Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-25
SURE He SAW HIM.
Farrell Positive That He Met
Fl. Jay Hanchette.
He Reiterates the Story of the
Chico Episode.
No Doubt in His Mind as to the
Identity of Mitchell.
He Recognized in the Alleged Mitchell
All the characteristics of the
Lost Man-Details of
the Meeting.

new turn. 1t will be remembered that
Robert Farrell, OF Whittier, wrote to
the chamber OF commerce some weeks
ago that he had met the missing secre-
tary of the chamber of commerce ON
train going from Tehama to Chino.
This letter was published in the HER
AID and was supplemented in a few days
by letter purporting to come from
H. A. Mitchell. The letter was dated
Chico, but the writer said he was San
Franciscan. He admitted having met
Farrell, who, he said, took him for Han
chette, and he vilifed Mr.. Farrell very
strongly. Mr.. Mitchell, however, utter
ly failed to tell anything about himself.
AS a result OF the publication of the
Mitchell letter in the San Francisco Ex-
aminer, Mr.. Farrell writes as follows to
that paper:
To THE EDITOR OF TIE EXAMINER-SIR
I see in your issue OF the 10th that let
ter had been written from your city by
a man calling himself H. A. Mitchell, or
the double OF IL. Jay Hancnette. In his
letter to J. d. Lynch, of the Los Angeles
train from Tehama to Chico. l do not
know what he said about me, nor do l
care, but the facts OF my meeting
II. J. Hanchette, former secretary of
the chamber OF commerce OF Los Angeles,
on September 9th are about as follows:
On entering the smoker of the train at
Tehama, bound for Chico, the person i
saw was Hanchette. He was in seat
on the lefthand side of the car as I en-
tered. / thought / had come in contact
with ghost, but on close investigation
/ found that it was really Hanchette.
His dress Was the same as / have seen
him have on in Los Angeles; his beard
was in the same shape, only little
longer. The clothing was little more
worn than when / last saw him. His
manner and actions were just the same;
that nervous way in which he has al
ways acted was still there, but the mo-
ment he saw me he became excited and
changed his seat. Not wishing to make
any mistake, watched him closely un-
til there was no further doubt in my
mind that was right. | then went up
to him and slapped him on the shoulder,
saying at the same time, "Hanch, old
man, how are you, and where did you
drop from ?'' At this he looked con-
fused and did not speak for perhaps
minute. Then l was surprised to hear
him say, in heavy bass voice, that his
name was Hamilton and that had mis-
taken my man. This laughed al, though
the voice was not the old-time voice of
my friend Hanchette, but with all the
arguments / could bring forth he still
said his name was Hamilton. When L
asked him when he was going to return
to Los Angeles he said he had never
heard of the place, and the only admis-
sion he would make was that he had
wife and children, but where he would
not say. On arriving at Chico he walked
up town and l did not see him again for
two or three hours, when l met him on
Main street, near the Park hotel. There
l renewed my talk with him. He would
not deny knowing me, nor would he say
he did know me. | mentioned the times
he and had while both on the HERALD
in Los Angeles-he as city editor and
myself as collector. mentioned to him
several names intimately known to both
of us, also little mining speculation
that we had once, but to all this he
laughed, as only H. Jay Hanchette
could. Now, then, when / saw him my
first thought was to detain him until his
family could be heard from, but this
found could not do, as he seemed to
be minding his own business; then, as
he told me he was going to leave right
away for the Pine Nut country, it would
do no good to telegraph to Los Angeles, SO
l wrote to Frank Virgins, of the cham
ber of commerce, but, l assure you, not
with the intention of making any sensa-
ton such as Mitchell, of San Francisco,
would have the HERALD believe. have
Just received a letter and photograph
from Mrs. Hanchette, and now, looking
on the picture, l am positive that
have not made any mistake. L have
shown the photograph to number OF
people here, and they claim that they
saw this man here about the 18th or
10Th of this month, but that he did not
have anything to say to any one, walked
great deal and carried cane and
brown overcoat, the same as he had in
Chico. No, sir; the fact that worked
in the same office with Hanchette and
left for Chicago precludes the possibility
Hanchette. Mitchell of San Francisco
may fool some people, but he can't fool
me; and as don't believe in ghosts
am certain that | never met Mitchell;
but that did meet Hanchette there is
no doubtin my mind, but he is wander
ing in his mind. He talked more about
mining than anything else; but where
he went to from here cannot ascertain,
but if I should meet him again will
stay by him. / am travelling in this
section for San Francisco firm, but my
home is in Whittier, Los Angeles coun-
ty, and there / will return when my
contract is finished, which will be in
about one month. Hoping that you
will give this space in your paper, l
remain yours truly, a
ROBERT FARRELL.
Susanville, Sept. is, 1891.
The Texas cowboys take simmons Liver Reg