Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-03-21
Return OF a .utssing man.
Truth stranger than Fiction--A Man Los
Six Years Turns up Again.

missing man:
'lany of our readers will recollect
that, some six years ago, this commu.
nifty was startled TO learn that a young
man, well known in our best social
circle, the son of a prominent citizen,
had suddenly and mysteriously disap-
peared. The papers for short time
were filled with accounts of this
strange occurrence, and enormous re-
wards were offered by his bereaved
and agonized family.
Detectives were sent TO every town
in the Union, and for a whole year
strovc 70 find some clue TO the missing
man. He had gone to New York city
upon business, ald had stopped as
usual at one Of the largest hotels on
Broadway. About eight o'clock in
the evening he gave the key of his
room TO the clerk, and went out. He
went out never TO return. Long after
experienced detectives had given up
the sea -ch, the family still hoped that
some day he would return, and the
terrific mystery be unravelled, but
even they in time came TO accept the
theory that he had been foully mur-
dered and his remains destroyed. Mr..
W S., before his departure,
was betrothed % a charming girl, and
an early day had been fixed for their
union she was filled with sorrow.
The blow fell upon her with even
greater force than upon the parents
of Mr. s., and for six long years past
she has led secluded life, mourning
in sacred privacy her worse than wild
owhood.
A cloud had settled upon her that
was even more gloomy than il would
have been had death quietly severed
the ties that bound them TO each other
The awful suspense, the long hopeless
search, the images of terrible murder
which an excited Imagination conjured
up, all made despair more complete
and her anguish more uncomfortable
On the 10th day of March, Miss l..
received dispatch from New York,
that was wholly ineomprchersible. 1t
read, "Prepare for an important reve-
lation." Signed "W." In the midst
of her surprise, letter was received
in a strange handwriting, insinuating
that there was some reason TO suppose
that Mr.. S. was still alive, but, at the
same time, warning his family against
hoping for too much as there might
be a mistake. The next day a letter
came from w. himself, stating that
he would be home on that evening.
1t would not be becoming for us TO
describe the joy, the great overpower-
ing sense Of thankfulness, that swept
through the hearts of all the family
circle, or 10 depict the touching scene
that ensued at the meeting which took
place when he that was lost returned,
although changed in appearance, it is
true, but still the same true-hearted
man as of old, but with q great sad
ness in his heart, and a terrible bitter
experience scared into his life as with
a hot iron. We can only relate the
strange story that in its marvellous
truth has no equal in any fiction we
know of, and only proves that there
are tragedies enacted in our midst
every day that are without parallel in
literature.
Mr.. S. tells the following story On
the evening of his disappearance he
left his hotel about eight o'clock and
proceeded towards East River with
the intention Of crossing over to Brook
lyn, where he proposed spending the
evening. He was sauntering care
lessly along, when his arms were sud
denly pinioned from behind, a gag was
placed in his mouth, and he was drag
ged along rapidly through back
street Continuing TO make resist
ance, he received a blow upon the
head which completely stunned him.
When he awoke TO consciousness he
found himself in small boat being
rowed away from the city, which he |
could see in the distance.
The boat stopped by the side of a
large ship and be was rapidly hoisted |
up its side, and in an hour afterwards |
she put to sea Remonstrance was
wholly useless, and he found himself
as common seaman on
vessel bound upon whaling voyage
10 the Pacific There were two others
upon the vessel, who like himself,
were victims of press gang; they
were both country-men from the inte-
rior of New York State. One ofthem,
named VIM. Allison, died four years
lgo, and was buried in the ocean.
1t woald be impossible to give the
"details of his adventures in our limited
'pace. S. will publish them himself
It some future day. Suffice tito say
hat in June, 1862, he was seized with
he scurvy, and being, it was supposed,
beyond hope Of recovery, he was aban-
loned upon one of the Marquesas
Islands, in the South Sea, by the Cap
ain of the whaler. Here he was
iursed and cared for by the natives,
lmong whom he lived three years, but
vas wholly unable to communicate
With any vessel, as they detained him
n the interior of the island. In Au-
rust last, however, he managed TO es-
ape to the coast, aud there finding a
Russian vessel procuring water, OBJ
aimed passage to Hong Kong, which
,lacc he reached in the latter part of
october, and upon proper representa-
ion to the American Consul, was fur
lished with means TO return TO the
United States.
As proper ending to this wonder
ul romance, Mr. S. will in the month
1 Anril lend Miss L who has so inith-