The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-08 00:00:00

THE REV. B. SPEKE-THE MISSING
CLERGYMAN.

A gentleman, dating from Morley's Hotel, Trafal-
gar Square, London, writes to The Times
lii order that your readers may be made acquainted with
all the facts connected with the disappearance of the Rev.
B. Speke, I trust you will favour me by inserting the follow-
ing particulars.

Mr. Speke left Somersetshire on Wednesday, the Bth of
January, by the train front Chard Station London and South-
western Hallway at eleven o'clock, taking a return ticket,
and telling his groom to be waiting at the station the follow-
ing evening. lhe object of his journey to London was to he
present at the marriage of his twist intimate friend the neat
day. The train was rather late into London, and he took a
four-wheeled cab and drove to 79, Eceleston-square, the
house of his brother-in-law, where he dismissed the cab, and
where he contained about ten minutes talking to the foot-
man, who had been brought up in his parish. Mr. Spoke
then went out, saying to the servant that he was going to
buy a new hat, and afterwards on business into Westminster.
lie went to a hatter's in Warwick-street, chose a hat, and
told the hatter to send it to Eccleston-square not later than
6.45, as he was going out to dinner at seven o'clock. Mr.
Spoke then left the shop at about 5.30, and all trace of him
from there cease.

----
Ills intention to return to Eccleiston-square is most clear.
Ile told the servant of his dinner engagement, and he had
made an appointment with a young man whom he had
apprenticed in London to call and see him at about 6.30.
In perfect health, of an evenly-balanced mind, high religious
character, and of a singularly cheerful and amiable disposi-
tion, he was about the last man that one would have
imagined could come to harm, physically or morally ; and
being the only member of his family residing with his
parents, and knowing how heavily recent bereavements have
pressed upon them, it is incredible that he should not
have communicated with his family it he had the power to
do so.

The hat he was wearing was picked up at about 7 30 p.m.
on the Bth of Jannary in the Birdeage-walk by a respectable
workman, who took it home, intending to wear it, and who,
some days after, hearing the paragraph about the missing
Mr. Spoke read, and seeing the same unmet.] the hat, handed

it over to the police.
I only hope if any persons read this letter who can throw
the slightest light upon this mystery they will at once com-
municate with rue. Any coachman or cabman who drove
along the Birdcage-walk between six and half-past seven
o'clock that evening any persons who noticed two or three
people assembled there, or in the parts Cl Westminster ad-
jacent; any persons who observed two or more dragging or
apparently- helping another mail; in fact, any who saw any-
thing suspicious that evening. and who will COMlntilliCate
with me, may possibly give the clue which will solve this
distressing problem.

On Saturday rumours of a most extraordinary
character were circulated in London in reference to the
Rev. Mr. Speke, the brsther of the explorer and
discoverer of the source of the Nile, and for
whose restoration a reward in the first instance
of £3OO, and now £5OO has been offered. They
were to the effect that his body had been discovered by
the police in a house in Pimlico, the occupants of
which had left in a very sudden and mysterious manner
some few days ago. On instituting inquiries as to the
truth of this allegation at Scotland-yard, however,
the information was that no such circumstance had
been telegraphed from the station of the 13 division in the
immediate vicinity of the locality indicated, which the
acting inspector would be bound to do under the police
regulations the moment such a circumstance had taken
place. This report may therefore be looked upon as
without foundation. The same inquiries, however,
led to information from arother quarter. During the
afternoon a telegram was received from the K division
that the body of a gentleman found drowned in a
, small river running through a place called Stapleford,
near Ongar, Essex' was then lying at a public-house
called the Rabbits, at the former place, awaiting a
coroner's inquest. Inspector Langley, of the detective
police, who has been entrus'ed with the charge of the
case, went down the other night to ascertain particulars,
and see if the body could be identified.