The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-05-07
"A PECULIAR CASE
OF MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
A Prominent Merchant of Glen Iastop
Marshall County, Takes n Sudden No.
tlon 10 Make Western T0ur-His
Busiuess Affairs In Good shape.

A case In come OF its elements resembling
the still unexplained di.appenrancs OF Msjor
s. B. McColloch, OF this city, but In others
even more p~uzzling than that, has been the
sensation at Glen Eiston, a little station on
the d. Il o. road between Cameron and
Moundsville, for three weeks or TO-. Mr..
Harvey II. Woodruff, the most prominent
merchant IN that part OF Marshnil. county.
loft home on tho tenth OF April, ostensibly
10 come to this city and collect SOM money
owing TO him by parties here and at Elm
Grove. 30 far % tan DO found ont he did
not come to Wheeling. He did collect two
bills at Benwood, one from Henry Fisher,
the merchant, TO whom he was In The habit
Of shipplny produce. and the other from the
Benwood Eating house. Ho then took the
train for tho West. At Newark he was seen
10 enter the b.. 20. eating house by a lady
from Cameron who knew him, aud that IL
the last intelligence his wife and friends
have received OF him. fa
S&G A rRlp ron HIS HEALTH.
Mr.. Woodruff had been contemplating q
trip West In the hope Of benelting bis isil.
Ing health. With this object In view, be
called upon Mr.. j. NJ. Clouston, OF this city,
who is an uncle OF Mrs. WoodrutE, tbs day
before his departure for the West, and III.
tempted to make an arrangement by which
Mr.. U!ouston would attend 10 bis business at
Glen Esston during hla absence. He taid be
ex pected to be gone SIX weeks or less. Mr..
Clouston could not attend 10 hts businots for
him, but promised to 60 out once u week or
80 aud give 1t his supervision. He suggested
that II brother Of Harvey's Lying ut Cameron,
might DO induced to take charge OF the store.
This did not seem to meet with Mr.. Wood
rutI's approval. Tho next MIR. Clouston
knew OF him, he rscsiyed intelligence the
next day that lie had disappeared, When
here be had said that he would not leave for
at least q week. When he failed TO return
home from his visit to Wheeling, inquiries
were set on foot which led to tho discovery
that he had been seen at Newark.
@ NO FINANCIAL TROUBLES.
As soon as 1t became generally known that
Woodruff had disappeared Joseph speidel
Il Co., OF this city, got an attachment on
some money he had In the Exchange bank,
to secure 4 bill he owed them for goods.
simon Baers' Sons AID Robert Simpson ssnt
ed to make arrangements with Mrs, Wood.
ruff for accounts due them but failing, swore
ont attachments on the stock, aud the store
wac put In the hands OF the sheriff OF Mar.
uhsll county. lie and Mr.. Clous'on made
an inventory OF the stock, finishing II yes
terday. 1t showed $4,000 worth OF goods on
hand, exclusive Of large book AGO cunts, which
are perfectly good. He owed but about
&C. coo, and he took with him at least 5000,
possibly twice that sun Besides this he
OWES a fine building worth at least 50, 900,
and WAS doing a prosperous and profitable
business. So that 1t was not financial troubles
which led him to leave SO Suddenly and I'M
cersmoniously.
kUMoIs ABOUT THE CASE.
As usual III such cases there are innumera.
bic ruulors flying about. Some OF Mr.. Wood.
ruhEs neighbors think his mind was affected.
He was in feeble health, and had been over
worked lately. 1t WAS for this reason, and
with the full knowledge and consent OF his
Wits, that he contemplated & western trip.
But he left without making any srrang mont
for the management Of his business, aud q
week sooner than he had expected. Besides
this not q word hss been received from him
since his departure. MIR. Clous,on says be
would not be surprised to hear of his return
any day, though he admits that his continued
silence and his sudden departure arc hard 10
explain except on the hypothesis of aberra.
ton. He had acted in q peculiar manner in
come respects for come time before his de.
parture. ~