The Washington times., 1929-10-26
F|ANCEE SPIKES
ISLANDERS ON
SCR|VENER

and that she thought his line of
and reasoning was an
honest endeavor to solve the mys-
terv satisfa ctorily. Now, she says,
she has changed her mind and she
is ready to tell all she knows.
Letter Declared Stolen
Mrs. Maragon, who was Miss
Helen Barnes Parker, of Mclean,
Va and who IA months after the
tragedy married John e. Maragon, a
close friend of Scrivener, also re-
yealed that a. letter that Scrivener
had written his mother a few days
before his death. extoling his fiance
and rejoicing over the prospect or
his coming marriage to her, had
been stolen on the day Of the fun
eral.
II am glad" said Mrs. Maragon
In her message to The Times, that
my husband revealed to the public
through the Times a few days ago
that Lieutenant Kelly coached me
as to what to say at the coroner's
inquest. I am sorry. however, that
NJ. Maragon did not explain why
/ withheld such information for
three years.
THAT is what I want to explain
to The Times and to everyone. The
reason is very simple one and
easy to understand. And I don't
want any little thing unknown
which might aid in solving this
tragedy. The reason is that I mis-
took Kelly for my friend as we'll as
Arthur Scriveners. Instead he has
proved to be a great enemy.
Questioned About Gun
During all the time 1 knew ana
went with Arthur, which was about
ten months, l never heard him say
anything against Kelly. In fact,
he never spoke against anyone.
Whenever Kelly's name was men
toned, Arthur always said some
thing nice or pleasant. And by the
two of them being partners in their
detective work, l thought them to
be the best of friends.
After the terrible tragedy. I put
all my confidence In Kelly, believing
that all his efforts were being made
to find the murderer. Since he and
tendent of police, told the public 1t
can see, that Kelly was trying to
persuade me to say something that
would be another pointer to the
theory they were trying to prove
suicide.
II can remember distinctly that
at the home of my sister, Mrs.
CAN'T, in Mclean, Va, in the pres
ence of Major Pratt. Kelly asked
|
before seen the gun which he
showed me-the death gun. He
persistently asked me if | had not
seen that gun in Arthur's car when
we visited Sandgate several week
ends together with another couple.
He almost made me believe that !
had seen It, but l had not anu
said, No"
Coached Before Inquest.
Before I went on the stand at
the Coroners inquest. he wanted 10
talk with me and did. / had never
been in court before or on any wit
ness stand. l didn't know what 1t
was all about. so 1 Just took 1t for
granted that he was helping me out.
Instead he made me fear the Assist
ant District Attorney, Mr.. Horning,
and others who were trying their
best to get the truth of the thing
NY answers were short and not help
rnl as they would have been had he
not interfered
"In private interview with
Kelly at his office, he tried to make
me believe that Arthur had no in
tentions of marrying me. Nothing
in the world could make me be-
lieye that. for there was no reason
for him to marry me II he didn't
want to.
kelly also told me that Arthur
and Miss Katherine Markey, a
former fiancee, had been to a priest
to arrange about their marriage.
Forgive me, but when l think of all
the slanders and insults he has cast
at Arthur and me, / want to say,
| It's lie
Wanted Secret Marriage
"Just after Arthur and became
engaged, Arthur begged me TO
marry him secretly. At first l said
Yes But after few moments OF
serious thinking | said No knew
we would be together so much that
people might start undesirable gos'
sip. He never told me, and | never
asked him why he wanted to keep
it secret, but he said it would be
for only short time.
I'm the interview in kelly's or.
flee, Kelly frankly asked me II
had been intimate with Arthur:
After telling him Gods truth, NO,
I knew by his action that he didn't
believe me, or he pretended not,
and he insisted that he himself
take me to a. doctor for an ex-
animation that would prove or dis
prove my reply. The reason, Tor
this, as / see it, was to make the
public more firmly believe a dirty
slander as to Arthur's health.
''When I was at the funeral at
the home of Mrs. Scrivener, she
told me Of the letter she received
from Arthur telling her of our com
ing marriage on Saturday-hoW
happy he was, what wonderful
girl | was, etc. Please don't think
I'm Dragging, or wanting such pub
licitv. It's not either. In Gods
name, only want the world to
know these facts for the one pur-
pose of clearing up this terrible
mystery. xx
Then, the Dirty Work
AFTER the funeral Arthur's sup
posed friends started their dirty
work-slandering his name, doing
their best to put every mean thing
on him The papers were full OF
their dirty lies. One paper ran
story to the effect that 1 wasn't any
good either, and that Arthur had
no intention of marrying me.
"I was at work when read the
4 - rayoepaharipc the letter