The morning call., 1893-10-22
A STRANGE CASE.
Forsaking Home and Comfort Late
in Life for Hard IncOgnito.

Kansas Clty otdr.
The strange disappearance OF Milton Bradley
from his home at Ell Dorado. Kans., three years
ago was a local sensation of the hour. His
confession of Identity and his death at Parsons
this week revive the interest In the old story,
though they do not solve the mystery OF his dis.
appearance
Bradley was a prominent man in Butler
County. He was wealthy, owning several
farms. and. when elected County Treasurer,
moved to Ell Dorado, the county seat, where be
lived and serve d two or three terms. When he
left the farm he developed great passion for
fishing. He, with State Senator Murdoch and
or five cronies in the little country town were
on the Walnut all the time fishing for bass,
which al e found abundant in the clear, green.
rock -bOttOmed river.
One day Bradley hitched up his covered
spring wagon, put a small tent and some cook
Ing utensils In the wagon. with his fishing pole,
shotgun and raGns a4a saea h s,, Tor or. three
across the Walnut at Ell Dorado he was never
seen there again. The very ravines of the
Walnut might have swallowed him up, so far as
any cew as to his whereabouts was concerned.
lie was a prominent Odd Fellow, and that Or
ganization spent several thousand dollars try
ing to find him. The "tDt bills," twenty miles
east of Ell Dorado-a wild stretch OF country
wherein there is a dead mans gulch" and all
SORTS OF cairns and gulleys-were searched.
The Walnut River was dragged for his body.
but wagon. gun. tent, man anu QOS were COM
pletey Obiterated, II seemed.
The newspapers contained detailed descrip-
| tions Of The lost man. A wandering man was
found in Arkansas-the usual Arkansas wild
man of the WoOdS-but he was not Identified as
Bradley by the searching party from Ell Do
rado that trced the crazy man near Ben on
| vile. Another wild man turned up IN Arizona.
| The County Commissioners of Butler County
| sent Mrs. Bradley down here with the Sheriff,
but the Trip was useless Every little while
photographs OF some 4 anee man would appear
at Ell Dorado to be s4ltiled as Bradley, but
| none OF them tailed.
As the months wore by into years the matter
was dropped, and Bradley was given up for
dead. His estate was probated, and though
he held thousands OF dollars in trust for others,
| fered the loss of penny. His son aud daugh-
| ter ard his wife mourned HIM as dead. And as
| such the community accepted him.
AS such he was TO his former life after he
| left the bridge on the Walnut From that mo-
mept he began another existence. He went To
| Parsons, where be began life anew as a farm
| hand. He was then man OF nearly 90 years,
| but manual labor, though he had not been used
10 it for twelve years. old not discourage him:
H. cid not breathe of his Identity, of his social
| position and his political influence in Butler
| County, but persisted IN his new life He read
| the story OF his own disappearance, OF the
| search tor him, OF the mistakes of his friends,
| OF the grief Of his wife and children aud was
| silent.
| A few moments before he died be revealed
| himself to his new-fOund friends. But he lid
not explain his departure. Thai was his secret,
| and, being always silent man. he died with II
| unspoken. His wife has iGeuiihed the remains.
| and they will be inferred In the bleak little
| graveyard on the windswept hill overlooking
| The little town where his success In life was
attained, and where the people who knew hin
wonder and Surmiss and gossip about the cause
OF the strange deed which marked his latter
dayS.