Huntsville gazette., 1885-04-25
DISAPPEARANCES.
A Few Of the Gases Which Have
Bafded th. Detectives.
Mary Rogers, "lir Esstty Cigar Girl-The
Husband OF Mrs. Maynard e. Sangs-
ter-Ralph Keeler and His
Sudden Departure.

The mysterious disappearance of
Stillman S. Conant has naturally
drawn attention to disappearance of
that kind in this community. They
have been SO startlingly frequent here
of late that numberless wives are ner-
vous on the subject, fearing every
morning when their husbands go away
they may not return. This refers, of
course, to such women as are harmoni-
ously married. One instance, if prom
inent and published, appears to produce
others, and such an effect is explioable
by cerebral laws. Mysterious disap-
pearances have been feature of the
winter. There have been scores Of
them since the 1st of December, but
only few have attracted any notice
because they have concerned persons
of some consequence. Men and women
disappear here almost every day, but
being in the lowest walks of life, their
names do not even get into the news
papers. It is hard to imagine that
people so poor and forlorn exist, but
there are thousands of them in this
city. Their destiny is little better than
that of beasts. They toll and starve
and perish. and hardly any one knows
or cares when they pass away. Help
less, hopeless, friendless-why were
they ever bornp
It is extraordinary how many per-
sons of position, character and inf1u-
ence disappear. Their disappearance
creates commotion at first; the news
papers are full Of it for day or two.
Then some other, perhaps greater
sensation, arises, and the disappearance
slips out of the public mind. Stillman
Conant's case is. very singular. Being
a journalist, club man, and having a
host of friends and acquaintance,
the newspapers have printed much
concerning him. But the dyna-
mite explosion in Grand street and the
attempt to kill O'Donovan Rosa threw
the Conant incident into the shade. If
you should inquire next month, "What
do you suppose became of Conantp"
the average citizen would remark:
''Conant-who is he?" -.,-.
twenty-five years ago the husband
of a lady, now widely known as an
author and editor, went out to lunch
con from his Office in lower Broadway,
expecting to return in half an hour,
and was never seen again alive. Not
the least trace of him could be found,
although the police and detectives la
bored for months on the case. The
moment he reached the street he
seemed to be swallowed up, as if the
earth had opened and gulped him
down. A good while after, his body
was discovered in the bay; it would not
have been recognized but for certain
papers ON his person. Whether he had
committed suicide or fallen into the
water and been drowned, or robbed
and thrown into the river, nobody
could tell. There were various theories
on the subject, though none of them
were satisfactory. We refrain from
mentioning names. The bereaved lady
is still widow, and still 1aments her
loss. N E
The husband. of another literary
woman, Mrs. Margaret E. Saqgster,
disappeared from Brooklyn fifteen
years ago, and the mystery has never
been dispelled. He had been suffering
from headache-it was the evening Of
July fand the noise of fire-crackers,
pistols and small arms disturbed him
sorely. He said, the weather being
bo< That Ia would nro o,rf ~, tho c<nor,
for a breath of fresh air. The hour
was nine, and he had on DRESSING
gown. which was enough, one might
think, to distinguish him any
where. He did not expect to
leave the stoop. But where he
went or what became of him continues
to be a dead secret. Inquiry, search,
rigorous investigation were fruitless.
Not the slightest intimation of his fate
has ever been received. He. too, was
a lawyer, man of contented DISPOSE
ton. the soundest sense, vigorous
health and perfect balance. He was
devoted to his wife and had every rea-
son to enjoy and preserve his life. 1t
is hardly possible to construct theory
that will explain this case, which is one
of the strangest on record. To disap-
pear eternally and untraceably from
doorsteps in crowded street early in
the evening, within the shadow of ones S
own home, and in suoh garb as any
body must notice. defies all probability.
Such an incident put into work of tic-
ton would be pronounced absurd.
O'Neill. q very weA-kaoWn boot and
shoe dealer on Sixth avenue, middle
aged. a manof family, sober: intelli-
gent habits, prosperous. disapp
twelve or fourteen years ago, and left
no more yestige than i he had leaped