The New York herald., 1876-12-30
THE FLYING SWAN.
A Visit to the Defaulter's Late
Home at Oyster Bay.
BIDDING HIS BIBLE CLASS GOoDBY.
No Investigation Yet-Probabe Flight
to Geneva.


Tho excitement In Oyster Bay concerning the dcfal.
cation OF Mr. Otis D. Swan continues to daily.
He has long resided there that he known TO tho
smallest boys in the place. and was identified with
progress aud Improvement that his sudden depart
excited great surprise AID grief As yet no nvcs-
tigaton of his affairs has been made by his relatives
and clcw obtained to his Whereabouts. Only very
uncertain rumor points as probable destination az
Geneva, Switzerland, where his brother Robert
sides
AT OYSTER BAY
HERALD reporter in talk with the Inhabitants OF
Oyster Bay learned that Mr. Swan had becn OF tho
most benev oent OF ats residents Many instances Of
his charity both public and private related 10
was especially good TO the very poor people on tho
outskirts OF the village Before his failure 1878 ths
trait OF his character much more marked On
Thanksgiving Day and other public holidays no was
accustomed TO purchase turkeys and chickens to be
sent To the poor, and many pcnniiess man has
been thus cnab cd TO cuJoy his days OF resi-
through Mr.. swans charity Since his failure II was
noticed that he lavish OF bis gifts as tor.
mcrly this generally understood TO be on ac-
count OF his diminished resources and not from any
lack OF good will His father Benjamin Otis, was OF
like character At the death Of tho latter OF tho
old servants of the family Daniel Mahoncy by name,
was lett an annuity sufficient to cnabc him to live
ease for The res, OF his days. These and many other
Instances OF bencvocnce accredited the Swan family
,od from mouth 10 mouth in the village and viii
account for the ancctionate regard Of the people.
Tho Presbyterian church, pretty little frame edi-
ncc situated hill the street OF the village,
owes vi its prosperity to Mr. swans efforts. IL
was erected about three years ago Mr.. swan ono
of The Building Committee ana contributed 81, 600
toward the fund Hc was superintendent oil the sun.
day school and his wc was one OF The leaders OF The
village choir.
MIR. SWANS nousE.
Mr. O!is D. Swans house IS situated about milo
FROM the village on a piece OF ground OF about twcve
acres. II is a large white frame house. with iva
wings. pretty little portlco, supported by iour
wooden columns fronts the roac AT the time OF tho
reporters visit the place closed, but tho grounds
under tho winters snow, bore evidence OF hav-
ing been kept in perfect order. There nothing
failure he kept TOUR horses and several carriages, but
s'nco ho has only had one or Two horses ana
up TO tho umc Of his departure. and on leaving Mr.
Swan badc them all soodby aud closed up the house
A DELIBERATE DEPARTURES.
His departure seems TO have been mcdtatcd for
time. He told many OF his ncshbors that hc
after finishing The obstruction OF ms Bible class he
took leave OF them. saying that no might never see
them again. Rumor has II that IN consultation with
his brothers be told them he about leave. but
they did suspect that his departure would BIO
sudden or would result in such startling disclosures.
IL is said that the younger members OF his brothers,
families knew OF his absence on Christmas Day Dut
rcirancd communicating the fact TO their elders
In order their enjoyment oi the festival
HIS wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Weed was
brought IN Connecticut but came 10 live at oyster
Bay some live years She was the adopted
daughtcr OF the Rev. Benjamin l.. Swan who was a
relative OF tho missing man, aud served as Prcsby.
minister for several years at oyster Bay. Here
MIR Otis d. Swan became acquainted with Sarah Weed
and they married about year ago. She Is
described tall, slim, mothcrly lady, about
thirty years OF age. Sho very attentive to tho
church and very KIND 10 the POOR being very plain in
dress wearing neither diamonds nor jcwclry. sho
was his second wiic. In winter the couple lived at
their house, which was handsomely furnished
since his failure SIR swan rented the house TO Mr..
odore ROp vcIt n he n
Mrs. Gbsons. in tho village. This course seems 10
hayo been forced upon him on account OF his dimin.
ishcd resources. The house SAID to bc ownod
der mortgage held BY Mrs lrvin lady now rcsidng
in Europe.
On Friday afternoon Mr. Gus u. swan and his wifo
lef their house. taking with them large quantity Of
baggage, and drove 10 Syossct the nearest railway
station OF The Long Island road, distant about four
miles from Oyster Bay Their baggage was placed
upon the and they entered parlor car. alter
having purchased tickets TO New York That was tho
last seen or heard Of them by any OF tie fetF'7r'r
of the ncghborhood. None OF their scrva4i Aeteis
panied them aud none knew OF their dest ns.lan ~
was not until the Tuesday after their dep 'pfa on
Mr.. swans dcfacaton became known.
RICH FAMILY.
All tho relatives of Mr. swan arc sat ~ f4 0'-
nscly wealthy. lie has TOUR brothers TNa sisasm
Benjamin and Edward, live about two l+Qf fNsH
oyster Bay, near the end OF the cove tn ae tt
from the Sound. Mr. Frederick Swan litrsli Nv
York, and the other brother. Robcrt nt e* ~
Geneva. William swan, the son OF Benz nisn, 'he
eldest OF the nve brothers, Is CommodeFr ~
Scawauhaka Yacht Club. which has annui iey5ttts
At oyster Bay. vague rumor IS circuai ~ fae
village the effect ,bat Otis will proceed 81 'itAee~
to JOIN his brother Robert II was imposeio -
ever, trace tho source OF this rumor o 1. learn
anything definite concerning Mr Swans movements
aftcr leaving Oyster Bay.
SELLING MS FURNITURE
II is said that he sold his furniture 10 MT Theodore
Roosevelt about three weeks ago. on Tuesday after
his departure rad become generally known, Mr. John
A. Weeks, Chairman OF the Building Fund Committee
OF The Union League Club, who resides abou. milo
and quarter from oyster Bay. went to Mr.. Swans
house and made inventory o all the goods he had
let behind him.
The reporter next proceeded To tho residence Of Mr.
Edward swan brother OF the missing man He SAID
that his brother had gone away but he dad not know
where. He had had no news IRON him since his de-
parture. lilo had made investigation oi his broth.
crs affairs and aid not know the extent oi tho losses
He would tssy whether an investigation would DO
made soon Mr.. swan refused any further inor-
nation. He did not like to say anything against his
brother.
Among those who called upon by a HERALD rc-
porter yesterday was Dr. Valentine Mott. who very
frankly declared that The loss 10 tho old ihaddeus
Phelps estate was now known TO DC fully $4,000.
which, the loss ackno wlcdgcd by swans rclatiyos
make tho wv known cxtont OF his roboerss more
than $4o0 600.
The relatives arrived vi the extent OF theis
loss 5000 0oo very short time for Of his broters
aud his only sister. Mrs Fearing, suspected before ha
disappeared that he had misused funds his chsrsc
The Phelps estate was not supposed 10 have been
robbed, until yesterday, when the Iacts wcrc 10
ex,cni made known Ihe earIlcr s however,
as conditions o. his trust, were erroneous Mr..
Thaddcus Phelps did not as declared die IN 1884, but
In 1s7. And instead Of having been the trustee OF she
Thaddeus Phelps estate swan simply tho ndminss-
traitor OF Mrs. Phelps will Dr. Valentine Mott says
that II is FULLY three years since he as an heir to
portion oil the estate asked. with others, tor def.
INTO account Hut neither he nor they could
get an accounting, though the accrulng
interest paid. In tho estate thero
was large family who had an interest comprising Mrs
Phelps aud ave daughters Another feature of The
Phelps estate the OF Swan is Dr. Mott says
that the appointod under the wall having
declined TO swan then apractts ng lawyer,
appoIn sole trustee OF the property HIS father,
BENJAMIN O. swan, became security on his bond, and
the estate OF Beujamin L. IS supposed 10 DC inOio lor
all deficiencies.