Wichita eagle., 1889-01-23
STILL A MYSTERY.
DISAPPEARANCE OF E. 7. BROWN
UNEXPLAINED.
A Suspected Character has Fled the City
The Search-S1, 100 Reward Of
fered-Murder the Prevail
ing opinion - Clews
and RumorS.

day was the mysterious disappearance OF
Mr.. Edgar L. Brown on last Saturday
evening. As upon Sunday and Monday,
there were number of theories advanced
but the OVERWHELMING majority tended to
the idea that he had been murdered and
his body disposed of by carrying it to
some remote point. A few still clung to
the idea that he was suffering from tempo
rary alteration of mind and had disap-
peared. but would eventually be heard
from. In some instances such premise
Was based upon a vain hope that the worst
fears of murder would not be realized.
Others, with an indefinite degree of
mingled doubt and suspicion, said it
looked very much like he had absconded.
One old gentleman, whose name and whose
face are familiar to every old resident of
the city, said that ''it was to be hoped
that the man was not dead, but if he were
not and would wantonly leave his family
in such terrible distress, such hope might
be improper"
YESTERDAYS RUMoRS.
AS intimated i'll the EAGLE of yes
of the Little Arkansars river was
reported to have seen, be
tween and o'clock, Saturday
night, light spring wagon, which it was
thought might have some connection with
the supposed murder. An EAGLE reporter
ran this story down and learned from the
lady herself who was found at her home,
that about the time named such a wagon
had been seen by her The lady is the
wife of Mr. David Crossen and she lives at
point on the east bank of the Little riv-
er, one-half mile north and about three
quarters of mile west of the 18th street
bridge, being inst east of the Alamo ad-
dirion and due west from the Dold packing
house on 2lst street. Mrs. Crossen says
that at the time mentioned she
heard light wagon coming fsom the east
and going to the river across which there
is ford close TO the house. Placing her
hands to the window to shade her eyes,
she saw the outlines of light spring
wagon drawn by two horses, which she
thought were dark colored. She could not
say whether there were two men or not.
Being questioned further, she said that
teams frequently passed there as the ford
was now quite low and passable. There
was nothing to indicate that the party or
parties were in a hurry,
The report that Mr.. Brown was seen by
Mr.. Frd Sparks, pressman employed in
the EAGLE pressroom, to alight from a
street car at the Seventeenth street bridge
is incorrect. The driver of car No. so Mr..
j. w. HedgelIn, and several who were
passengers on the car due at the end of
the line at 7:40 p. m, says that Mr..
Brown went up that trip and not on a
later one. What Mr.. Sparks does say, is
that he saw person alight from the
car due at the bridge few
minutes after 10 o'clock and that when he
heard the next day of Mr.. Browns having
alighted from car at that point and also
a description of him, expressed the opin-
ion that he had seen him get out of the
car at the time he was near the bridge
In this he was evidently mistaken, but it
have stepped from the late car as Mr.
Brown had from the 7:40 p. m. car.
A POSSIBLE CLEw.
What may prove possible clew to the
detection of the perpetrators of the crime,
was yesterday called to the attention of
one of the EAGLES staff who devoted the
whole of his time to working upon that
one theme. A certain hard character who
is well known in police circles and who
also was in position to learn OF Mr..
Browns habits and his probable wealth
Of jewelry, ETC., resides in the north part
IF the city.
On the night in question and at about
such time as might have permitted him
70 have committed the deed in question,
his party was seen by the EAGLE mans
well known business man
md his wife as they were out driving
shortly after dark. The lady yandgektleman
Goth know the individual suspected and
when they met him first time near the spot
IF the supposed murder and later at
, little distance away, the lady said
o her husband: "There is -"
md the husband also recognized him,
an attempt to disguise
himself by pulling down his hat
As soon as the disappearance and sup
1osed murder of Mr. Brown became |
Known on Sunday, the incidents of their
irive the night before came to them, and |
veil knowing the generally disreputable |
character of the party in question, both |
SAID they believed him guilty |
# the crime.
Diligent inquiry has developed the
act that the man suspected has not |
,een seen in the city since that night, and |
more than that, it is known that he left |
'ositive instructions not to say where or
rhen he had gone. The presumption is
hat he must have had one or more accom-
lices in the work and two other parties
re now being Swallowed under the impress
ion that they may possibly know some
hing about the matter and would attempt
o leave the CITY, Names are withheld in
his connection for very obvious reasons,
he whereabouts of the party who has left
be city are known and he can be had
Then wanted. The parties who last saw
i'm and who, by the way, would have a
host natural reason for shielding him.
Did several conflicting stories and even
their own statements, which
-ere found afterwards to be untrue
SEARCHING FOR TIE BODY.
The search for the body was renewed
esterday and kept up most of the day but
'ithout any success. The land north and
orthwest for some distance beyond the
lace of the supposed tragedy was pretty
gone over. Nothing new to
ldicate the concealment of the remains
as discovered. The Offering of reward
n the finding of the body and the appre-
ension of the murderers will no doubt
ave tendency to awaken an interest in
le search.
THE REWADRS.
The county now offers $500 for the arrest
Id conviction of the murderer; Mrs |
rown offers 500 for the finding of his
ody, and the gun club, 10 the same pur-
1se, offers 500.