The New York herald., 1870-04-02
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
Probable Murder Of the Captain Of an East River
Lighter-Some Of His Effects Found in
Another Captains Possession
The Latter's Arrest.

Detectives Levins ana Hamilton, OF the Ninteenth
precinct are Just now engaged In working mp one
Of the most curious as well as OF the most mys
teri6Gs cases which has come TO light in this city
for heightened period. The worst feature in the
case Ia that there Is q PROBABILITY OF the life OF
human being having been taken In the most cold
bIooded anu deliberate manner for the sake OF y
small amount OF money ami few articles Of pro.
pery OF hardly any value. In order that the readers
OF the HERALD may have all the facts In the case,
a. they have been developed by the two above
named officers, alter much trouble and energetic
efforts on their part 1t Will be necessary to 60 back
to the beginning Of the month OF March.
At that time there was IN the employment Of John
A. Bouker Il Co., proprIetors of number Of scows
or lighters and dong business Ut No. 90 South street.
man named Charles Rice. This Rice was in eom-
mand OF one OF these scows. known as No. 8. On
the 2d OF March, while this scow was lying at the
dock at the foot OF East Ffty-nlnth street, Rice
took ashore quantity OF property he had on board.
valued az about nity-iour dollars, and then, cutting
tue hawser which held the boat secure, set her
ssrn. The following day she was taken to the
ownrrs by some persons who had noticed her noat.
ing S9wn the river. Rice, after disposlng Of the
go ds stolen by him from the scow 70 man named
Horace hcustis, of Crown Point, Essex county. In
TINS state, returned to his employers and repre-
sented 10 them tnat the boat had Teen set adrii by
some unknown persons, VINO had then robbed her.
Hls enployers believed him having no reason to do
otherwise, and he was again gwen charge OF the
scow: Tho company did not. however, lee! entirely
satisfied about tue affair." and placed the casen the
hands ol detectives Hamilton ana levins, VINO nave
brought lortn the foregoing lacts. kice was ap-
preaended and locked up at the Y0rkviiie folice
Court by Justice Coulter few days since,
as already reported III the HERALD, on the
serious part or the story IL appears that ON the ID
OF March, the day after Rice had robbed his scow,
he went 10 Harlem, ana Was seen late on the n2nt
OF the same day IN company with Thomas Scott,
| another employe OF Bouker x Co., VINO nad charge
loot Of an street and cose to she
shore. Since then Scott has not been seen nor
heard frcm Ihe following statemen! has been been
nis wife. MRS. Margaret Scott, At present
residing at the rranKiyn House, Yonkers:-
She States lnat on the 80 oi March last her husband
went to see her, sne having been confined day or
two previous. He left tue same day and returned
to his boat, taking with MIN some clean iinen In.
Side clotatng stockings, Gc. Since then sne has not
of the articles mentioned above and given bv her co
ner husband having been found In the possession OF
Rice she believes that he knows something
fact, sne stated IN her affidavit tnar she
| strongly suspected Rice OF having MUIR
able to get possession OF his property. Mrs. Scott
also Identified kniie razor ana some other trifling
found in the scow commanded by Rice. At his
| house III BrOoxlyn were found some pocket hand
Kerchels also belonging to Scott On board Of Rices
ScOw Was also found certain handkerchief given
to her husband on the day OF his disappearance by
| Mrs. Scott Mr. leustls also delivered up several
| articles belonging 10 Uapta Il Scout, which
were on board OF ms boat few days before his dis
| appearance. trunk Oh board OF Scotts boat was
found ON the day following hts disappearance to
| have been vioentiy broken open aud ab0Gt 500
taken therefr0m, together with several other artl-
cies among them some OF these found In the possess
OF Rice. Rice was also held to answer the coIl-
| plant OF robbery preferred against him by Mrs.
| scott. yet, however. lie ls not aware that the
| chain OF Evidence hes been so very well put TO-
| gether. In iac he Is not aware on what a
| precipice he stands, as the detectives have
not informed HIN OF the terrible suspicion
| which resGs upon him. When arrested 10
| vcheneny denied having stolen anything from
Captain Scott saying that ne would be tue rst per-
son whO would give Scott assistance II ne nccded IL.
| On Wednesday the river where Scotrs boat was
| anchored when he disappeared was dragged by
| nen under the supervision OF the police, but the
| Iody could not DC found. The detectives are stii
vigorously searching Tor proof either at the hands
| Rice or somebody else, Or, il living, hts present
| whereabouts. Information Of Scouts disappearance
has been sent to Police Headquarters 30 tnat IRON
terry.