The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-19

TUF MYSTERIOUS piSaIic.ahihNSIo oR -aN'
1nuS STEANG, OF HANoyER-LAST SEEN
co1SG FROM TIE wINE-RooM OF THE
rurATrE CoMIouE WITH A SUSPICIOUS
LOOKING STRANGER.
Trc relatives OF Mr.. John Strang are still
,,,irinrmcd as to his fate, and consequently
smIfr The kceneSt anxiety, from which there
:. seemingly no early prospect OF release.
NJ Strang lived at Hawsville, in Hanover
county,. eighteen miles from Richmond. He
IVES a Scotchman by birth, baker by trade,
and was. NJ the time OF his disappearance.
rTc,iuc country store and doing we'll at it.
jIc had wife and two grown sons. On
Wednesday TIC llth instant he left home
!, . covered cart for Richmond TO make
snmc purchases and to pay some DlllS. he
-ook with hlm at least $3.50 in money, ana
wore 4 heavy double-case gold Watch. Ar
riying here. he carefully staoled ms muie
snl went ont on the street. He visited
number OF stores and did some business,
h,,t lsf, uudonc the main business that
brought him here. Intending to dlSpose OF
.hq. THURSDAY. He met with several friends
S,r;no the evening and took drinks with
,hem. and got what is popularity called
lively" 1t is represented that at home he
was sober and steady man, but that upon
his visits to Richmond he very often got
tinsy: but that as he knew the streets and
people very well he never met with any ac-
cideal or loss.
Wednesday night Mr.. Strang was seen at
the Theatre Comique metropolitan Hall),
and he was enjoying himself very much.
The Jokes. songs, and dances were raptur-
l,I- hin, NJ the
audience seemed to enjoy the performance
better. His loud, hearty laugh rang through
tha hall and told the story Of his condition,
which was very "iolly," so to speak. One
Of his sons happened to be in the hall at the
time. and seeing his fathers condition en-
deayored to induce him to 60 home with
him. but in vain. The old gentleman told
his son to 20 and attend to his own business.
About go o'clock Mr.. Strang was in the
wine-room of the establishment. There he
spent some money and passed few words
with the women. When last noticed he was
talking TO Strauger-a low, thlck-set man,
dressed in black, and wearing black NOUS
tache This stranger had evidently Just
struck an acquaintance with Mr.. Strang,
and was persuadInS him to leave the VINE
room and 20 to Dclarue'S restaurant for
supper. That is the last trace so far OBJ
tanned Of Mr.. Strang, for he did not go to
pelaruc's. The money he had was very
freely displayed in the wlnc-room, and his
sons believe that that led to his murder.
They have had the dock carefully dragged
from Fourteenth street to the ship-lock
cIcS without result.
Captain Putnam, pi oprietor OF the Thea
ire ComiQue. says he well remembers Mr..
Strang's ysi. to his place last Wednesday
night. lie was called into the wine-room
by one OF the girls, who informed him that
4 countryman was there freely displaying a
roll Of money. 1t was his intention to make
>o,1e provision against Strang losing his
money, but upon entering the room he
(Putnam) found Strang with a man who ap-
pcarcd TO be Strang's friend, and who in
troduced strang to him (Putnam). So he
considered that Strang was in friendly
hands, and not in need OF his kindly OF
fees. Strang's friend insisted on going of
10 get something to eat, and they went out
together. This statement is confirmed by
several parties employed at the Theatre.
The lnan with Strang was a stranger to
Captain Putnam and the doorkeepers, and
10 all Of them. Is is now their impression
that he fell in' with Strang in the hall,
but it is possible that he was acquainted
with him previously. He knew Captain
Putnam on sight, for'he introduced Strans
10 him as soon as they met in the wine
room. The girl who first noticed Strang
displaying his money, and who notified
Captain Putnam thereof, states that Strang'
friend looked to her g like railroad man.
The stranger may be perfectly innocent
OF Mr.. Strang's sudden and mysterious
taking of, but it certainly seems to be the
duty Of the police, without moments de
Lay, to find him, and demand that he explain
when, where, and under what cireum-
stances he parted with Strang. .s
This whole affair is involved IN such mys-
terry that the best skill OF the police force
ought to be employed in unravelling it.
The finding OF Strang's body, and an exam
lnation to see if there any marks OF violence
upon it, might go fand-in-hand with the
discovery of the stranger.
The relatives and friends OF Mr.. Strang
cannot bring themselves to believe that
he walked into the dock accidentally,
though they felt it their duty to make a
thorough search OF the place. They say
that he was familiar with the streets, knew
where the water was, and drunk or sober
would have avoided it, knowing what q
death-trap it has been to hundreds OF the
unwary.
Captain Charles F. Taylor states that AIr.
strang dealt with him, and before him with
MS father, for many years, and that Strang
never took enough liquor to deprive him Of
his capacity to take care Of himself. He
hnds it hard to believe that Mr. Strang
walked into the dock or river, especially as
Tie mysterious stranger-the man in black
Is not accounted for, and Mr. Strang was
known by the stranger to have money and
i soid watch On his person. --.s
ltWas at one time thought that Mr.. Strang
had been seen on Thursday morning near
Watson's furniture factory, but the informa-
1ion on that point makes it very doubtful
whether the man noticed about there was he.
The following is the description furnished
OF Mr.. Strang: A man about fifty years
OF age, red whiskers tinged with gray,
sandy hair, red complexion, teeth defective,
ABOUT five feet six inches high.
OLD DOMINION CLUB-REcEPTIoN OF
HPEAKEEs.-Thc Old Dominion Club have
selected the following gentlemen TO receive
Inc speakers who Will address the mass
meeting tonight: John A. Laey,s'B FL.
berry, L. j. Robertson, and p. G. :Coghlan.