New-York tribune., 1885-01-29
LOOKING FOR s. s. CONANT.
THE wELL.KNOwN EDITOR DISAPPEARS.

Weekly usually occupied by ). ). COnant, the man
aging editor, has been vacant for more than week.
A few of his intimate friends have known for
some length of time that this due to his unex-
planned disappearance and within the last few days
the matter has been talked of in more than ono
literary circle. The lingering hope of his family
that Mr. Conant would return at any moment, and
the natural avoidance of what might prove un-
necessary publicity, have combined however, to pre-
vent any open reference to the matter. 1t is be-
leved now that further cOncealment of the truth is
unnecessary.
week ago last Friday Mr.. Conant was detained
at his office until nearly o'clock. Though this
was two hours later than his usual time OF depart
ure. there nothing extraordinary in the fact. as
Friday The eekly for the following week goes to
press and there is always rush of work. Since
that hour Mr.. COnant has not been seen bv any Of
his intimate friends relatives He had made ar
rangements to accompany his on visit to Albany
where they to stay with the editor OF q well
known Albany daily newspaper leaving New-foIS
by late train Friday night aud retu ming the fol-
lowing Monday. As up to a late hour on Friday
night Mr.. Conant had not como home, his family
imagined that some business of importance had de-
tanned him IN New-York and made postponement
of his journey to Albany necessary. When morning
arrived, however. and he was still absent they be-
gan to feel some alarm, he has always been scru-
movements. Accordingly on Saturday his son came
to New-York from Brooklyn, where Mr. Conants
home is and tried to find out what had become OF
his father His quest was unsuccessful, and both he
and Mrs. Conant began to feel serious alarm.
especially the missing mans habits have Tor years
been extremely methodical and regular Atter
spending an anxious Sunday and Monday they
took the advice of friends and put the matter into
the hands of the Pinkertons, not neglectng, how
ever, to follow up every cew themselves
One or two friends positively stated that they
had seen Mr. Conant in New-York on Saturday. A
tobacconist near the NewYork side of Fulton Ferry.
from whom Mr.. COnant frequently purchased
cigars, said that he had seen the missing man on
Monday. and still another acquaintance declared
that be ore noon on Tuesday he had seen INN down
town On ednesday K. X. Sinclair Mr. Conants
assistant mad the following personal advertised
which it was hoped would meet with some reply:
Tos s. CAS- a friend and brother. earnestly ask
YOU TO come home II. and I. both sick from grief
and anxiety II YOU communicate with he, any trouble
will easily be arranged r. X, Box 5O9 Post once.
No answer however, has been received. and little
of in. portance concerning Mr.. Conants movements
has since been learned save that on Tuesday JAM
nary % four days after he left the Office, person
answering closely to his description bought ticket
TO Jacksonville Florida, at ticket Office IN tho
Astor House. As Mr.. Conant has many friends in
/ u,
probable that he has gone TO visit them. That no
has not vet reached jacksonville by no means dIs-
poses of this theory, as the ticket purchased was
available for fifteen days after date or issue, and
aye the holder the privilege of stopping over at any
| place the journey.
HIS MIND THOUGHT TO BE DISTURBED.
| Mrs Conaut Who is well known as a poet trans
lator and authoress is completely broken down by
the ong-continued nervous strain She preferred
] .l'g.1 i taaa sfar-
day when seen at her home, No. 22 Wllow-st,
Brooklyn. Her son, Thomas Conant. is about
twenty-four years of age. He is an electrician in
| the employ of the Edison Electric Light Company,
as superintendent of central stations but he has
not been actively employed for some months He
said Yesterday: 81 have felt the strain of the last
week very severely. for we have not had any
definite tdngs of my father since he left the otico
a week ago last Friday. For long time his health
has been far from good, and he had promised to
| take a neelful rest very shortly. can only hope
! that he has wandered of somewhere III search Oh
! rest while he was in state of temporary mental
! alteration
From An intimate friend of the family, who for
! some Years has occupied the same house, IL was
! learned that Mr. COnants mental condition has for
! several months caused much anxiety 10 those VINO
| knew him. tie was troubled with sudden lapses or
memory. and after conyersng clearly and ln'eili-
gently on a subject for some time would soon after
recur TO It again with a complete iorgetiulneSs OF
any former reference to il. That this was due en-
| tlreiy TO oyer-wOrk and the haolt ol hecplhs dto
! hours seems plain. In his habits Mr. Conant &c,
corimg To all accounts, was extremely correct ana
regular, that he seldom went 70 Oe" uhtli IolS
! atlcr midnight. Not only had he the oherouS WORK
| of editing the paper with Which, he was Connected,
| hut he had also TO read many manuscripts WliCh
were snDmItted to his employers Tor pupIcatioth.
| Is evenings were often spent az the century CluD,
| OF which ne was an old ana influential member. Az
| the meetings OF the Authors Club, OF when ne Was
one of the original members. he was geherny
present and on those occasions aHolig tne iass
| TO depart lie was present at an autnoIs ,lu"
meeting on the Thursday nlgut before ms usap-
| nrarnuce and several of those present sad yester
| dav that they had noticed his unusual manner ana
| bearing on that occasion. - - ,.
| MIR Conant is about htty-hve years OF age aoout
five feet ten inches tall, and of striking appearance
He wears a heavy brown mustache, sllshtD stteaheu
with gray, which meets the sllght Deaid. nIs eyes
arr, nray He wore dark business SUIT, biue over
| ro,t n black Derby hat, and a White SILK nnuier
ar"nnu his neck More than twenty years ago Air
Conant began his journalistic career III thls city as
Tenort,r for Ihe Ae,c- York Times. In 1863, when
! Mr smonton, then managing editor, Iesigned nis
| nos tIon Nh COnant succeeded hlm' Shoi'Iy aitsr
Mr. Raym0nd's death Mr. Conaht resisne,i' a,u as as
snmrI iue managing editorship of l.drPers Ueekiy
| lie was always IA hard worker and h's nataraiy
str1ng constitution tempted nim to be careless OK
An old friend speaking of him YESTERDAY, said:
| have noticed change IN Coh"hl ior many
uontlts mast. Not only did lie 0ycrwoik hiillsch
svstemrticay, but he made il a practice TO slt up
unt the small hours tAs he was always at ms aesk
| b,. a in rho morning this left him with but lew
61urs for sleep think he has probably started 70
see some friends in the country teeHng tue he.u VI
| rest and his mind being in "A Disturbed cohdition'
| he has stopped somewhere on the road. -
~ smnerntcndent Bangs of Pinkertons Agency.
said: ave have the matter IN hahG ouI ,,anU ,,u
promised our employers to say nothing whatever luz
| publication about It. . - ., ,,hors,
| several members of the Century and AUTHORS
Clubs were seen. and all agree III SAYING Una. LIN Va
| tbcir onnion Mr.. COnant was the last man whom
| they should have suspected of mental disturbances
| lie was IA general favOrte among All us a.Iu.mpi, III
! cIea, .headed Those who know MN more , IntI-
! .sa,,t,, however that his mlnd has eYlutntiy