The morning call., 1893-10-26
HE WENT FISHING.
Brooklyn's Enoch Arden
Not Known Here.
CHIEF CROWLEY'S OPINION.
A Sailmaker Who May Be the Man.
The Search for q. Gasking,
an Absentee.

The crop of Enoch Ardens indicates no
signs of exhaustion. The latest of record,
according to dispatch published in THE
MORNING CALL yesterday, turned up in
New York City on Saturday last. What
gives him certain degree of local in-
terest is the statement that. after an
absence of forty-one years from his wife,
during which period he made a small
fortune in California. he met his son in
San Francisco. This son he saw for the
first time in this city; as the boy. now a
man over forty, was born three months
after the disappearance of his sire. The
relationship. it is said, was ascertained
through conversation held in a saloon in
this city between the two men.
The old mans name is given in the dis
patch as George G. Gasking. The story is
that Al years ago GaskiDg went fishing,
leaving wife and baby girl at home.
After waiting seven years for the hus-
band to return, Mrs. Gasking married
one William Bridge. The SOD, who was
born three months after his fathers dis
appearance, grew up. married unhappily,
and wandered westward.
On Saturday Gas sking returned to Brook
lyn from his fishing expedition and looked
up his daughter whom he had no difficulty
in finding. For fear that trouble might
follow the daughter has refused to allow
Gasking to visit her mother. The old man
refused to give any explanation Of his
absence, but claims to have made a small
fortune in California. So much for the
Eastern end of the story.
Investigation in this city fails to disclose
the existence of any such interesting per-
sonage as George G. Gasking. Chief Crow
ley thinks the story is a fake. He says the
Eastern newspapers are very much ad-
dicted to publishing flake" stories, with
the heroes and villains located in Califor-
MIA. 1t is very convenient to the authors
of these stories to locate their subjects as
far away as possible, and California an
swers that purpose very we'll. The Chief
says that he is all the time receiving in
QuirieS for people about whose doings and
misdoiDgs wonderful things are related IN
Eastern sensational journals. He thinks
the Gasking story is only one of these.
The only man whose name corresponds
with that of the Brooklyn Enoch Arden
was a sailmaker named George W. Gas
kin. He lodged at SIC Sansome street, but
about Six months ago he shipped on some
deep-sea vessel as sailmaker. His land
lady has been for some time expecting him
TO return. She does not know upon what
vessel he shipped. She describes him as
about 60 years Of age. very quiet, dignl-
posed him TO be an old bachelor. He
never. she said. referred to his family
affairs. He put in great deal OF his time
as maker Of awnings and was thrifty in
money matters. He never drank, kept
regular hours and allowed nobody but
himself to make up his bed and sweep his
room. Finding business in the city very
dull he concluded TO 90 to sea. His land
lady does not think that he had accumu-
lated any very great amount of money.
A search of the San Francisco direc-
tories since 1859 fails to show any person
of the name of Gasking except in the di-
rectory for 1867 -6S. where the name of Miss
Mary Gasklng appears. There are, how
ever, several Gaskins. The sailmaker
George W., first shows up in the directory
for 1S83-S4. in which his residence is given
as at 1920 Mission street. In 1887 his ad-
dress is given at 681 Mission street, and in
1889 as at 2641a Tehama street. The latest
issue of Langley locates him on Sansome
street. Whether this is the man who went
fishing forty-one years ago and only re-
turned to his home in Brooklyn on Satur-
day Is a matter merely of conjecture.