Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-26
OTTERSON' IS OUTING,
lie at Length Thinks of Writ
ing to His Friends.
WHATH HIS WIFE N0WSAYS.
An Allegheny Woman Supposed to
Know of His Whereabouts.
HE WAS A CONFIRMED DYSPEPTIC,
Which May Have Affected His Mind and
Caused Him to Wander.
IE WAS A CONFIRMED DYSPEPTIC,
A CURIOUS LETTER TO HIS PARTNER

six weeks after his departure from this city.
Otterson's partner, Mr.. Harry Swindell,
also received letter from him on the same
day, in which he said, after dealing at
length with private matters, that he had no
intention of again returning to Allegheny,
but giving no clew to his future movements
or indicating in any way his plans for the
future. Both letters bore date of the 10Th
of the present month, and were postmarked
the 2Sd, and the interval between the in
ternal date and that of the official stamp,
period of seven days. would seem to in
dlcate that the letters were written at
distance and forwarded to some person in
this city to be mailed. Where this mys-
terious gentleman is, or what he is doing, is
stIll matter Of conjecture, but if his wife
and business partner have no knowledge of
his whereabouts, there seems to be one per-
son, and that, too, a woman, who could if
she would, furnish q clew to his present
abiding place.
Mr.. Harry Swindell was asked Yesterday
if the conjecture was true that Otterson was
, in Paris; that he was there with former
female resident of Allegheny, and whether
there was any cause of domestic or bust
ness character which might have induced
him to take such prolonged vacation. He
said:
81 am at as complete loss to account for
my partners disappearance as anyone could
be. 1 know of no reason for his taking this
step, and only know of his movements
Just as much as is contained in his letter to
me on Tuesday, in which he said that he
had left Allegheny, and had no intention of
returning. Our business relations we're on
friendly basis, and We were doing a brisk
trade, and know with regard to his family
affairs, that he and his wife were much at
tached, and that his wife thought the world
of him.
HE is NOT IN PARIS.
1.-THE idea OF his being in Paris is all fool
ishness, and so is that about his being ac-
companied there by woman. If YOU ask
me where be is I say 1 don't know, but 1
am inclined TO the opinion that he has gone
West. / am sick and tired of being spoken
to about this case, and l wish the newspa-
pers would let up on the free advertising
they are giving me. No, 1 have no state
ment to make that would care to see pub
hShed'
Mr.. Swinde1 was asked to produce the
letter, but this he declined, stating that it
contained private matter and was only
about eight lines in length
call was then made on Mrs. Otterson at
her house. She did not display auv hesi-
tation an speaking about her husbands dis
appearance, but was very much affected
when speaking of their family relations
which, she said, were of the most cordial
kind. Mrs. Otterson is a young lady of
prepossessing appearance but looks very
much worn by the continued eccentricities
of her husband
In reply to a question as to when she last
heard from Mr. Otterson, she said:
Il heard of him for the first time since he
went away on last Tuesday, Just six weeks
to day, since he LETT Union station for
New York. Mr.. Swindell came up here on
that morning and asked me if 1 had heard
from Gus, stating that he had just received
letter from him. 1 told him 1 had not,
and he gave me the letter to read. 1t was
pretty long, and wound up by saving that
MIR. Otterson would not again return to live
IN Allegheny. 1t was dated the 10th of
SeA nber, and had no address. Shortly
after the letter carrier came with a letter to
me from my husband. 1t also was without
address, but was dated the 10th and the
postmark on the cover was that of the 3d."
Mrs, Otterson here produced the letter,
but declined to allow it to be read. 1t was
hall sheet of ordinary note paper such as
is used for foreign correspondence, and
written only on one side The cover bore
no clew to the maker, but the water mark
was that of an American manufacturer,
Mrs. Otterson read the conclusion, which
read as follows:
am away from everybody. 1 shall spend
the balance OF my life away from Allegheny
The balance of my life will be spent among
strangers. So goodbye.
HIS HANDWRITING.
"The letter is certainly Mr.. Otterson's
writing" continued the lady, "but it is not
at all in the manner he is in the habit of
writing. He always writes exactly as he |
speaks, In CHEEKY, straightforward way,
and this is so different that only that / |
know his hand l would not believe that it |
came from him. 1t does not say a word |
about where he is or what he intends doing. |
and is not by any means an affectionate |
letter. L cannot conceive any reason for |
Mr.. Otterson's strange absence We had a |
comfortable home, never had any unpleas-
antness, and as for me, thought the world |
of him; thought nothing too good for him.
He was doing good business and had not |
an enemy in the world. He had hosts of |
. friends, and was fine fellow, well liked bv
all who knew him. As to his continued |
absence 1t is mystery to me, and l can
assign no reason for it. The very dav
before he went away 1 helped to pack
his valise, and we were on the most
friendly terms He asked me if 1 would
not go along with him and take a
two weeks vacation trip, but as wanted
to be here for the wedding Of a relative |
told him to go by himself Before this
was always in the habit of accompanying
him on his trips. He was to 20 to New
York on business and was to be away four
days, but before be went l agreed with him
that be ought to take two weeks, and he
finally concluded to do So and so it was ar
ranged.
Had he much money? Yes, quite sum.
] counted it for him on the table, and it
amounted to $125. said it was quite sum
TO take away for two weeks, but he said a
man never knew what expense be would
incur in travelling. He went away in the
best of spirits did not see him of, but
one of his friends from the store went with
him to the Union depot. 1 understood he
booked to New York, have not seen or
heard from him since that time up to last
Tuesday"
"You had no reason TO suppose that Mr..
Otterson was otherwise than sound in
mind"
oTTERSoN WAS DYSPEPTIC.
"That has been troubling me for some
time. Mr.. 0tterson suffered greatly from
dyspepsia; in fact, he was q chronic dys-
peptic, and it occurred to me the other day
TO ask the doctor who attended him whether
the disease ever affected the brain, and he
said that II sometimes did very seriously.
Anyway, my husband seemed to me to be
IN the best of health when be departed. |
During the two weeks knew he would be
away was rather worried that be did not
write to me, but did not attach any import
Rnce to it. as i WAS aware he had q distsfa I,