The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-22
MYSTERIOUS DIsAPPEARANcEs.

From the New York Evening Telegram.
1t would be interesting to know the
number of persons who have disappear
ed from New York within the past few
years, about whom nothing has been
heard since they vanished. The police
authorities receive reports every day
about people who have suddenly gone
out of sight--no one knows where.
Many of these are never heard of again.
in spite of the efforts of sharp witted
detectives to find them. In some cases,
of course, little or no effort is made to
track them out, especially if they have
no friends or If their friends are too
poor to pay for the services of profess
sional 'bloodhounds. "
In most cases where the persons lost
are wealthy or influential there have
been many instances where the most
persistent and well-planned efforts to
discover their fate have been failures
The disappearance Of Editor Conant, Of
Harpers Weekly, few years ago, is
one of the most notable cases of this
kind. The most strenuous efforts have
been made TO learn what has become of
him, but his family is still in doubt as
to whether he is now alive or dead. The
theories that are given to account for
such disappearance as his are, Of course,
almostinnumerable. Every friend and &C
quaintance of the vanished individual
has carefully thought-out cause to ex-
plain his mysterious disappearance. The
most interesting of these is the theory of
double consciousness, by which physi-
Clans say people frequently wander from
their homes unwittingiy and assume
entirely new Identities.
A well known case of this character
occurred few years ago In New York.
\ merchant Of this city left his Office
early one afternoon to get his luncheon.
He did not return that day. His partner
wondered at this. as he had left his over
coat behind him. But he thought little
Of it until that night when his partners
wife telegraphed TO him asking if he
knew where her husband was. Then
the search for the missing man began,
but he was not found for six months,
when he returned home of his own
accord. Il seems that when he left his
office he experienced sudden change Of
consciousness. He forgot who he was
and all the events of his life; in other
words. he became an entirely different
FtESts ETOrn " lfdk OrrI
Even the expression Of his face
changed 50 that his friends would
not know him. He wandered out 70
Sacramento. where he started a new
business, curiousiy enough. one very I'M
like that in which he had been engaged
in New York. Here he lived for half a
year, when suddenly he was restored 10
his normal conscienceness and at once
proceeded to his family. He could NOT
remember what had taken place during
his absence.
This curious phenomenon Of double
constituencies i explained by physicians
as due TO a change in the two lobes Of
the brain. One of these lobes always
predominates in every individual and
exerts controlling influence upon his
character. When. from some cause, the
other assumes control. the whole nature
of the subject changes. HIS transform
alton Is 50 compiese that even his physI-
ognomy uudergoes an alteration. X i
quite probable that many OF the disap-
lsearances which take place IN cornmu-
mites are due 70 this strange freak Of
nature.