The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-23
SHROUDED In MYSTERY.
People Who Have Disappeared and
Left No Trace Behind.
The Remarkable Career of an 1ndlanIan
Who Was for Years Believed
To BE Dead.

disappearance among its membership, ia called
upon to pay the life Insurance. policy of Seth W.
Tuley. 1t seems that Tuley, a married man,
living at New Albany, left his home in the sum-
mer of 1877 to make visit TO Columbus, lnd.'
and to this city. He thirty-fye years old
and was last in this city few days after
he left home. He never returned to New Al
bany and all trace of him was lost in this city.
He came into the Mutual Benefit Society in 1870,
as a member of Jefferson Lodge No. 104, of New
Albany, and was considered a man OF steady
habits and good character. He has now been
missing over six years. The law presrmes
a person dead after five years absence formerly
seven years), and the society will have to pro-
duce Tuley alive or pay The society is willing
to pay, but difficulty arises in making the ad-
tustment in a way that will be fair it's MEM
bership. There are now $500 members
who pay certain assessment on
the death of a member but these 800 members
probably not more than 500 of them) were not
members when Finley disappeared. the members
of that day having dropped out by reason Of
failure to meet assessments. death, etc. The
society is willing to concede that he is dead but
thinks the loss should be paid by those who were
members in 1877, and not those who came into
the society since. Byfeld & Howe have pre-
pared an opinion.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES.
George 81. West, secretary of the Masonic
Mutual, informed the reporter that among it's
cases of mysterious Disappearance was that of
Levin I. Miller, of Wiliamsport, Ind. who dis
appeared here in Indianapolis about three years
ago, and for long time was unheard Of sup
posed to have been murdered. His family,
however, made no claim, and it is now under
stood that he is some place in the eseat State of
Texas.
Andrew J. Mattison was another man insured
in the society whose death was never satisfaeto-
riy accounted for. He lived in Fort Wayne, had
q wife and children, and was thirty three years
old He came into the society July Ia, 1870,
and on Oct. 8. 1871, all trace of him lost.
He left Fort Wayne few days prior to that
date for Chicago and is supposed to have per-
lshed in the great fire. The society deferred
payment for seven years and then paid the heirs
DR.. L. j. Rodman, who lived at Columbus
Ind, and at one time had been travelling agent
f0r the society, was another disappearance"
He went West, to Colorado. and after several
months absence letter came to his wife, writ
ten by MS comrades, who gave testimony to his
DEATH that they had tenderly cared for him dur
ing his last sickness and given him Christian
burial. Further, they had put board at the
head of his grave and built neat fence around
his last resting place. The widow in due time
presented her claim and the society about
to pay her when the secretary, the late Col.
]. b. Martin, received a letter from Rodnau
alive and kicking-''k Kicking because he didn't
want his wife to realize anything from the
society. They had lives unhappily, and he had
dead as he wished to be RID OF her. RodEan
was not an amiable character. and his wife could
well afford to lose him without any money COM
pensatiOn.
g. A REMARKABLE CASE.
The most singular and romantic case is that of
PRESLEY J. O'BannOn, who insured in the Ma
sonic Mutual in 1871. He lived at that time
in FredOnia, village in Crawford county, this
State, three miles from Leavenworth He was
thirty-four years old and was, his neighbors
said, happily married. On the night of May 8.
1872 he was cited to appear before the Masonic
lodge at Leavenworth to answer to charges of
drunkenness and unmasonio conduct. Previous
30 this time he had borne good character, but
In the heat of politics he had given away
TO habits of dissipation. He rode
In from Fredonia to Leavenworth to
att nd the trial by his lodge and on
entering the room his felOw-craftsmen saw that
he under the influence of liquor. He left
helodge-rOom before its adjournment and be-
fore the trial had begun, first making the re-
quest that proceedings he stayed for a time
The request was granted. He staggered out into
the DARKNESS and was seen no more by any one
His horse was found next morning in an old
unused stable, but all track of the owner was
lost. week or so afterward a ruihOr came that
he had got on a steamboat at midnight on the
night of his disappearance, and was noticed to
De very Qrunk untu EVanSYlllb was reached,
when he went ashore and was seen talking with
near the wharf. There all trace of him
was lost. An examination of his affairs showed
that he WIS in arrears as township trustee near
ly $500, but this was not considered any mall
feasanoe In Office and his bondsman knew that
his property was more than sufficient to pay the
deficiency.
Mrs. OBannon took out letters of administers
ton aud put on widows weeds. She then made
demand on the Masonic Mutual for the amount
of the policy on her husbands life. The society
asked time to investigate. He was Thought to
be alive. so matters stood until April, 1879. AT
that date the attorneys of the widow informed
us that the 9th Of the following year would com
plete the seventh year since PRESLEY OBannOE
disappeared, and the society would either nave
TO urOi0oe him or pay the amount of the policy
on his life.
SOLVING THE MYSTERY.
Then one OF those strange happenings, called
chance, befell. The late DR.. f. f. Hawn, who was
amember of the lodge of Masone to which O'Ban-
non had belonged, and member OF the Masonic
Mutual Benefit, received letter from Tunnel
Hill, johnson county, H., from DIR. Hudson, an
old army o0mrade. They had been out in the
Twenty-tirst Indiana regiment together, and
the missing man had been a mem Der OF the
same regiment. The letter asked: "Du yon
want to know the whereabouts of PRESLEY T.
oBannon II you DO. think I can tell
you" Dr. Hawn went to Tunnel Hill, which
is on the St; Louis q Southwestern railway,
GEd found the druggist, who knew nothing
OF O'Bannnn's affairs III Indiana, but had rec
ognized him Mt Vienna, johnson county, ILL
nOis. the county-seat. where he was judge, and
went by the name OF 7. j. Brown. DIR. Hawn
thought there was some mistake The druggist
was positive as to his identity He had been be-
fore him short time before charged with sell
ing liquor In violation of law, and the Judge had
assessed him 800 the highest penalty allowed
by the statute. He had recognized The Judge
and the Judge had recognized him, though he
4ndeavored to conceal the tact ana denied that
his name was oBannon. smarting under this
injustice from an old conrade, the druggist
wrote the letter.
DR.. Hawn and Hudson went to Vienna, where
atnIght accompanied by several persons they
went to the residence of the Judge. The judicial
MICHIGAN was STUCK out of the window In an