Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-22
THE BROWN MYSTERY.
WHEREABOUTS OF EDGAR T. BROWN,
A PROMINENT CITIZEN,
UNKNOWN.
Strong Indications that BE has Been Foully
Dealt With and Robbed Of His
Money and JeWelry.
His Blood Stained and Battered Hat and
Supposed Weapon Of the Murder
Found Near His Home-A
Suspicious Wagon Seen
in that Locality.
No Apparent Foundation for the Theory
That He has Acknowledgements
Parties - Rewards offered. .
Financial Condition.
RunOrS.

the mysterious disappearance saturday
night of Edward T. Brown, a well known
real estate man and one of the crack shots
of this county.
Mr.. Brown left his home on Arkansas
avenue Saturday morning, coming down
to his place of business in buggy, which
was driven back by his boy. Not return
ing that night or the next morning his
wife became very uneasy, and Sunday
morning about o'clock drove down to the
Sedgwick, where it has been his custom to
wait for his children to come from Sunday
school, and then accompany them home
She called Mr.. Solomon out to the buggy
and with tears in her eyes, enquired if he
had seen Mr.. Brown, that he had not been
at home the night before, and as he had
never remained away over night, she did
not know what to think. Mr. Solomon,
telling her that he had not seen him, she
drove away. When within half block Of
her home she was attracted by seeing
hat hanging upon bush by the roadside,
and alighting to inspect it was Mortified to
find her husbands name clearly written
upon the lining, deep cut as If from the
rear and spots of blood upon the inside.
She grabbed it up and ran fearfully
excited to her neighbors, R. 7. Beams, of
the Fourth National hank, and told him of
her discovery. Mr.. Bean Immediately had
Sheriff Hays and the proper authorities
notified and an investigation was COM
menced
The hat found had been placed upon
the bush by man named Perkins who
had passed the spot early in the morning;
he had seen it lying along the road side
dusty, battered and cut as described but
not thinking of its significance had hung
il there for its owner to take away. Near
the place where the hat was picked up
were found piece of beefsteak tied up in
brown paper and freight car pin of the
Missouri Pacific railroad. They were
found on the east side of the road about
half way between the street railroad
track on Seventeenth street and the
Brown homestead at the corner of Eigh-
teenth and Arkansas. There are no houses
in the block; good sized trees fifteen feet
apart are on one side OF the
walk and ON the side nearest the
road and clumps of bushes. Opposite are
soUue tall trees upon the river bank, which
is here about twelve or fifteen feet high
and somewhat precipitous, and quite a
thick growth of bushes and shrubs that
would form an excellent concealment for
anyone, especially at dusk or after dark.
The hat was crushed near the top of the
crown, almost Immediately in the back.
The cut was about two inches in
length The blood showed quite plainly
upon the white lining and was immedi-
ately beneath the cut.
The news spread rapidly and soon there
was gathered quite crowd, all anxlously
investigating the matter and looking for
the missing man. Mrs. Brown had be-
come Frustrated from the severe shock and
was almost unconscious of what was
taking place. Those who sought her to
get any explanation or clue were refused
admittance, upon the advice of the physi-
clan. Still she appeared as ignorant as
anyone else of the fate of her husband.
Many theories were advanced and the
street car drivers and every other person
likely to have seen him the night before
were sought out and questioned.
He had come into the Sedgwick billiard
hall between and 7:30 and paid IS cents
he owed there for cigars. He had pur-
chased some beef steak at meat market
on North Main and had taken the street
car above the Occidental hotel. In the
car were also Mr.. Coulter, DR.. Hinsdale
and Monte Hallowell son of Colonel Hal
lowell He was seen alight from the car
at the crossing of Arkansas avenue, just
east of the Seventeenth street bridge, and
observed walking homeward for about ten
or fifteen feet and was then lost sight Of
in the darkness. 1t is supposed that while
he was walking rapidly on towards his
home. from which he could see the lights
shining out brightly in the darkness, that
a man crawled out of the bushes and
slipped up behind him. 1t was cool night,
his heavy fur overcoat collar was turned
up about his ears and he was walking
quite rapidly, all unconscious of danger.
The assassin crept upon him, dealt the
blow with the car pin from the rear and
insensible he dropped without struggle
TO the ground. 1t was quite early in the
night and Arkansas avenue is a
much travelled thoroughfare, it
would then consume too much time to re-
move his valuables, a diamond stud col
lar button cuff buttons and gold watch,
the earnings of the crime, and he must be
taken away. 1t was too dark to look up
the hat which had rolled some distance
away, nor the beef setak which had fallen
near where Brown had dropped; the car
pin was placed upon the ground in order
to more readily remove the body and left
there. Perhaps hack or vehicle of some
kind was standing near by to assist in car
rying away the body. Who was this as
sassins Evidently tall man from the
position of the cut upon the hat. He had
seen Brown wearing the diamonds and
watch and by observing his habits knew
that he always wore these. A professional
thug, too, perhaps, who had concealed the
body knowing that while the hunt for
it was taking place he could easily man
age to escape If he could have successful
ly concealed the remains then how could
he be convicted of murder even if caught
selling the gems when the body of the
deceased could not be produced?
The search for the body Sunday after
noon was fruitleSs, and it was recon-
menced in earnest yesterday morning, and
before night all conceivable places where
man could have been thrown on either side
of the two rivers and Chisholm creek were
searched.
At 2 in the afternoon large number of
men and boys on horseback and on foot
collected on Arkansas avenue just above
Seventeenth, where the murder is sup
posed to have been committed, and from
thence they separated into detachments
and made thorough search Of the coun-
try lying north and northwest Of the city
six miles into the country. Charles
Smyth, with twenty-five men, went up
between the rivers. Mark Oliver, with
other leaders, took a force of about fifty