The New York herald., 1922-01-17
Hartman Bank Employee
Says Wife Is Nervous,
but Always Happy.
THREE LAST SEEN DEC. 81
Newspapers Asked to Help in
Search After Police Fail
to Get Clews.

and the newspapers havs seen asked
by Aubrey II. Bull, a teller In the
Hartman National Bank, Fifth ave.
nue. and Forty-thir street, to search
for his wife, Mrs. Ella Arlene Bull
who with her seven-year-old daugh-
ter, Ellanore, and Rslph Costa, II, dis
appeared from IAldgewood, N. j., or
the afternoon of December 81.
The case was reported to the New
York and Ridgewood police on jan
nary /, but was not made public until
yesterday. Chief of Police Frederick
j. BlacksEaw of Ridgewood said last
night, however, that young Costa's
father had not asked him to search
for the boy.
II will deal with the boy my own
way when he gets back" said Mr.
Costa.
Fails to Keep Appointment.
On December 81 Mr.. Bull made an
appointment to meet his wife in New
York for dinner She did not keep the
appointment and on his return to Ridge
wood he learned she had left the house
shortly before 2 o'clock with ,.er daugh-
ter, leaving word she was starting to
keep her appointment. She had drawn
$1,000 from a Ridgewood bank that
morning and she and the girl were
seen in her motor car with Costa. who
was implicitly trusted by Mr.. Bull. driv-
ing out of Ridgewood in the direction
of Paterson. The day before a trunk
had been removed from the house. con-
tanning her clothing.
Hoping Mrs Bull would voluntarily
return home or that police efforts
would locate her, Mr.. Bull determined
rot to make the facts public and the
only reference made 10 the case in print
was an item in Ridgewood newspap per
stating that Costa had left the town to
live in Baltimore, inserted as a blne
t. keep friends and neighbors from
learning OF the case.
Mr.. Bull said in his. home last night
Belief my wife is mentally unbal-
encod IS strengthened by the fact that
for several months she has seemed to be
suffering from a mental or nerve strain
that gave her moods of depression and
occasional attacks of nervousness bor-
dering on hysterla. She had spells, fire.
Cnently protracted. OF absent minded
ness that suggested momentary loss OF
memory. We have been ideally happy
together throughout our married life
We did not quarrel and have believed
her perfectly happy in our home life.
She has had no serious illnesses. al
though last November. for a week she
was depressed and nervous. but her
physical condition did not seem alarm
iig."
Two Families Friendly.
The first reports OF the case said that
young Costa was a chauffeur employed
by the Bull family but this was denied
by the boys father. n manufacturer OF
placsroni In Jersey City. Ralph. he said
X only a schoolboy and friend of the
Bull family. as all of the Costas have
been. the two families living in adjoin-
ing houses in Ridgewood. Mr.. Costa
said yesterday that when Mr.. Bull
bought his car he suggested that Ralph
teach Mrs. Bull how to run IT,
But she never could learn to run the
car" he said. "she was too nervous. SO
Ralph would go out with her and the
little girl after school and during the
summer vacation. He was not employed
by the Bulls. We are merchants, and
my son only runs car for pleasure"
IL was said at the Costa home last
night that nothing had been heard from
the boy since he left to drive Mrs. Bull
and her daughter to New York. One OF
the members Of the family said that on
that day the boy had borrowed thirty
cents from his sister and so far as they
knew it was all the money he had.
Mrs. Costa was Frustrated by the shock
of her sons disa ppearance and could
not be seen yesterday One OF the boys
brothers suggested that perhaps IL Mrs.
Bulls mind was affected. as her hus-
band believes, she had forced he boy
TO 20 with her.
II believe she told him that she would
kill herself II he did not go with her."
said the brother. But | don't under
stand why he did not tell some one and
try 10 prevent this from Happening"