The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-03-01
Is 1T DEATHs
A Strange Mystery Enshrouds the Dis
appearance OF Joseph Ellifritz.

Two weeks past last Monday Joseph
Ellifritz, of the Hillsboro Woolep Mills,
left for Chicago on business AS was
his custom, he notified his family of his
safe arrival, and few days later wrote
that he had good success in placing or.
ders, and would leave for St. Louis, 80
that he could be home by Wednesday
OF last week. Ed. Richards, formerly
OF this city, was with him just after he
left the Palmer House and started for
the st. Louis train. He was then in ex-
cellent spirits. This is the last known
OF him. After the lapse of the specified
time, his family began to be alarmed at
his nonarrival and telegraphed to the
house of which he expected to make
collections in st. Louis and were as
founded to learn that he had not been
there. Every possible effort has since
been made to ascertain his whereabouts,
but without success His family and all
those who know him best are certain
that foul play or some awful misfortune
has overtaken him Early Monday
morning the three banks here, to make
themselves perfectly secure, entered
judgments in the Common Pleas Court
for claims against the Ellifritz Woolen
Mill firm, consisting of Joseph and his
brothers, Charles and Horace. The
Merchants took judgment for about
$4,000, the Citizens for something over
$4,000, the First National for about
$4,000. H. Strain & Co. took judgment
for $47 90 Monday afternoon.
Although these steps have been taken
by creditors, it is not believed by those
who are best qualified to Judge, that 10.
Ellifritz left here with the remotest idea
of defrauding his creditors. There is
no evidence at all of any such inten.
ton, while, on the contrary, there are
many things to render such conclu
sion improbable.
1t may be true that his firm, having
manufactured goods on the basis of a
protective tariff which they were com
PEELED to sell at free wool prices, had
lost some money. But, if it was finsn.
cially involved, he could have made
better terms with his creditors by stay
ing, than by abandoning the enterprise
and losing everything. 1t is said the
total Indebtedness may reach $25 900 or
possibly $2s,000. But that was not a
large burden for an institution doing
over 100000 business per annum, and
would all have been met, if Mr.. Ellifritz
had remained at the helm with his ac
customed energy and business sagacity
AS it is, the valuable mill plant with th'
private property Of the members of thu
1irm, it is thought, should very nearl,
wipe out all obligations.
| We have carefully gathered all fact
within reach concerning this mysteriou
affair, and after candid deliberation OF
them do not see any reason to believ'
that Mr.. Ellifritz is Intentionally absent
ing himself.
He was man who fairly orshippet
his family. No man in Hillsboro wa
more devoted to his home. Naturally
he would have been the last man t.
leave them. They were fondly devote'
to him, and his prolonged absence ha
set them wild with grief.
There are many circumstances t
show that his disappearance was nc
premeditated. Among them are these
On the Saturday evening previous t.
his departure for Chicago, he had set
tlement of account with wholesale gre
GERS, McKeehan, Hiestand & Co. A ba
ance of $3.50 was due Elliiritz and Nj
McKeehan would have written chez
for it, but Ellifritz said he was going
Chicago Monday, and told Mr.. McKe,
han to pay it to his brother Charlie, VIII
would need it at the mill during tn
week.
j. H. Richards suggested to Ellifrit
that he would like him to take $500 t
his son Ed, in Chicago, but Ellifri
made some evasive excuse about carry
ing money and the matter was not il
sisted on.
Mr. Ellifritz, so far as known, hs
only sufficient money along to comfor
, ably provide him through the trip.
A few days before leaving, as Trea
urer for the Music Hall Association /
received from the Odd Fellows 81 so
which he Immediately paid to the stoc
Z holders, taking the trouble to hunt eac
one individually.
. In St. Louis he had collection
over $500 to make for the firm. Advic,
from there show that he did not ca
for it.
He was Secretary and Treasurer of tt
Equitable Building and Loan Associ
tion. The books OF that institution hay
been investigated and are all righ
while over $500 cash was found in til