The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-12
The Chancellor Lansing Mystery--'
"a Letterffom ,Thurlow; Weed. =

~ Wb EuttOT " We LONWtuFtut aNt"tte"'
The article which l felt called upon tc
publish in recent number Of the GqIGry
relating TO Chancellor Lansing, oi Albany
has awakened inquiry and ellclted copl
mcnt The descendants OF the Chancel
lor, who are not only numerous, bu
among our most intelligent and respected
citizens, naturally desire information
4 Two, grahlsons, Messrs. Sutherland and
Livingston, both reputable, members oI
tho Bar in this city, have appealed to mt
earnestly for the information which have
deemed itimy duty 10 withhold and dc
stroy. | feel called upon, however, Il
notice briefly one Or two ol tho articles
which my,publicatiop has called out "A
writer In Schenectady paper states, OF
information which he deems reliable, thai
tho ghapoellgFi committed suicide in his
room at the City Hotel, and that his re
mains were secretly taken 70 Albany fol
interment. Another writer reiterates, sub
stantialty that statement md gives o. p
reason thai eChaueellor had mbappfo
priated trust funds. While b Third YER
sion represents him as having, In conse'
quenee ,ot rpecupiaFyY embqErassments
committed suicide BY 1rowning. These
statements had nothing better to rest upon
ut the timo than conjecture. The public
mind was painfully agttated by the sud
den and MYSTERIOUS disappearance of that
distinguished citizen, But Investigations
vigilant and psotnicted, resulted in moth
Ing satisfactory, md ,'without1iacts or cir
culnstances, direct or indirect, TO quiet
popular sblicltnde, fertile imaginations
furnished these spppositious explanations
The Schenectady statement, as o. mo-
mcnt's reflection will show, is simply pre-
pospcrous. chancellor Dandsing came
10 New York alone, on business Which
would have occupied two or three'weeks,
Even Il It had been possible TO have kept
his death u secret Ii, /, n thronged hotel
there was no pcts6nN thefe interested in
doing so. Norwasthe fact known to bis
family in Albany until the third day after
his disappearance Tho third story about
tthe 1hisapplicatioh ot trust funds, as well
rs that Of alleged pecuniary difficulties,
arc equally unfounded. Some of the
papers, however, did suggest the posi-,
bility Of suicide, but when, after long and
diileent search, nothing beyond, the fact
of Eis Disappearance could be ascertained,
the general and accepted opinion was that
on dark, loggy afternoon, he accident.
ally walked either on tho dock, or of q
plank leading from the dock 10 a steam'
boat.
Chancellor I4ausiug arrived inthiscity,
IN ilIc steanboaI. from sAlbanN A6nuthe
Ilnofnitig oftht fell III December, 1890,
and proceeded directly 10, the City Hotel
where he ate brcakfast and dinner. He
called durinpthe dayl upon his friends,
Mira Ray and Mis-. Edgar, and accepted
SninSitStionifdr rtGaswitl Mrs Ray at six
O'clock fhat Afternoon. fHeSwasl occubied
win Whiting In His room at the hotel for
several hours. and was observed shortly
before five O'clock to leave the hotel with
In letter in ,hishand Twhich! as was , con.
iectnred affer his SlisapSpearance. he In.
Ss,.SnI t,'.,isaS IL .I.a Iat.,,,S toir ~, bonrd
| nf thn lhnnu utnnmhN0fd Hi1 tFnnlS