Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-04-16
MYsTERIoUsLY KISSING.
People Who are suddenly Swallowed
uDIn ghe CITY.


Every week or two the police are asked
to look ont for some one who has mysteri-
ously disappeared from home. A portrait
of the man or woman who has been sud
denly swallowed up is sent to all the po-
lice stations Of all the large cities Of the
country But usually nothing is ever
again heard from one marked "missing'
on the police record.
The disappearance of Alex. +. Oakley is
one of the mysteries Of the time. He was a
young man Of good family and education,
and had made n reputation as an artist
and designer. He was well known in art
circles. After protracted tour of study
abroad Oakley returned TO this country
and married the daughter of ex-senator
Sprague, of Buffalo. He settled in New
. York where his art work and arcitect-
ural designs procured him situation
with Tiffany g. Co., with whom he was
engaged at the time of his disappear
ance This occurred one Saturday evening
after Oakley had been visiting his family,
who were summering at Bellport, l.. !.
No reason could be found for his commit
ting suicide and his family relations were
of the most happy nature.
A similar case occurred at Syracuse, n.
w imam W. a II
ard architect Of that city, was missed sud-
denly. He was twenty-one years old and,
like Oakley had studied and travelled ex-
tensiyely. No cause can be given for his
disappearance, as both his business and
social relations were agreeable.
Another case is that of young Thomas
W. Fisher son of Thomas j. Fisher, q
prominent real estate broker of Washing
IViCbnr l,n
was in part CT 5hip with his father was at
tentiyo to well-known Baltimore belle. 1t
was his custom in the evening after bust
ness hours to take the fast express to
Baltimore and spend the evening with The
young lady, returning home at midnight
The young people We're engaged, and Fisher
spent all his spare time at her home.
One evening Fisher went as usual to
call upon his intended bride. During his
stay trivial dispute arose, and the young
lady in moment Of piquc declared the
engagement broken off. Fisher left the
house without a word.
The strange disappearance Of S. S.
Conant is still fresh in every ones mind.
Another interesting case was that of
Theophilas YOungs, who was missed from
Boston in 1875. He was a man OF wealth
anu INC GSuul tliOIlS were 1naUc Ill every
direction TO discover his whereabouts.
The search was kept up untirirgly by his
wife until 1881, when she abandoned the
matter and applied for letters Of admins
tratiOn on tie estate. This move brought
out man who claimed to be The missing
one, but Mrs. Youngs refused to recognize
him save as an imEoster. A long suit fol-
lowed over the possession of the dead
mans estate, which was finally cOmpro-
missed.
In addition to these very strange dis
appearances each one Of which created a
II sensation ut the time, there are count
less others. On each occasion rewards
have been offered and every endeavor has
been made 10 fiEd the lost one But the
police seem powerlese to trace these miss
ing persons. That well-knoWn man,
with hosts of friends and acquaintance
can so abs ,lntely disappear from the
community seems almost an imp possibility.
But that such is the case the frequent
disappearances in all metropolitan cities
show. The number Of mysterious disHp-
pearancos in London alone can be deter.
mined from report in 1852, OF the Com.
missioner of Police, which shows that II
men and women suddenly sunk out Cf
I/sight,