Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-02
LOST AT A BALL GAME.
John Beatty Smith Left His Home
and Bride Last Monday and
NO TRACE OF HIM CAN BE FOUND.
A Visit From Two Mysterious Strangers
Suggests Foul Play.
THE FATHERS TERRIFYING DREAMS

James Beatty Smith, young millworker
who lives ct 1926 Penn avenue, left his
home last Monday to attend the baseball
game and has not been heard of since, al
though his friends have made every effort
to find him. He has only been married IA
months, has no children, and when he at
fectionately left his pretty little wife last
Monday it was with the understanding that
he would return in few hours.
There is nothing in his past history to
Justify the belief that me has run away or is
voluntarily absent, and his vile and parents
are distracted over his mysterious disap-
pearance. In fact, his mother has been so
prostrated with grief that she has been con-
fined to her bed for several days. The
family have become convinced that the
young man has met with foul play.
The missing man is Scotch by birth, but
resided in this city for over three years
with his parents before he married his now
heart-broken wife.
He Was an Exemplary Husband.
Smith is "a years old and has always been
an exceptionally steady, dutiful son and
husband. Since his marriage he has drank
nothing, has remained at home with his
wife every evening, has formed no COM
Partnerships with other men, and his only
recreation has been to attend the baseball
games, sport of which he was passionately
fond. He has been employed for two years
at Zug's rolling mill, but lately has been out
of work. Having saved q few dollars and
being of sanguine disposition his enforced
idleness seemed to have no effect upon him.
Last Monday he started early for the base,
ball game. in good spirits, saying he woufd
stop on the way at several mills, and if he
could secure another position would take
it and not wait any longer on his old JOB.
Whether he ever got to the game is not
known. though there is evidence that he
visited several mills in search of employ
ment. Beyond that his disappearance seems
as complete as If the earth had opened and
swallowed him. No one can be i9und . VINO
noon.
No Trace of the Missing Man.
His family became anxious when he failed
to return on Tuesday. and advertisements
were inserted in the newspapers notifying
him that Zug's mill was to resume work this
morning, and to come home or communi-
cate with his family at once. There was no
reply to any of the advertisements,ho however,
and the institutions of the city were visited
Yesterday. None of the hospitals had any
inmate that answered his description, and
an Investigation of the police and Jail rec
OrdS was also fruiteSs.
There is one circumstance connected with
Smiths disappearance that seems to have
strong effect on his family. 1t is not known
that lie had an enemy in the world except.
perhaps, one man, who was q former suttor
for his wife's hand. An investigation has
at work during the day Smith disappeared,
and his whereabouts for the balance of the
day are known so we'll that It is not believed
he could have had anything to do with the
matter.
But on the night after Smith left home
just after dusk, two tall, Black-bearded men
came to the house and inquired for Mrs.
Smith. She was absent. visiting her hus-
bands relatives nearby at tho time, and after
rappinS at her door and receiving no re-
sponse the strange visitors went to neigh
boris and asked for Mrs. Smith.
Trying to Avoid Recognition.
They kept in the shadow, while making
the inquiry, evidently desiring to avoid rec
ognition, and their appearance was such as
to frighten the children at the house where
they called. AS they left the house one of
them was noticed to have large knife in
his nand. 1t was thought at the time the
men were friends of Smiths and nothing
was thought of their visit until within the
past day or two.
Smiths family say they know all his
friends. but from the description of the two
mysterious visitors they were strangers.
The fact that the men inquired for Mrs.
smith, seeming TO know tnaC the nuSDanQ
was absent, although his absence in the
evening was such an unusual thing, and the
further fact that they have not since re-
turned, convinces the family that they are
in some way connected with Smiths disap-
pearance. Mrs. Smith is in a state of terror
for fear the men may return at night with
designs upon her, and is convinced that If
they had found her the night they visited
the house she would not now be alive to tell
the tale
A Fathers Terrifying Dream.
Smiths fnther Inns several times during
the past week dreamed that he saw his son
in the river bound to u log and dead. This
circumstance, combined with the recent
mysterious drowning of another young man
whose body was found at Beaver, has
frightened Smiths family terribly and they
grow more apprehensive each hour lest
their worst fears are realized.
Mrs. Smith, in speaking of her husband
last evening, said: "Mr. Smith is an edu-
Gated man, and feel positive that if he had
gone away voluntarily he would have writ
ten to me or come to notify me of his going
Our home has been us happy as could be,
and we have never had 4 quarrel since our
marriage. Our home has been his pride, and
he delighted himself in pleasing me in fur
nishing it, On the day he left he took $40
from our little store to buy some things for
me, intending to return in lew hours, and
left me in happy mood, as usual. Had he
any intention OF going away he would have
taken more money and extra clothing. He
did not even take an extra collar with him."