Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-04
LOCAL LINES.
Strange Disappearance of
Edmond Rochester.
THE CHILDREN GO WITH HIM.
A New Presbyterian Church Formed
Last Night-The Amuse
ment Record.
LOCAL LINES.
THE CHILDREN GO WITH HIN

Business men about town will readily
recall the identity of Edmond Rochester,
who, as a member of the firm of Roches-
ter & Leighton, real estate operators,
opened an office on Main street some
two years ago. The firm did we'll, as
was usual in those days, and Mr..
Rochester established himself a pleasant
home on Brooklyn Heights, for he was a
married man, having led to the altar in
the spring of 1882, Miss Jennie Williams,
well-known belle of San Francisco.
They had two children as result of their
union and were apparently living happily
together, and it was a shock to their
social acquaintance when Mrs.
Rochester one day commenced pro-
on the part of her spouse.
She obtained a temporary judgment and
they separated, but the change was evi-
IDENTIFY not agreeable to Mr.. Rochester,
who had in the meantime dissolved part
nership with Mr.. Leighton for the pur-
pose of joining hands with Mr.. Calkins
on Fort street, where the two opened a
real estate and insurance agency. He
made proposals to his former wife to live
with him again and in some manner,
which was not made public, peace was
patched up and the trouble was appar-
emily at an end. On the 18th of August
Mr.. Rochester announced to his business
partner that he had decided to clear up
his affairs and leave the city, 80 the part.
nership was duly dissolved and seven
days later the Rochester family were
on board train which was spinning
merrily away to San Diego. They did
not stay long at the Southern city, how
ever, for on the following Tuesday they
paid their hotel bill and started for San
Francisco, where they arrived on Thurs
day last. Seated in Palace hotel bus
they made their way to that magnificent
building where they registered and were
assigned apartments. Mr.. Rochester
suggested that they should all take baths
to remove the stains OF travel before pro-
ceeding to the dining room. So the
children we're washed first and then Mrs.
Rochester entered the bathroom, her
husband telling her as she did SO that he
intended to take the children out while
waiting and get them some candy. The lit
tie ones shoutedlgood- oye to their mother
before they went, and as soon as she had
fpished her bath she went to the parlor
to await their return. Two hours elapsed
but they came not, and as the hours OF
the clock slowly moved around, the
anxious mother began to realize that she
had been tricked. She proceeded to
make inquiries as to the direction her
husband had taken, but beyond the fact
that he had left the hotel accom- panied
by the children, no one knew anything
of his whereabouts. When night came
and still the absentees did not return, a
search was established for them, but up
to last night it had been in vain. 1t is
thought by many that Mr.. Rochester has
taken the children with him to Honolulu
or some other available place. and it is
said that although he has about $1,000 or
81, 900 with him, his wife will have but a
very small balance when she clears up
the mortgages on the property that has
been left in her hands,