The Portland daily press., 1888-01-27
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ABSENT.
The Remarkable Story Told to an Al
bany journal Reporter.

ALBANY, N. Y. Jan. 26.-A romantic
story Of the mysterious disappearance Of
man from his family % years ago, and his
temperance the other day, is the one alb
sorbing topic in the village of Bath-on-the-
Hudson. The story, as told to an Albany
Journal reporter by Mrs. Taylor, is substan-
TALLY as follows:
In 1866 Mr.. and Mrs John G. Taylor lived
with their family, consisting Of three chill
dren-two boys and a girl-ol Second
street, Bath. Mr.. Taylor, who was an in
surance and real estate agent, did a good
business and took excellent care Of his fami-
ly. One day he visited relatives at West
Sandlake. with the intention Of returning to
his family, but was never seen by them or
any Of his friends until Wednesday Of last
week, when he called upon his wife, who
lives in rooms over Sutcliff's grocery store,
In Bath. Knocking at the door, he told
Mrs. Taylor that he understood she was
seamstress, and inquired If she would make
some shirts for him. She agreed to do so.
and the husband sat down with his oyercoat
and hat on, and engaged in conversation
with the lady, who sat at work at sewing
machine. He seemed much interested In the
woman and inquired If she was widow.
II suppose l am" she replied, ''as l have
not heard from my husband in over twenty
years"
"But it is possible he may come back to
you," continued the stranger, in quiet
tone.
swell, he needn't" returned Mrs. Taylor.
in an animated tone. ''If he is living ard
has remained away these twenty-five
years without letting me hear from him he
may continue to do so.
At this point the landlord came in to ask
for the rent, and as 1t was before the 18th of
the month she was not prepared to meet 1t.
and so informed him. Despite the prOtes-
tions of Mrs. Taylor the supposed stranger
paid the rent, with the understanding that
she could settle when he received the shirts.
Mrs. Taylor says that some moments before
this time she was quite sure that the man
she was talking with was her husband, and
few moments afterward, as he rose to 60,
she suddenly asked, Are you not John
Taylor?" Taken almost by surprise, he adj
mitted that he was, and was about to ad-
vance toward her when she coClly pointed TO
a chair and asked him to be seated and ex-
plain his absence.
lie did so, telling long and romantic
story Of being drugged by strangers and ear
ried to hospital in Jersey City, where ne
found on recovering consciousness he had
been robbed and was suffering from severe
bruises He remained there three years,
meanwhile writing a number of letters to his
wife and friends. explaining his situation u
them. These were never received, and he
was regarded as dead. After he left the hos
pital he was hit in the back Of the head with
heavy stick of wood by man who mistOOk
him for another person, and his skull was
fractured. The blow rendered him insane for
six years. Upon recovering health he
thought his friends never wanted to see him
again, as they had not answered his letters,
and he went West, where he made and lost
several fortunes. He has lately resided In
Cleveland, where has made comfortable
little fortune in the insurance business. He
is now living in Albany, where he will soon
has no doubt as to his story, and believes
his sufferings have been greater than her
own. He is in the best of health, though in
his sixty-third year.