Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-09
A MAN MISSING,
And likewise a Considerable
Amount Of Money.
A travelling Salesman Mysteriously Disan'
pears from His Accustomed HauDts-
Short In His Accounts.

For q week or two past q rumor has been
current in town that a well-known sales
man and travelling agent was missing, and
that his employer had discovered consid'
ersb,e shortage in his accounts. One YER
sion OF the story was that foul play had
b en- committed, the gentleman having
left the city on q collecting tour, and was
supposed to have c nsiderable money in
his possession, and another was that he
had improved the opportunity, to sppro-
PIRATE the funds collected to mis- own prl-
yate ends, and had
PoCKETED THE FUNDS
accruipg from settlements with customers,
and shOUk the dust of the Ohio Valley from
his feet for ever and aye.
Yesterday a REGISTER reporter undertook
to unrayel the mystery and get at the bot
tom facts in the case, with the following re-
suit A little preliminary skirmlshlnS
developed the fact that the merchant out OF
pocket was Mr.. r. 5. Kincheloe, commits
sion merchant, doing business al No. llli
Water street. Thither the reporter wend
ed his way and brOaching the object OF
his visit TO the proprietor elected the fol-
lowing facts:
The MISSING MAN
is VIM. Thurber, travelling salesman and
collector for the above house. He left this
city about the middle of July on collec-
ting tour up the river and thence out the
c., l.. 4 w. road. The customers Of the
house along the Cleveland and Pittsburgh
road as far IS Steubenville were visited and
collections made, the aggregate amount Of
money paid over to him being about $3.50
or $3.50. From Steubenyille he went to
Salineville, D, expecting 10 go thence to
Canal Dover and then along the C., l.. &
". road to this city. The last heard OF
him was at Salineville, on July 18th, and
there all trace of him was lost. Mr.. Kin
cheloe has been over his rOute up the
river, and has made enquiries everywhere,
but no trace of Thurber can be found. and
what has happened to HIM or where he Is
are purely matters of speculation. His
employer states Thurber could have
NO POSSIBLE REASON
for running away. his accounts with the
house being perfectly correct up TO the
time Of his departure on his last trip, and
his home life apparently peaceful and
happy. His theory is that he has gone on
a prolonged spree, having plesty OF money
with him, and that when it is all gone or
he has sobered up he will return.
Although not addicted 10 the use OF liz.
uor regularly, Thurber gets on booze a,
long intervals. and as he has abstained, as
far as is known, for about year pas, Mr..
kirChelOe's theory seems plausible, the
more so as he has before, when under the
influence of liquor mace way with various
sums Of money entrusted TO MS care.
FORMER Troubles.
An instance Of this kind occurred few
years ago, when Thurber was travelling cor
the hat and cap house OF Harper Bros
Being out on collecting tour he got on u
terrible spree with a number Of CONNER
Cial travellers, and after wild debauch o!
six weeks or more turned up in ST. Louis.
having squandered 500 or $500 OF the ttrn' :
money.
Both Mr.. KinchelOe and Mr.. Harper say
that Thurber is perfectly honest and trust.
worthy as long as he let's liquor alone, All /
attribute his present trouble to too free
indulgence in that seductive beverage.