The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-06-29
A MYSTERIOUS "FIND"
On the Banks of Flat Creek by
Chief of Police Wal
ter =. Jackson.

tcI De 5dthSUus
A Suit of Clothes, Two Pocket
books and Some Papers
Discovered,
But Man Supposed to be Arthur
Nj. Freeman Could Not
be Located.
Yesterday morning Chief of Police
Walter S. jackson received informa-
ton that some boys fishing on Flat
creek had found suit of clothes and
a shirt at point quarter OF a mile
east of the narrow gauge bridge, and
on making the discovery they fled in
haste, leaving the clothes behind.
Mr.. jackson and Mr.. Jake Shobe
at once procured a conveyance and
drove to the spot indicated, where they
found the clothing and returned with
it to this city, after having searched
in vain for the party who had cast it
aside for some purpose not known at
this time.
There was a coat, pantaloons and
vest of dark cottonade material, and
brown and white striped hickory
shirt, but neither hat nor shoes. In
the pockets Of the pantalOOns were
found two empty pocketbOoks and a
pen-knife, while in the coat pockets
were railway maps and the following
letter, addressed to "Arthur NJ. Free
man, Roanoke, Virginia:
THE LETTER.
MEADOWS, IDAHO, March Sd, 1886.
DEAR BROTHER ARTHUR:-As / ave
not received a letter from you for some
time, | thought would write few lines
on this, my 9th birthday. Three years
ago landed in Idaho without a cent in
my pocket, having made my way from
Cincinnati this far west. My experience
might be interesting TO you, 30 | will tell
you how / managed to work my way across
the continent.
At Cincinnati / got on Barnum's circus
train and rode to Richmond, Ind, in a
"Golden Chariot" From there / walked
most of the way to indianapolis. Some
times | would wait at water tank for a
freight train and get in box car. When
was walking / would stop at houses on
the way and ask for work. When | came
ID the Illinois Central some men were load
ing baled hay in car. squeezed in be-
tween the hay and top of the car and the
car was locked and sealed. After three
DAYS anc nights | was landed in Cairo pref
ty hungry, as i had eaten nothing since
getting into the car. Not having half
dollar TO pay ferryage across the Missis-
sippi at this point, | went out on the rail-
road and worked on the section few days
and then went back TO Cairo and crossed
over TO Missouri, where / worked all winter
on the Iron Mountain road. The follow
ing summer | went to 81. Louis, drew my
pay and bought ticket for 3 on steam
boat to Kansas City. | noticed that the
further west | got the better the people
seemed to be-that is, they treated me be
ter. Any one can travel through Missouri
and Kansas without cent and make few
dollars as they go along. | stopped some
time in Kansas, then went on to
Colorado. / stopped seven years in Kan
sas and Colorado and il was seven years
thrown away. i then left Denver with a
pass TO Idaho, where | worked for several
on the Oregon Short Line. The
money | made there was worth more 10
me than all had ever made before that,
for Invested ii In Salmon Meadows, where
[ now own real estate v,lued at $1,000,
One-third of which will be worth $4,000
in six or seven years. All have TO do is
to hold on to my land and improve it. 1t
increases in value every year. The i'm |
my neighbor makes on his |
and adds to the value of mine. After |
his summer there will be very little land |
eft for settlers. III you want a home OF |
your own, now is the time for you to come,
DR. the chance OF a life time will he lost. |
hope that when you receive this letter |
you will make up your mind to start at |
,nce for Idaho. Go somewhere and work |
awhile and then travel, it matters not by |
what route, so you travel west. Keep |
travelling every day you can, stop and
work few days, then keep on. All the
clothing you need will be some coarse
working clothes. Don't wear paper col |
ar or a white shirt, and don't lug a great
bundle; you can buy clothes when you
hem. Ii you conclude to come let me
NOW and / will write to you at Denver
md tell you how to get from there to
IDAHO an easy Udy. Remember your
'rother is waiting for you and ready
o help you when you get here. Strike out
oddly and your future is assured. You
an take claim as soon as you get here
md we can work together and help one
mother. Your affectionate brother,
VIM. NJ. FREEMAN.
WAS 1T SUICIDE.
From the above letter it is suppos-
d that the cast off clothing belonged
o Arthur NJ. Freeman, to whom the
nissive was addressed. No such per-