Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-01
MAJOR SMYTH MISSING.
INEXPMCABLE DEPARTURE OF
AN ARMY PAYDIASTER.

detail full particulars Of the affair by
mail.
STORY OF THE FLIGHT.
The first intimatiOn Of the departure of
Paymaster Smyth reached Mr.. Bassett
Monday afternoon, when he called at the
residence of Mrs. Hirschbach, on South
Broad street, where the Major had
suite Of rooms, to take him out for
drive. An inquiry for his friend developed
the information that he had departed from
the house but few minutes previous in
a hack, taking his luggage with him, for a
trip out Of town. Not being aware Of the
Majors intention to depart, Mr.. Bassett
was surprised, and pressed his inquiries
further, when he learned that the affair
was enyelOped in considerable mystery.
LEAVING HIS LODGINGS.
Monday morning MAJ. Smyth informed
Mrs. Hirshbach that he would leave town
that afternoon, and said that as he might
not be back on Jan. l, he would pay her
his rent at once. Having done so, he
packed most of his effects in a cheaply
constructed new trunk, which he
had Just purchased, and rolled a
couple of Overcoats in shawl
and did them up in a strap. The trunk
which he brought to Savannah, a con-
siderable quantity of clothing and several
toilet articles, were lett unpacked about
his bed chamber, apparently indicating
an intention TO return before many days
elapsed. At O'Clock hack drove up TO
the door, the Majors effects were put in
it, be stepped inside, took a seat on the
rear cushion, and was driven rapidly
away.
Mr.. BASsETT'S SEARCH.
Having heard the story Mr.. Bassett
was completely nOnplussed. at first he
was inclined to believe that the Major
had merely gone to one of the suburban
resorts to spend day or two, but the
more he studied the facts the more IN
tenable the theory became. At last he
determined to make a search, and insti-
tuted inquiries concerning his miss
ing superior. All efforts to dis
cover the identity of the hackman
who drove the Major away failed. 1t was
learned at Mrs. HiTshbachs that the driver
was very black man with heavy NOUS
tache, and that his team consisted of a
gray and a brown horse. Inquiries at all
the livery stables in the city ended in
conviction that the conveyance Is owned
in one of two stables, but in each instance
the drivers deny having been employed on
the occasion in question. Whether the
man who filed the engagement was paid
10 maintain secrecy or what is the cause
Of his silence is unknown.
GOVERNMENT FUNDS GONE.
A call at the Merchants National Bank,
where the government funds in Maj.
Smyth's possession were deposited, evoked
the Information that the balance in the
bank, aggTegating a tritle over $1,000, had
all been drawn out shortly before the
close Of banking hours on Monday. Every
effort was made to keep the matter quiet,
and private detectives were employed in
an effort to find the Major and effect a
settlement without publicity. The fail
ure Of these efforts necessitated the noti-
ficatiOn of the Washington authorities,
with the result already detailed.
CAUSE OF THE DISAPPEARANCE.
Those best acquainted with the Majors
affairs are OF the opinion that the eXplana-
ton Of his action is to be found in a series
of financial reverses of which he has
lately been the victim. He is reputcd TO
have lost about S500cn the~fesult Of the
recent Presidential election, and other
ventures OF gaming nature are said
e have depleted his pockets
of almost as much more. Inability
to meet these losses at once are believed
bv the Majors friends to have preyed
upon his mind to such an extent as 10
have made him temporarily irresponsible
for his actions. and while suffering from
an attack of this nature, as his friends
believe. he took the unexplained step
The lucrativenesS of the Majors position,
his salary being about $500 per month,
would have made it a comparatively easy
matter for him to have borrowed from
friends sufficient money to liquidate
every cent of his Indebtedness. Several
well-knOwn gentlemen are mentioned as
having expressed a willingness to have
loaned the Major all the money he
needed. His word was considered as good
L. - Of 10
ever known TO be left long unpaid.
THE MAJORS CAREER.
Mai. Smyth came to Savannah in Feb
ruarY last, having been transferred to this
station from Arizona. Being exceedingly
sOciable in his disposition, and of in
stincts which stamped him I'M
mistakahly as a gentleman to the manner
born he soon made many friends in the
city, and became especially popular
among the young men about town. To
these genial traits of his disposition is tc
be attributed the somewhat fast and
rather eXtravagant style which has been
characteristic of his life during the past
two or three months. The nature OF his du
ties gave him an Overabundance OF leisure
time, which left him open to temptations
from which many young men In less
luxurious positions in life are exempt.
His duties were confined to bi-mOnthly
and st. Augustine, Fla, and to the various
engineers offices along the coast in this
district. The aggregate of the disburse-
ments on these trips was about $4,000.
POSSIBILITIES OF A RETURN.
Many of the friends of the MajOrincline
to the belief that he will eventually re-
turn to the city and show that there
is no dark side to his departure.
The Major in the course of his business
would have departed from the city on his
pay tour on Jan. or 3, and there are not
a few who are of the opinion that he left
the city on this errand day or two pre-
maturely in order to break away from
fast associations with which he had been
identified for several days Immediately
preceding his departure. All are united
in the assertion that his physical con-
ditiOn at the time of his departure was
undoubtedly such as to render him ire
sDOnsible for his actions.
PAID UP HIS DEBTS.
1t is learned that just previous TO leav-
ing the city Major Smyth called at seve-
raj places where he was a creditor and
balanced his bills in full. 1t is believed
that he left very few, if any, local bills
unpaid. A few nights ago, it is related,
a well-knOwn BrOughtOn street faro deal
or took advantage of an opportunity to
form an acquaintance with Major
Smvth when he was somewhat flushed
with wine and inveigled him ints Sn5
gaming room, where, after LOSING all his
ready cash. he became a debtor to the eX-
tent Of 500. AS already inferred all eff
forts TO trace his whereabouts have proved
unsuccessful. From the impOssibility TO
obtain a clue to his presence at any OF the
deDOts il is inferred by some that he
boarded sn outward bound vessel and is
en- route for a foreign shore.
MAJOR sNIYTH's FAMILY.
Major Smyth is a son of the Hon. John
F. Smyth, ex-Superintendento of Insurance
for the State of New York, and one of the
most prominent leaders of the stalwart
faction ofthe Republican party in his State.
superintendent Smyth's relations with
President Arthur are of the most conf
Dental and friendly nature, and it was
doubtless in a measure due to this fact
that Mai. Smyth received his appointment
to his present desirable position
in the army in 1882. While
official business required the Majors
presence in the city at this time, and his
nresent absence from duty without leave
from the department at Washington rem
ders him amenable to military law, MS
return to his post at this Juncture Oh the
affair would doubtless be followed oy eX,
IRENE executive leniency. Even should
the worst fears of the Majors friends be
realized. and his absence develop into de-
falcation, the government would lose moth
ing. the missing officers bOndsmen being
good for an amount compared with which
the sum he has with him would sink into