, 1861-12-03
MYSTERIOUS DIsAPPEARArCF


~ Ntnee VI LIZ euu0eu disappearance o1
Charles +. JcpAson, young druggist Of re-
speetable character, for four months past, do
ing business on his OWL account at No SOL
State street, but who for 1lyc years previously
had been in tic employ Of Mcssrs Smith &,
Dwrcr, corner Of Lake and Dearborn street.
His store, though small, having stock valued
at about $500, was we'll located and doing 4
handsome aud rcmuneratiyc trade. From a
strict examination into The circumstances at
tending the young mans sudden absence from
his accustomed haunts, the following facts
have ttcn ELECTED:
Mr.. Jephson for some years, either from
family difficulty In the old country-Ireland,
from whence he emigratcd abont six wears
siucc-or from an innate love Of sti1nulants,
had been irregular in his habits and at times
WIS partially derangcd. These fits would
seize him about four or five times III the
course Of the year; On all other occasions be
was stcady, attentive to business, and young
man very lively and interesting in his manner
and conversation. He vas graduate Of the
Dublin College Of Pharmacy, All expert in
pharmaceutical operations, and generally well
informed On other subjects.
On Thursday morning Thanksgiving
day-he was noticed By the only clerk he en-
rloyed, 4 lad Of some seventeen years, as he
entered to open the store, seereted in the coal
hole. When aware Of the presence Of the boy,
he came out from his hiding place, and said
the devil had been with him all the preceding
night, and that he was glad be had arrived to
frightcn the evil spirit away. ue went about
the store muttering unintcnigibiy to himself,
and finally told the boy that he had swallowed
four ounces Of ludanum and 4 large quantity
Of morphine, with the intention Of taking his
own life, and that he was then, to all lntents
and purposes s4no more tor this world" He
then said he Was going out to get q priest, that
lie might die at peace with his Maker, and en-
deavored to leave the place. Tie lad, suppo-
sing his employer was suffering from fit Of
hvpocondria, insisted that he should stay, and
cudcaTorcd to keep him in the store. He also
called a lady living over the store to aid him.
The efforts Of the two were Of no avail, how
eTer7 and Mr. Jephson departed. His apparel
was very scant, consisting ola cap, Light black
coat, light drab pants, shoes but no stockings,
no erayat or collar; habit not at all calcu1a-
ted to protect person from the extreme cold
Of that day and those following. He took no
money with him, having deposited his wallet
and funds i'll tho drawer along with two strange
documents intended for his will. His disap-
pearance is liked at about 6 o clock Of Thursday
morning, since which time no tidings Of his
whereabouts have have been heard or any thing
learned in regard TO The manner in which he
made way with himself. The police and a few
interested friends have siRce Friday been in ae-
tive search for the missing man. Taking ali
the circumstances into consideration the con
elusion seems to be inevitable that he h,s COM
mittcd suicide.
The Instruments dcnominatcd his "last
will and testament" left to be given to
Acssrs. srnith & Dwycr, arc wild, incohc-
rent documents, evidently the work Of a MI
Mac, though even in the insane productions
there arc some occasional glimpses Of reason.
The papers fill three large foolscap pages.
We make the following brief extracts from
No. i;
Ny sister Jane. the last heard Of her lived al
ploy and empower Mcssrs Smith & Dwyer to eet
70 the matter Of paying the proceeds Of the salt
Of my store-after settling their claim against ne
George Simmons, ny faithful clerk. '1 54'O y
I leave MY last respects to MesEr=. Smith s
Dwyer. Mr.. Meadows, and Mr- Big:s. May tllt
own hand, will not havc offended Him IN such
manner aE TO make my future life 1.-THE as lniscr
able as it has been here. To Him commend N,
'f'f''; gned, andn' CHARLES H. yrpuzos.
No. is somewhat longer than No. l, ant
tract from the paper.
! cannot even now realize the misery which
trust. in Gods mercy will be ended by my death
Dylng ny ny own hand l.; pleasant highway CON
rea 70 hyln G; ana may the mersfnl God end l
for nc. It is the greatest happiness for ME to die
az sy my faith N redemption is firm: Nay Cod re
av, ny nd sqa phoehe A. my ether sFe1s
don. send my best love TO them To Marin an'
Phoebe let $160 each be given out Of my property
1Tequest the Chicago TRIBUNE to please send pa
per, with particulars to Mrs Jane Martin, Strane
ford, County Dawn. ireland. who is the sister Jan
above mentioned. with an account of my fornle
| character. by clothes 60 to George Simmons.
| CHAs.
| 1t is proper to state, i'll concluding the nal
ration Of the facts now known regardin
the atE,ir, THAT The boy Simmons, still stand
firm in the belief that bis employer Will 500
| return and thus keeps his usual place bchin
the counter, putting off customers who Aav
orders be cannot ill, with some excuse whic
he thinks may avert suspicion from the caus
| Of Mr.. Jcphson's absence. He is 4 faithfu
| lad and cannot realize that 4 MASTER he love
| so well has committed sclf-lcstructfon: It
barely possible that his premonitions may
correct, and that the missing man may max
his appearance again among US, but circum
stances seem to point to another and 4 darke
| way.