The Indianapolis journal., 1890-03-02
FRANK MGowAYs DISAPPEARANCE.
One of Edisons Trusted Assistants Missing
A Hero of Adventure and Romance.

NEW YORK, March 1.-One of the most
mysterious disappearances ever reported to
the police is that of Frank MCGOWAN, who
was last seen on Jan. Is, when he boarded
a Christopher-street car on his way to his
home in Orange, N. j. For ten years Nc
Gowan has been in the employ OF Thomas
A. Edison. He was the hero of the remark
able series of adventures that befell the
expedition sent to South America by Edi-
son in search of q peculiar species of bam-
boo to be used in his electric-ight system.
Mr.. MCGOWAN. who was a protege OF the
great inventor, endeared himself to Edison
by succeeding in dangerous undertaking
where other agents had failed. So lndis-
pensable was this rare variety OF bamboo
fiber that Edison sent two expeditions
to scour the world in search of it.
When they both returned unsuccessful.
MCGOWAN volunteered to head party.
After hunt of two years. during which he
endured hardships enough to kill dozen
men. he located the growing-place of the
bamboo. and returned home. after travers-
ing nearly the whole of South and Central
America. His health was completely shat
tered, and he felt somewhat discouraged,
for, while his search had been successfui. 1t
was so protracted that Edison's, fertile
for the peculiar species of bamboo that he
had ventured so much to discover. Edison
remem bered his achievement by the pres
ent of $1,000 and block OF stock In his
company. and MCGOWAN went to Bath
beach for the summer in search OF health.
This he apparently regained, for he had
grown as robust. as ever when he went to
Orange, last September, and superlntended
the erection of some buildings that Edison
was putting up.
manufactory of Ernest Rau, No. 131 Clinton
place, and after transactipg some business
there left for his home. Since then moth
ing has been seen or heard OF him. When
it became known for sure that he was lost.
Mr. Batchellor, of the firm Of Edison.
Batcheilor Il johnson. inaugurated sys-
tematic search for McGowan. ALI the hos
pitfalls, asylums and other public lnstltu-
ti0ns within hundred miles were visited.
Circulars containing description OF the
Pinkertons detectives were employed. and
Inspector Byrnes sent out the second alarm.
but so far not a trace of McGowan has been
discovered.
cousin. knows more about Frank than any
one else, but he is altogether in the dark as
to the reason of his strange disappearance.
He is also of the opinion that the man has
been murdered for his money. he said:
There was romance in his life which /
paid little attention to at the time. but
now l see that it might perhaps account
for his strange disappearance. He con-
tracted fever while In South America,
and when he was lying at the point of
death beautiful native girl took pity
on the young American and nursed
him back to life. Frank never tired
of speaking of the devotion of this girl. He
said he had seen many beautiful women
during his trip around the world, but he
had never met one who was quite as lovely
as bis little nurse. used to laugh at him
for his sentiment, but he merely smiled and
went on singing her praises. 1t might be
that he felt a longing TO see his preserver
again and started off on the spur of the
moment, but that is very improbable.
There was no reason for his employing any
secrecy about such q step. No one would
have tried to prevent his going and none
knew better than he the folly of making
such a trip without the necessary prepara-
tions."