Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-02
WHERE is HE!
Mysterious Disappearance of John
w. Lahiff.
Gone since Thursday Night and No
Trace or Him. Fears that Ie Has
been Drowned.

Much anxiety is felt by the relatives
and friends of John w. Lahiif, the well
known bricklayer of 25l7 Fifth avenue,
who has been missing since Thursday
night and not the least trace of his where
abouts can be found, and fears OF the
worst are uppeTmost in the minds OF
those who saw him last which was at
about 10 o'clock Thursday evening. He
had been assigned the duties of oversees
ing the details and arrangements of the
funeral OF the late Richard Jones, which
occurred yesterday. During the evening
he had been with u number of friends.
He had spoken of going to Davenport
to invite the bricklayers there TO
attend Mr.. Jones funeral. 1t was
a little before 10 o'clock that
he and his friends separated and few
minutes afterward Mr.. LahifT WAS seen
hurrying across the tracks in the c., r.
|. & p. yards, apparently attempting to
catch the southwest tram which had just
pulled out. Those who observed him
thought he was going to Davenport to
invite the bricklayers there to come over
the following day but this was the last
seen of him.
The theory generally advanced now is
that he failed to catch the train and at
to walk across the railroad
bridge over the slough instead of going
down the wagon and foot bridge, and
that he fell through into the river and |
was carried away by the swift current,i in |
which man would be utterly helpless |
since the breaking of the dam. There is
no reason TO believe he would leave town |
without advising someone of his inten
tons, and if he had decided suddenly to |
20. he would certainly have sent word |
back to relatives here upon arriving at
bis destination.
THINKS IT WAS FOUL PLAY.
Mr. Lahiff was single man living with 1
his parents at the number given above.
An ARGUS reporter found the mother,
father and sister OF the missing man al
most distractad with grief and anxiety
this afternoon 1--WE believe it was foul
play" said Miss Lahiff I'VE have heard
from people living down in that neigh>
borhood that the box cars down there are
full of ugly looking tramps, and rs he
had some money with him, it is not all
unlikely that he has been robbed and
YES" broke in the heart
lroben mother. my boy would have re
turned or let me know why he has not
If he was aliYe. He was a good son to
ne, and of late years was the main sup
,ort OF the family"
Mr.. Lahiff conceded with the views of
lis wife and daughter He said he had
cen down and looked at the bridge, and
hat the walk over it was of such width
hat any one might have crossed in safes
y. He had walked across this morning,
e said, and could not believe that his
on had fallen off accidentally, and he
ad no reason to suspect suicide
Numerous rumors and conflicting re- +
orts are prevalent as to where Mr.. Las
if was last seen. One man claimed that ,
e had seen him at the c., r. |. & P.
ound house yesterday morning and an {
Their thought he saw him at the round
ouse the night he disappeared, y
The missing man was born in Ireland
nd was forty three years old March IS h
lst He went into the war at the age of
xteen, and besides being a member of +
ne Grand A rmy, belonged to the A. o.
!. W. society, He had been for some
me foreman in the employ of VIM.
atkinson. the contractor. His father is ,
n aged man and has lived in Rock Isl
nd number of years and works for the
ity upon the streets when he is able to
o so. The family have the sympathy of ,
Il in their anxiety and suspense.