The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-11
MYSTERY TO MANY
Sudden Disappearance OF
C. c. Crawford.
MANY REASONS ASSIGNED.
Former Loves and Pressing Debts
Have Been Assigned as Causes.
His Wife Remains Reticent.

Two weeks ago Charles c. Crawford.
innioT member Of the firm Of Taylor &
Crawford. undertakers on Twelfth street.
Oakland, left lis home and business. and
since then has not placed himself In cor
respondepee with his partner or his wife.
Mt least as far as can be ascertained by
diligent inquiry.
Mr.. Crawford is not presumed to have
done anything rash, as far as his person IS
concerned, consequently the idea OF drag
ging Lake Merritt or the bay has not Dee"
entertained in the face of the disappear
ance. Mr.. Taylor has erased the Iolin
partners name from the sign on tue WI"
dow. likewise from the printed hia''oi
the firm. A lease upon the premises n"S
been renewed, but Crawford name does
not appear upon its face.
Mr.. TAYLOR saws he has not the remotest
idea what became of Crawford. lie says
they were doing q fairly profitable pusl-
ness and that the debts Of the hrm were IN
significant compared to the amount OF cas- Il
on band Crawford had no great sun VI
money when he went away, as his lnieIeo'
in the firm was but nominal at best.
after waiting few days for Mr.. Craw-
rord5s return" said Mr.. Taylor to CALL
reporter. Yesterday, Il sent upstairs and
asked his wife where he was and when he
would return. An answer came to the
effect that If | wanted to know real Da1
I could go and ask Mr., Crawford.
haven't the 81 ghtest idea where he Bas
gone or what Induced him to depart"
Mrs. Crawford denies herself to report
porterS, but sends out the gratifying ILL.,
formation that ler husband is not In town.
She positively declines to furnish any III
formation concerning her husband, even
though many Oaklanders insist that he
mas gona without the intention OF return
ing. His business relations were NOT
strained, but there are many "en-iounu i5l
srori es Of women's vile ana mans weak
ness.
A bout two years ago, previous to the re-
moval of the firm from Fresno, Crawford
was sued for $4,000 damages Tor breach
IF promise by Mrs. Annie Dlnham. fas-
eipating blonde Of uncertain age. with a
grown.up family. Before the case came
to trial Crawford married another woman
aud the firm changed its base of business
70 Oakland. 1he widow secured dis
agreement tho frst time the case was tried,
and on second attempt 1t was thrown out
Of court for nOD-Dayment OF costs. She
packed Up her family and her effects and
followed her fame and his wife to Oak
and, even going SO far as to secure apart
ments right next theirs over the under ak
ing parl0Is Oh Twelfth street. No demon
stration occurred, and, finally the widow
and her family disappeared from the
Deighbern ood and the knowledge of the
naighbofs. though some are cruel enough
TO sag that ne loves her best Of all and has
rejoined her.
Another lady admirer of Mr.. Crawford
loaned him $500 when he left Oakland
few years ago o. 60 in business in Fresno.
Besides loaning him the m0neyishe' gave
him her matt red love, and it is said he
still retains IL. though he declines its actual
use. The moneg was never repaid, and it
is runored nat this friend became
anxious when she learned he had married
another.
The firm of Taylor & Crawford is the
one that brought the famous Cantna
mummy from the alkali plains OF Fresno
County. Its va pe was not known by the
dscoyerer until j few thousand Fresnoans
had viewed Il In wonder. Its commercial
Importance as a dime museum freak in-
duced the disco yerer TO sue the firm for
the recovery OF the mummy or $1,000 IN Its
stead. The matter was settled by Dir.
Maupin. president of the Board of Health.
claiming the BODY for scientific purposes.
The doctor stored it 10 his stable and in a
few days ii was stolen. The doctor adver-
tised for its return, but it never came. 1t
was suggested that perhaps Crawford has
at last secured the mummy and taken 1t
on tour of exhibition, but this belief
could not be confirmed.
Since their removal from Fresno the
firm has been at war with other Oakland
undertakers because OF an inability to
gain membership in the UndertakerS' AS
ISOLATION, a close corporation that regu-
lates the mum Der of funeral directors that
shall do business in the cities Of the
United States. 1t failed to secure any
large amount CT patronage In consequence.
and Crawford vas frequently heard to
assert that he had lost large amount Of
money by reason of the competition.
There are rumors. but only rumors, of
bis return. The public is at liberty to
acce pit any one of the several causes for
his disappearance.