Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-22
THE MISSING nookkEEPER.

THE MISSING BOOKKEEPER. MT. FOgg, of Dunbar, FOgg & Co, is of
 the Opinion the Bookkeeper, Robert
 M. Christie, Has Gone to Scotland-I
 A Premeditated Flight.
 MT. Fogg. of the firm of Dunbar, Fogg & | Co.,, for whom the missing Scotchman, Rob- | ert M Christie, was bookkeeper, said last | evening: I have not heard from MT. Christie l and don't expect to, as he will never come back to this city again disgraced as he is. think, however, that his folks, who live in Chelsea, Mass, know where he is, or at least that he was going away, or else one of them would have been here or have been more anxious about him, and all the word have received was from his sister Jessie, saying in answer to my telegram that Robert was not at home Since then have written them two letters asking them to let mo know if he was alive, and telling them that did not want te know where he was hiding as I shall not follow him, but do not like to think that he is wandering tramp like over the country In hiding. Robert came to work for me about four years ago, coming from James Wood & Co.'s office in Boston, I having known him about five years previous to this. paid him $1 ,OOO year and never had the least fault to find with his work, and, although he may have taken small sums of money at different been over $1O0 or $2OO, and, for my part, T don't want to think that he took any money, but shall put an expert to work on the books to-day to satisfy myself on the matter. Anyway 1 shall not bring criminal charge against him if do find some money missing. Late ly I have noticed that Robert was absent minded, and when I would speak to him about some business matter he would look at me for moment in dszed sort of 8 way and then answer nay question. l have also noticed that he would sit for several minutes
 with his head between his hands and stare
 vaeantly before him, and at times have thought his mind was unbalanced. Since have heard however, that he was inclined to be dissipated, thing which l don't like to believe of him. think he tried to re- form, but could not break off the habit, and that the disgrace of the thing worried him SO that he left the town as he did. That he spent his money lavishly I know nothing about, but he never seemed in need of money and never asked for his salary until it was due, having paid him up to February 1. That Robert intended leaving l know, be- cause about two weeks ago he brought to the office an empty green hand d-satchel, which he placed in the back room, and from time to
 time would bring down small packages
 from his boarding house at No. 108 York street, until the bag was filled. One week
 ago Wednesday Robert tried to leave us sud
 denly, intending to tska the 7.30 am. express for New York. Orr once boy Johnnie" goes to the Derby depot every morning to obtain can of p-llk for MT. Oviatt which his father senos in to him every morning from Orange On that Wednesday as the
 boy was coming from the depot he met Rob- ert going towsrds the depot with the green satchel over his shoulder and a silk umbrella
 T-I. 4@
 when Robert changed his mind and turning went back to the ofice to work until he got another opportunity, which when it came last Tuesday night he made the most of and skipped He was at his boarding house on Tuesday noon, and ate hearty dinner, but he did not go to supper I left him in the office about six o'clock on Tuesday evening writing at his books and he must have left short while after that, for at twenty minutes of seven o'clock friend of his met him on Grown street and tried to speak with him, but Robert lodged him and five minutes later he seen to enter one of 'sKenney's" cabs at the corner of Center and Church streets with the satchel and two overcoats and an umbrella, and to be driven towards the depot, and l think that he took the 7 p. m. train for New York, and on Wednesday morning took passage in steamship for Scotland, his native land. On Wednesday
 
 did not put in an appearance thought noth- ing about it, as he had often been away day on account of illness. Thursday, however,
 when learned that he had not been to his
 boarding place on Wednesday, l began to look around but the books appeared all right, and as found $500 I left in a drawer on Tuesday afternoon, and where Robert knew it was, I came to the conclusion that he was not a thief or he would have taken the $500 also. At his boarding place he had left everything as if he was going to return except that on the table was an envelope ad- dressed to his landlady, which contained $12 for a weeks board which was due on We'd | nesday The landlady thought at first that he would come, but now she desires to hear from his parents so as to know what to do with his personal effects.
 In the middle drawer of Roberts desk at the office, which he had for his own private use, I found the keys with the ex- ception that the key to the office door had I been taken off the ring so as to enable him | to lock the door when he left, and what he l has done with that key I don't know. That we shall soon hear where MT. Christie has gone or at least that he has not made away with himself I most heartily wish, as his l friends will, concluded MT. Fogg as he bid his visitor good night
 "Bob," as his friends call him, was little fellow and a most popular society man. He always dressed in the height of fashion, was I always extremely gentlemanly in the pres i ence of ladies, and while somewhat peculiar, l he was always general fayorite. He was a l member of the Yacht club and also Mason and the members of that order have done 1 everything in their power to find I the missing man but without success, and at late hour last evening nothing had been heard or seen of MT. Christie.
 l Of late he has been dissipating rather strongly and could be seen almost nightly in
 Jake Manns parlors on Chapel street, where l he would sit for hours indulging in into1i- eating drinks, but was never seen to be in 1 toxicated, and it is thought by many that he
 drank only to drown some secret sorrow.