Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-24
ANOTHER MYSTERY.
Sudden Disappearance Of Captain ThOs.
A. Matthews. Of Osceola, Arkansas,
In Memphis.
Was He Murdered for His Money "A
Question for Our Detectives TO
Answer.
Movements and Description of the Man
Heavy Reward offered for Inform
alton COncerniug Hlm.

The detective force of our city, aided
by the individual exertions OF several
gentlemen from Osceoia. Arkansas, have
been for the past several weeks endeav-
oring to unTavel the tangled web OF one
OF the most mysterious affairs that has
occurred In the police history of Mem
phis. Full as ii is with thrilling inter
est, and though we have known the
particulars of the case for some time, we
have studiously RETAINED from making
anything public for fear Of iBjuring the
chances of those who were working it
up. The following is q brief resume OF
all that we are, even now, allowed to
make use of In the history of this mys-
ferrous affair:
About the twentieth day of last Sep
TENDER, Mr.. Thomas A Matthews,
young man of twenty-fOur or five years
of age, doing business with his father, |
d. A. Matthews, Esq, Of OsceolA, came |
TO this city to purchase fall and win |
ter supply of goods and groceries. He |
took little or no money of his own or 4
his fathers with him, and just before /
starting for the steamer took OFF and de. |
posted In his safe mis- own valuable gold /
watch and chain, remarkiug TO his faith. 1
er that he would not need it-he having /
watch of a friends entrusted TO him 10 |
be Tepaired-far less valuable than his
own. He also had in his DO. session
checks for about seventy-five dollars for
collection for various parties, and this
sum, with five dollars taken nom the
till as he started, are all the vaiusbles
that he was known to have possessed
on leaving home. He came 70 Mem
phis, went to the various merchants
with whom he was in the habit Of deal
ing, and purchased all the goods requir-
ed in the business of D A. Matthews q
Son for the immediate fall trade, having
each bill Of goods shipped up home at
lifetime of making his purchases. While
in the city, being well acquainted,
and fond of amusement, be assO-
ciated with numbers of our citizens
whose names, were we at liberty at
present to mention them, would be 8
guarantee for their resDectability, with
some of whom he INDUCED in several
friendly games OF cards, and 50 far as
we have been able to learn wherever
there was any stake played for invaTi-
ably came of winner. The strictest ami
closest search does not disclose the TACT
that he entered gamblinghOuse or that
he was intoxicated dming his stay here
From the twenty-seeond 10 thu twenty
sixth of September his every act is easily
traced, and we have no trouble in find
ing dozens of men who saw and assO-
ciated with him every day. But on the
twenty-sixth day of September, all this
changes, and we lose al trace of him.
On this day we find that he visited sew
eral prominent grocery and other houses
with whom he had dealings, satchel in
hand, as he started on his way to the
steamer Grand Tower, then lying at the
and with steam up for OsceOIa.
He paid several bills, and displayed
quitea roll of money in so doing. The
Grand Tower Ito all of the officers and
crew Of which he was personally
KNOWN went out on time, but he never ,
made his appearance on board of her.
His relatives and friends at OsceOia,
thought that he had missed the boat
and were not at all uneasy, even after
he failed to turn up on several
boats. His father Thought
hat he had taken q trip to Cape Girsr-
ieau to visit his mother, who lives there,
and was the last to become uneasy about
him. Two or three weeks, however,
passing away, and the parties who had
ntrusted him with the small sums to /
collect began to get impatient and to '
make inquiries in regard to him. Cap
ain Matthews, his father, while some
What annoyed at his continued absence.
aid nothing and thought nothing OF il.
paying to those who demand
ID il all they had intrusted to Tom.
There were others of bis friends, how
.ver, who had fOrebodings thai all was T
lot right, and, without consulting the
aptain, one of them, who was more at
ached to the missing man than the ball
nee, came to town and instituted a Sc
les of inquiries in regard to MIN, finding
'ut, however, nothing definite, and after
weeks Intellectual search returning
home baffied at all points, The detect
We force was then employed, Captain
Jranmer having been detailed to attend Y
pecially to the business, and the chief q
aklng a deep interest in the matter. 8
The force now cOnfesses itself non.
,lussed. That he did not leave Mem
Dhis voluntarily is considered by them B
Is settled, for many reasons. He had
.bsolutely no cause for this course
4 action; he did not draw
n his merchants or bankers for
money (which he could have \
one for as much as twenty thousand
Ollars); he went around paying little
ills owed by the finn the very day he
disappeared. If he had been going to
cave for parts unknown he would have
hecked for what balances were due
i'm, or would at least not have gone Z
Ound frittering away bis ready money
D paying accounts, many Of which
1ere not due. The only possible solu- pl
ion to the mystery is that Thomas A. az
latthews was murdered, or otherwise II,
isposed Of, in this city on the TWENTY
xth day OF September, by some party 5,
T parties who knew his habits and sup
Osedsthat he had upon his person a
Irge sum OF money. There are facts NJ
aiding to this conclusion which we are IL
OF now allowed to make use Of, but
hich will come out in good time. In
le meantime the police and others are
III patiently working at the affair, and 26
e hope will arrive at some definite so. ca
tioR OF what now seems all but impen- 10
rable. This must be done for the hon. d
of our city It is horrible TO think A
lat business man, well known and M
can be snatcbed from among 81
J in broad daylight and no clue left by Va
hich to follow his abductors OF assas- 30
Us. The missing man was about pr
7enty-four or twenty-five years old, u
We feet five inches in hight, M
it'll dark hair, dark eyes, q
Id small, dark (nearly or quite black III
OuoAaOhO' 6c was very 4uleb III 1lb -
sy 8, civil-spoken, and would be known gu
a gentleman anywhere. His habits 81
ere excellent, and be was a universal -
vorite in the community where he was ri
ised, and which now mOurns bis loss.
liberal reward will be paid for any in
rmatiOn which will lead to any clue as
his fate by his relatives and friends. "a
the meantime we urge upon all good 56
items a cooperation with the police 81
ferreting out this affair. a
80 or
MURDER. d.