The record-union., 1892-12-05
SUPPOSED TO Be SYME.
The Body Of a Drowned Man Found
at Rio Vista.
IF 1t be That of Young Syme, What
Becomes of Pitt Eldred's Fairy
Tale Told Eerel

The editor Of the Rio Vista Meas tele-
phoned to the RECORD UNION last even
ing that the body of drowned man had
been found near that place and taken
charge Of by the local Justice of the Peace.
The body had the appearance of having
been in the water about three weeks, but
owing to the water being cold the features
were not so distorted nor decomposed but
that any person acquainted with the de-
ceased would be able to identify the re-
mains.
The dee eased is represented as being
man of about thirty years of age. He
wore dark or brown mustache, and the
body when found was well dressed, but
without coat.
In the bosom of the shirt-or possibly
a scarf-was found diamond pin.
There can be little doubt that the body
is that of Alexander B. Syme, the young
mechanic of Washington, Y Yolo County,
who suddenly dropped out of sight here
on the morning Of the 18th OF last month.
Syme had been drinking in this city on
the preceding night, and is said to have
visited some OF the downtown dives,
VIM AAO C{NAAAbAbENA LOltS4hGld dD1C lnOi40g
1t is thought he had about $50 with him.
About 3 O'clock on the morning of the
18th he was seen sitting with stranger
by the bridge-watchman cabin, at the
Sacramento end of the Yolo bridge, at
which time the two men We're quarreling.
The stranger is described as a heavy
set man with very heavy, dark mus
tache. A man who was passing heard him
address Syme in insulting language, to
which the latter responded in like terms,
and appeared greatly excited.
About an hour later milkman COM
ing into the city saw man lying on the
bridge, and would have tried to arouse
him, but his horse was restive, and sup
posing it to be merely some person over
come with drink, he drove on.
About an hour later a hat and coat were
found on the Yolo bridge by the Wash
ington mail-carrier, and they were iden-
titled as those worn by young Syme on
the preceding night.
1t is known that Syme wore a diamond
pin when last seen by his friends, and
was well-dressed, having being in COM
pany with Miss Leimberger of Washing
ton on the evening preceding the morn
ing on which he disappeared. This fact.
and the additional one of his coat having
been found on the bridge, together with
the general description given of the body
found, leaves little doubt that the latter is
that of Syme.
Word was sent to Coroner Clark, and
he will leave for Rio Vista this morning,
accompanied by one or more friends of
the missing man for the purpose of iden-
tifying the remains.
Whether Syme was a victim of yio-
lence, or whether he, for some cause un-
known TO his friends, in a moment of
desperation resulting from drink, threw
himself into the river with suicidal in
tent, may never be known. He was en-
gagged to be married, and had made an
appointment to escort his affianced on a
ramble in the forenoon of the day on
which he disappeared.
WHY THAT STORY OF ELDRED?
1t was on Sunday morning that Syme
disappeared, ana the following Wedues-
day w. 2. Eldred-who had also been re-
ported as having mysteriously dropped
out of sight-came up from San Fran
cisco. He represented himself as being
well acquainted with Syme, and repeat
edly stated that he had met and drank
with him in San Francisco on Monday.
Thereupon no further efforts were made
40 ind Syme's body in the river, the sup
position being that he had got on wild
spree and wandered Oft to the METROPOLIS
to have it out.
The parents of the missing man at once
dispatched messengers to San Francisco
to find and bring back their son, but
though they searched the city for week
they could learn nothing of him, nor find
anyone who had seen him.
Then the matter of tracing him was
placed in the hands of the best detectives
in the metropolis, but not clew 10 the
missing man was found.
All this time Eldred allowed the search
for Syme to 60 on, prolonging the agony
of his parents and entailing heavy ex-
pense upon them. If the body found at
Rio Vista yesterday should prove-as it
undoubtedly will-to be that of Alex
ander B. Syme, how can Eldred attempt
to reconcile that fact with the statement
that he met and drank with Syme two
days after the latter disappeared?