The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-28
Oakley HALL GONE.
The Ex.Mayor Ends a Checkered Career
by Dramatic Disappearance.

New York Special to the Chicago Tribune.l
A. Oakley Hall, ex-mayor, and for many
years one of the most noted men of New
York, has not been seen or heard of here
since Friday night. His most intimate
friends fear that he has either been murder
ed or committed suicide. From what is
known OF his mental condition for some
months past, the latter supposition is the
stronger. A short time since Mr.. Hall was
counsel in a murder case. The Jury
brought in a verdict of guilty of
manslaughter, whereupon Mr.. Hall made
a very singular speech, denouncing the
jury, and declaring that he would never
again appear as attorney in such a court.
The judge passed the action, seeing that the
lawyer was not in his senses. Friday morn
ing Mr.. Hall left his Office, saying nothing
as to the time OF his return. BY Sunday hi
family and friends were much worried, and
detectives were employed to search for him.
AS yet no clue has been found. Since his
stage venture and failure Mr. Hall has not
been himself. At the club and other places
he expressed himself strangely on various
occasions-so strangely as TO keep his special
friends on the watch for a more marked de-
velopment of mental alteration. 1t is said
that his troubles we're increased by financial
embarrassment; that he had repeatedly at
tempted to raise money on his note without
success. Others deny this and assign the
cause. There are social considerations
however, which also enter into the story
For something like two years he has been
irregular in his family relations, sleeping
frequently at the club hotels, or in his
office. 1t is well known that he was
particular friend to Miss Ada Dyas, upon
whom he has lavished presents, and
for whom he has done much. OF
course it is held by some that Mr..
Hall had fed to avoid the exposure that
might come if Sweeney should open his
mouth. This is the argument of political
enemies. Mr.. Hall had nothing to fear from
his old comrades, and knew it. He was a
passive tool in their hands, because he saw
through them the path to the governorship
of New York, and this he would have had,
no doubt, but for the general ruin which
swept away his party and his hopes. He did
not get a fortune from the spOils and the
city left him without other damage than
stained reputation. Recorder Hackett and
Sheridan Shook two of Mr.. Halls most init
mate friends, are pushing the search for HIM.
They admit grave doubts of his sanity and
fear that he deliberately walked off pier
into the river.
Another theory is that he has gone to Eu-
rope and that Miss Dyas will follow him.
The affair creates an excitement proportion
ate to the ex-mayors reputation and posi-
ton. He was last Saturday night elected as
a director of the Lotos club, of which he is
an old and favorite member Mr.. Halls ca
reer has been no less conspicuous than ex-
ceptional. He has familiarized himself to
the public of New York in well nigh every
capacity in which a man of education and
mental acumen could distinguish himself
He has always carried with him. in whatever
position he occupied a certain fascination,
which has attached to him vast number of
friends and admirers and shielded him from
orit nAn hinh for
pregnable men have quickly succumbed.
Mr.. Hall has been lawyer since he was old
enough to practice, politician since he &C
quired any local name. He has done liter
airy work of a varied assortment and charac-
ter, engaged in newspaper work sufficiently
to be called an editor, tried his luck with
fair success on the rostrum, and finally es-
sayed to make name on the stage. In this
he failed and returned to the practice of his
profession. While his public life in
Guides all these diverse occupations,
his social life was scarcely less varied and no
ticeable. He was born in Albany in the
summer of 1926. The death of his father
three years later left his mother TO support
herself, which she did by taking boarders.
At the age of IA Oakley entered college,
working his way through by writing for va
rious country and city papers such as the
Mirror, Nichols's Aurora. the Signal and the
Taller. which Park Benjamin started. He
studied law at Harvard and in New Orleans,
then returned to New York and began an
eventful life. Till he got clients he
kept at newspaper work, and was
the author of book composed of letters
written from New Orleans to New York be-
fore he had anything practical to do with
law. He soon became a favorite with the
New York bar, and was made assistant dis
trict attorney after two years connection
with it, being picked out by Attorney Blunt
as the most promising attorney, and was
from that day politician until his down
fall, which was involved in that of the Tweed
the future looked black, and that the law
yer should fall prey to gloomy spirits.