The New York herald., 1879-10-21
WAS HE MURDERED?
IN HIS NAME.

DISAPPEARANCE OF THE FORMER JANIToR OF
YALE CoLLEGE-AN IMPosToR ASKING MONEY
IN HIS NAME
New HAVEN, Oct 20. 1879.
The particulars of o very unusual affair have just
come to light. On the 9th Of the present month
Thomas Blake (colored). who had been janltor Of
Yale College for twelve years. left this city for San
Francisco, where he expected to reside for o
time. having obtained a place coach
man. He was attended with the best
wishes of tho majority of the students and
President Porter and Professor Kingsley had inter-
ested themselves in his welfare His wife remained
in this city and still lives here She thinks that her
husband has been the victim of foul play. When
Blake left the city he had through ticket, check
for baggage to Chicago, q sum Of money (about $40
s15 in bag suspended about his neck and =
basket of provisions. His wife and little girl ate
tended him to the depot and received there pIom-
ise that he would write soon as he reached hia
destination.
Two days after he left his wife received letter
from him, saying that he had been robbed Of his
ticket. money. overcoat. boots blanket ana pro-
visions while the cars, and he asked that tho
of $50 might at be raised and forwarded to him
at Buffalo. n. Y. where the letter dated, that he
made that the money should be sent. not by regis
tered letter nor by money order. but in
only way he could receive it.. for he
had no one in Buffalo to identity him. Mrs. Blake.
Yale College, with the request that he should raise
the money, which. jointly with Professor Kingsley
he did. Fearing that ali not right. sight draft
sent not to the address given, but to Dr. Foster
editor of the Buffalo Commercial advertiser with the
caution that he should be sure i'll buying the ticket
for Blake, that he made mistake in identity.
Blake is gray haired man. aged about sixty-hvo
years. The person who called on Dr. Foster to get
the money was young man, beardless and wholly
different from Blake III personal appearance. DIR.
Foster not acquainted with Blake. but there
several resident alumni who were. They said
that the applicant for the money impostor.
DIR. Foster had suspected this when he had insisted
receiving the money. and said that he did not
want the proposed railroad ticket. He turned
to the Buffalo police confessed that he Q
fraud, and said that he had written the letter at
Bake's request, Blake desiring to raise money
than lie had
BLAKE NOT FOUND.
The Buffalo police leaned to the theory that Blake
had been In some way foully dealt with, and that
II through information derived from papers
taken his person that the fraud had been rem
dered possible or that the impostor had gained his
confidence the When President Porter
heard of the in Bu alo lie at made efforts
to find Blake. He sent one of Blake's pictures to
Buffalo and last Thursday telegraphed to San Fran.
CISCO but Blake had not then arrived. Az he took
emigrant passage this not conclusive evidence
that he route To-day despatch was sent to
Chicago TO whether the baggage had been re.
checked there. Those acquainted with Blake do not
alleged. He estimable man. His wife
says that they had lived happily together. and she
il certain that he would not have concealed his
whereabouts from her. The cmigrant ticket pur.
chased by Blake. at last accounts had been usod
beyond Buffalo.