Daily News from New York, New York • 292

1 IwiShmk IBank Pmrsvikg Ci Los Angeles, July 3 (flP). Edward P. Richards, 29, who asks legal permission to change his name to Barbara Ann because of a pronounced sex change, disclosed today that ha and Miss Lorraine Wilcox, 32, were married last November. By GUY RICHARDS. An interior decorator, he regis Ottawa, July 3.

Harold Augustus Fortington, one of England's richest capitalists and a member of Leslie Hore-Belisha's deposed war ministry, today was in hiding from two women, two governments, and three separate manhunts, at a private fishing camp near the Labrador border of Quebec Province. The stranee plight of one oi Her Dad in Sf range Plight tered for the census as a woman, and for the draft as a man. Dressed in contrasting frocks, the couple received newspaper reporters in their modest apartment. There they told how they had fallen in love at first sight 'while guests at the home of a mutual friend. They eloped to Yuma, where they were married Nov.

18. They decided to remain together after Richards began to PS fa TO 1-3 England's shrewdest financiers, who rolled up a fortune estimated as high as $60,000,000, was revealed as the three groups of searchers stumbled on the discovery that they were not alone in their quest for the elusive 51-year-old Fortington. Group No. 1 consists of representatives of James J. Hoey, Collector of Internal Revenue, in New York City, who want to question Fortington about alleged income tax delinquencies ranging from 1201)00 to Wife Can't Catch Up.

Group No. 2 is composed of Quebec agents of the Dominion of Canada's Department of Taxation. They have issued fruitless demands for Fortington's appearance in Montreal to explain his operations in several Canadian companies. Group No. 3 is composed of lawyers and process-servers for the money magnate's wife, Mrs.

Edna lose his male characteristics. Shocked, But Not Bitter. "We were married in a church ceremony," said dark-haired Mrs. Richards. "You can understand that I was shocked at the discovers, I made soon after we were married.

But instead of anger, or bitterness, it was sympathy that I felt. "I realized that it was not possible for her to be my 'husband' or to go on living as a man, especially since the sex changes became more a i "if I Hadia Alexander Jardine Fortington, only child of Harold Augustus Fortington. one of Britain's shrewedest financiers. Her father, hiding in Canadian wilds, is sought by his wife who wants a divorce and agents of Canada and U. S.

who want to quiz him about taxes. pronounced. "We talked things over. Edward became Barbara. And she I never again could think of her as 'him' began to wear woman's clothing, very becomingly too, and to live, think, act like a woman.

I instigated the legal procedure under which Barbara is to become, we hope, a woman by court order." Born April Fool's Day. Richards, who said he was born April 1, 1912, in Essex County, Massachusetts, filed a court petition yesterday setting forth that his heretofore predominantly male characteristics were changing into those of a woman and asked legal authority to change his name to Barbara Ann. Richards said he registered for the last census as a woman but as a male for selective service, being placed in Class 4-F after- his physical disabilities were disclosed. Mrs. Richards said she hopes the Renfrew, Ont 62 miles west of Edward Price Richards, who wants to change his name to Barbara Ann, is shown in feminine attire in Los Angeles.

I studied by the American Medical Association, was asked whether, if it were found possible for him to be restored to masculinity, he would wish to have such a change brought "No," he said emphatically. "I like being a woman. I've been told that there is no possibility of me becoming a man again, but even court proceedings Richards has. instituted will pave the way for an annulment. We will ero on livinsr together.

at least for the time being," she added. plans for his extradition to the United States by Hoey only await final instructions from the U. S. Department of Justice. The issue is believed made more delicate by reason of Fortington's former high position in the British Government.

Fortington's daughter and only child, Nadia Alexander Jardine Fortington, won a London divorce last September from Graham Charles, Master of Kinnaird. His parents, Lord and Lady Kinnaird, Perthshire, Scotland, are close, friends of Britain's royal family. Mother and daughter came to New York last Summer. Mrs. Fortington launched a suit for separation and divorce at Pough-keepsie.

She asked $500 weekly alimony and $10,000 counsel fees, charging that her husband had deserted her and had been notoriously unfaithful, particularly with Miss Crews. Upheld by Courts. Mrs. Fortington stated that her husband could well afford the here, to buy a ranch and farm from the estate of a Canadian multi-millionfire. Then he disappeared again, registering at hotels under assumed names, according to his brother, Lieut.

Comdr. Archibald E. Fortington, and concealing his whereabouts even from his own lawyers. Commander Fortington is one of the best known authorities in Canada. Up until a few months ago, he said, he hadn't seen his brother for 26 During most of this time, it was' revealed, he has been accompanied by his secretary, Mary A.

Crews, daughter of a New York lawyer, who was named co-respondent in hi wife's divorce action. During these months he has sent word to his creditors that he is "without funds." Only today The News learned of his hiding place. It is situated in a wilderness approximately 550 miles northeast of here. Simultaneously, it was made known that if there were, I shouldn't wish it." Richards, whose case is being The Neighbors By George Clark (By Underbill alullo Harold Augustus Fortington Winifred Fortington. For seven months, she and her daughter.

Na-dia, have been unable to catch tip with Fortington to serve him with a New York Supreme Court separation and divorce order calling for payment of $100 weekly alimony. Fortington has kept one jump ahead of all pursuing lawyers, agents and process-servers. By plane, train and car, he has dodged from Ontario to New York to far eastern Quebec. Once he stopped long enough at amount requested as master of the Lime Ridge Farms, near Beekman, N. as a financier with vast holdings in American, English," Canadian and boutn African corporations; and as a former executive 2 Fined for Driving Horse io Collapse An old black mare, driven 30 miles on sun-baked concrete without food or drink, had the last laugh from a comfortable stall last nierht.

of Paramount Pictures and a official of the Royal Insurance Co. Supreme Court Justice Raymond E. Aldrich granted her $100 a week, and $2,500 counsel fees. Two men who had neglected her Fortington appealed, without put ting in an appearance, but the Appellate Division last Dec. 6 sustained the wife.

Mother and daughter are now in Bermuda. This reporter visited Forting ton's ranch at Renfrew, and con got both their rendezvous and the mare. At 1 A. M. yesterday, footsore from the hot pavement and exhausted from lack of provender, the animal collapsed in the four-lane highway ol Route 23 at Butler, creating a commotion amid the motor traffic.

Neither Shiro nor Downey was quite equal to the situation and dozens of motorists stopped to give a hand. Familiar with carburetors and spark plugs, they had some difficulty -with harness and shafts, but finally disentangled the beast and got her to her feet. Meanwhile, a woman was so overwrought by the mare's plight that she lunged at Downey and staggered him. Then some of the men tossed a few punches. Shiro and Downey spent the night in jail and the mare was bedded down with food and water.

while they fortified themselves plentifully, especially with drink, were haled before Acting Recorder Arthur Ferris at Butler, N. where they were found guilty of being drunk and disorderly. The two, Joseph Shiro, 81, of 906 Second and John Downey, 53, 103 E. 48th were fined $8.75 each. Shiro and Downey said they didn't remember a thing concerning what happened after they left Manhattan at 6 A.

M. Thursday in a tasselled, high-seated buggy drawn by the black mare, age 10. But there were plenty of others who did. Their destination was Blairs-town N. 80 miles away, where Shiro, a retired truckman, has a farm.

Somehow, thereat of Thursday being what is was and tavern-tippling being what it is they for firmed Fortington's purchase of it. New buildings were going tip in preparation for what its superintendent said was a big program of breeding Herefords. But Fortington wasn't there. It was learned elsewhere that he was at the Grande Romaine Fishing Club, which he owns, on the north bank of the St. Lawrence, near Belle Isle Straits.

Fortington. an officer of the Order of the British Empire, served Ij.IIiiii fc bnrvkt ua- turn as an executive of the Ministry of Munitions in the World War; and Director of General Progress and "Now, Junior, I told you I'd take you swimming some day. Run along and let mother play don't be so selfish." Statistics in Hore-Belisha's war ministry..