as a gambling plunser this time,
but as plain John J. Ryan Of Farming
dale, N. j., shipbuilder. and defendant
in an action for q limited divorce be-
gun in the New Jersey Chancery Court
by his wife, Mrs. Annie v, Ryan OF
New York and Detroit, is attention
called to him. Although he has denied
all Of his wife's allegations Of unfaith-
fulness in formal answer to her divorce
pstition, Mr.. Ryan found himsef or
dsrcd yesterday, by chancellor
Foster in Newark to pay Mrs. Ryan
hsr suit.
Far down in the wifes affidavit ap.
pears one allegation that may bring con-
starvation to tho man now laying odds
at the local tracks. furtively. Of course
ID view Of the anti-racing legislation that
forced an ending to the plunging career
Of Mr.. Ryan Just at the time he was
credited with having accumulated con.
siderably moro than 100000 as q re-
suit Of his betting ring daring.
Eater Woman and Two Horses.
:, To make certain that her husband was
living at Farmingdale with another
woman-one Florence Reynolds-as his
wife, Mrs. Ryan alleged. she went to the
New Jersey home Of Mr.. Ryan. She says
abe learned that the couple there had
two servants. an automobile and two
race horses. The petitioning wife's afr
dAvit charges the two racehorses now are
bsing run on local tracks "in the name OF
John Considine."
The affadivit states also that one OF
the race horses. known as Benevolent
won race at the Aqueduct course on
July s. So Broadway stopped short last
might and wondered whether the once
famous plunger was again about to try
his hand at picking winners and for
tunes once moro from out the fyins
heels Of thorouGhbreds on the local
tracKs. ~.
In contrast to the life Of efrluence
Reynolds are living at Farmingdale the
rstitioning wife informed the court that
she was, dwelling in virtual poverty, IN
"a, small room, and I have to cook my
meals myself on a little gas stove. II
have to do my own washing and iron
ing. something never did before" Mrs.
Ryan also alleges. and then she turns
to a description Of the other woman In
this fashion:
Yesterday he and she went to races
At. AQueduct. They live In lavish style.
She Is handsomely dressed. she has ex-
pensive diamonds and rurs. and they
give every appearance Of being wealthy
ard prosperous people"
Her unmarried daughter, Mrs. Ryan
AYERS. now earns her own living in De-
troit by working for the Red Cross.
Earns $4,000 a Year, Wife Says.
Mrs. Ryan's petition describes her hus-
band as notwithstanding to his own
word to her-S15,000 a year rs general
manager Of the international Shipbuild-
ing and Marine Company, with a plant
at Nyack. and has large contracts for
building submarine chasers for the Gov
eminent. Speed and power boats en-
gagged the attention Of Mr.. Ryan almost
Immediately after adverse legislation
tobk much of the romance out OF the
race track betting ring. and gradually he
dropped out Of sight as a race horse
plunger. only to crop UP again, several
years later, as the owner and builder of
some of the fastest hydroplanes in
American waters.
Even in that pursuit. however, the
gambling fever followed close in the
wake of "Plunger" Ryan. and In 1912,
~ tEa
offered to put that speedy craft against
any other in the world. land with no
limit on the stake Later it was
learned that he succeeded in arranging
a. match race between the Reliance V.
and the Dixie, Jr.. designed by Clinton
II. Crane. for side bet of $4,000. Ryan
had considerable to do with the build
Ing Of the fast speed boats which won
many championships and established
some records for Commodore J. Stuart
BIackton. motion picture man and noted
yachtsman.
- Had Career in the West.
Such gambling odds and ends. how
aver. were mere piker's r ngs at fortune
IN comparison to the Incidents which
previously had marked the stormy race
track career OF Mr.. Ryan. He came out
OF the West. with now and then a trace
OF track scandal in his wake, several
years ago.
He was at war with the operators of
the western race tracks for one reason
or another. and was reported 10 have
been ruled of the turf In that section NJ
she country He drtfted first to 81
louis. where he conceived the ideas
he later explained it-of forming a great
race track trust and he sold certificates
ha
dividends of per cent. Another svndi.
cate OF that sort operating about the
same time went to smash, and Ryan's
venture tumbled down after It
An Indictment was found against hin,
In st. Louis and he was arrested NJ
local race track when he held In b,s
hand 100000. which he had tust won
on a race. He implored the detectives
90 give him few more moments at The
Track. ihey did, and he went back at
the bookmakers and bet nearly ths
whole $4,000. He oashed in again nc
winner on those wagers and came down
10 Police Headquarters with a single
days winnings amounting to consider.
Gbly more than $4,000.
Made n Million on TracL..
Ryan went back to ST. Louis and the
Indictment against him eventuaIly yas
DISMISSED. 1t was reported afterwa I'd
that he had made at least $1,000. 900
IN. the racing trust venture. but he de-
MED that and said later he settled up
ell OF his accounts. paid Is cents on
the dollar, and left St Louis with only
$500. why
1T vas that stake" which served as
the starting point for Ryan's real repu-
tation as plunger. He went to a race
trsck-Washington Park-in Chicago