The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-11-21

Sneed'S s recent TRIP from Detroit to Europe,
it has been claimed, as every citizen knows,
that Mr.. Sneed was insane and that his
family have taken him away so that the par
ticulars Of his malady shall mot be known.
AS this rumor has gained currency on the
street, the object of this article is to give an
exact account of what really happened to
Mr.. Sneed, and put an end TO the damaging
rumors which may have effect on the bank
ing business of the firm of Sneed & Bran
well, and only say what every citizen in
Detroit knows, that the commercial stand
ing of the firm is as secure as that of the
Bank Of England
Those who knew Mr.. Sneed know that he
was man of business. Although he was
so wealthy he did not keep steam yacht
nor even an extra fine carriage. These
facts, which show the unostentati0usness of
Mr.. Sneed's character, have been said by
his enemies to denote meanness. But there
was nothing mean about Mr.. Sneed, as his
liberal donations to the Sneed College Of
Technology showed Those who did not
know Mr.. Sneed intimately have been heard
to remark that he was man who had never
been boy. 1t is true that he was a very
serious man and that with him business was
business and never was intermixed with
any frivolty. The fact that Mr.. Sneed
never tolerated one only shows that he had
not frivolous mind, and besides, there are
very few Jokes nowadays that are worth
tolerating anyhow Mr.. Sneed has been
taken for man sixty-five or seventy years
OF age, but in reality was only flfty-nine at
the time the incident happened which gave
rise to the rumor of his insanity. Mr.. Sneed
had remarked to his family that morning
that he was beginning TO feel very old, and
he spoke to his son, who is employed IN
Sneed 65 Br4mwell's bank, of the possibil
ity of young John Sneed soon being the
head of the house.
The first symptoms that any thing was
wrong was noticed by John Sneed as he
stood at the cashiers desk that afternoon.
1t was his fathers custom to leave the bank
about four O'clock and he used to walk out
of the bank in very dignifed manner,
never noticing the salutation of his en-
ployes as he passed them. This popularity
gave Mr.. Sneed the reputation Of being
naughty towards those whom he employed,
but such an imputation was an unjust one,
as every one who knows Mr.. Sneed person
ally is aware. On the evening in question
John Sneed noticed his father, as he said
afterwards, sneak out of the bank. He
seemed to be trying to elude observation,
and when he got to the door that leads into
the public part of the bank he suddenly
stopped down so that his head was not
visible above the counter, and ran swiftly
out close beside the counter so that nobody
on the other side could have noticed his
exit.
The cashier, however, who had seen his
strange actions before he got into the pub
lie part of the bank, leaned over and
caught sight of his fathers back as he
dashed past the cashiers window This so
alarmed his son that, calling young Mr..
Bramwell to take the cashiers desk, he put
on his hat and started in pursuit of his
father. 1t was a couple of hours before
John Sneed saw his father, and then he
found him in an alley off one of the back
streets, playing baseball with lot of boys
who seemed in high glee to have the old
man with them. When John Sneed ap
peared in the alley he heard one of the
boys shout;
''Mr Sneed, here's your son." And in.
stantly Sneed, who was at the bat, dropped
the stick and ran. The boys scattered
all over the place. and Sneed was seen TO
climb fence in the rear of Mr.. William
Smiths residence, and, dashing through
the shrubbery, escaped by the front gate.
When John Sneed reached Mr.. Smiths
house no trace of the old man was to be
found.
Young Sneed did not know what to do
He did not wish TO call in the aid of the
police for fear of the publicity which such
an action would cause. After an ineffect-
ual search, lasting till dark, John Sneed
went home TO his residence on Woodward
avenue and consulted with his brother,
Jacob Sneed, Jr., as to what it was best to
do. 1t was agreed not to alarm the family,
but after supper to continue the search and
call in the aid of detective if thought
necessary. After supper, while John and
Jacob, Jr., were in the hall, the cook came
through from the back and told John in
whisper that their father had appeared at
the door few moments before and had