Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-26
DE STAYS BIG SPREE.
His Story Explains His Myste-
 rious Disappearance.
ADMITS THAT HE STOLE sl,5oo.

A Hard woriIng. Respectable Bookkssper
 Breaks Loose and InduIEes Tn wha, He
 Calls "A Colossus of n JaS''-Fouud In
 New York Aimost FennIIs<s-
 NEW YORK, Oct. s6-Evcr since two Eeeks ago last Sunday tho family, the rmployers and the many warm friends of Mir. William J. Dc Shays of Bridgeport. Conn. have been moving heaven and earth in a quiet way to learn what has become of him.
 The circumstances of his disappearance wore remarkable. 70 far as anyb body knew thcro was not the slightest reason for him to run away from homo. much less to de- stroy himself. Ever since the Ist of June last he had been the trusted bOokseepcf of the Bridgeport Traction company and was much esteemed by his employers. He had q coy little home at 75 Maple street Bridgeport. and lived very happily therc with his wife and two childrcn-a girl years of age and a boy baby of I5 months
 On Saturday afternoon, Oct last, he closed up his books for tho week us usuai and went homo. He was a remarkably methodical and industrious man in his work. If his accounts did not balance, he would stay until midnight working over them to get them straight This was his reputation in the Bridgeport Traction eUmpany's office, and it was his rcputa- ton with the firm of Copeland x Bacon ot s5 Liberty street. this city, with whom Ir. Do Shays had been employed for five y,ars prior to his going to Bridgeport
 Suddenly Disappeared
 These facts. together with tho circum- stances attending his last known move mcnts. made his sudden disappearance apparently from oH tho faco of the ,nrth all the moro incxplicable- On Sun iay afternoon. Oct. :, he went driving with his wife. His wife says that he stop Ped onco and went into the house of e friend, leaving her in the carriage. He was gone but few moments, and when he returned seemed much excited. but made no explanation. Then he took his wife home started to return the carriage, did return tho carriage and from that moment disappeared.
 The search for him was conducted quietly at first Then tho fact that he was missing got into the newspapers. and yesterday afternoon Mrs. Do Shays ap- piled to the police of New York to assist tn finding him. Tho police did not find him. but a reporter did. \ man who in battered and dissipated way rCsembled De Shays' description was seen In the ycs- tihuic of tho St James hotel When asked if ho werc not MT. Do Shays. he promptly admitted that he was
 Yes. " ho said. my name r. De Shays stolo Sl. 500 from tho Bridgeport Trac- tion company's safe. and have bccn hay Ing big time. l am ready to give my self up.
 De shays' story.
 m tell you all about it, he said -' I stole the Sl.5OO nearly thrcO weeks ago. When l met you, had just 10 cents left-blew all the rest of 1t in. Had n big time. I'll tell you about 1t
 You sec that sunday when I was put with my wife got drink or two In me. When l went hack with tho horse, Instead Of going home l went to the Trc- mont The Fremont is n sort of hotel and rcstaurant. There I drank and drank and got drunk, and they put me up for the night and took good carc of me Next | morning-thnt was Monday murnIng-I felt pretty rocky. got word around to the office that I Vas sick-had gastritis | I told them l couldn't show up. Didn' l show up. stayed HlI day Monday at the Fremont and kept building tho jag up | until 1t got bigger and bigger. Really | was n colossus 0! jag. l was n complete iunatic. Yet I could navigate tOlCrably | well.
 | Monday night came and I wanted | moro money. l was reckless and crazy as m Indian then. I went around to the | traction company office I had the con- | oinatiOn of the sa'o of course Was the 5nly one who had it. The night watch man was there don't suppose he no | ticed much out 0! the way with me. I | told him l wanted tO put some papers In tho safe and he turned up the light for me. There was =, 500 or S3. 600 in the safe l took two packages of money I tho safe and went away. took a night train for New York When got here. wandered around drinking until early morning. Then l went over to Jcrssy | City and took m Eric train for Port ter Tis. When got to Port Jeryis, turned l around and came straight back to Jersey | City. staid in Jersey City two days Then l went hack tO Port Jcrvis-
 ''In Port .icrvis began having a big .imc. know lot Of people thero. But | 1 went under the name of William Scott [ stopped at Golfers Delaware House, | Collier had fine team of grays- He said,
 Here. take the grays and drive 'em.' l took .he grays and drove 'em-drOve 'em Ill around Went oVsr into Pike county and went hunting. Got gangs of dead beats after me of course. but shook 'em. Of course. though. I set cm up a good ical. Lots of champagne
 He Went With Hazel
 Then there was Hazel Shc was a ncauty. Hazel stuck to mo and followed | lle everywhere. l was driving with the yrays when Hazel overlook mo
 "Shc was driving dandy little horse all oy hcrself. said to the fellow that was with me 'HerC. to tLe devil with the srays. I'm going with Hazel Went | with Hazel.
 'Well. went around all about there. Went stoO,ing partridses up in Pike county.
 Il went over to tho Delaware water rap too. I went over thero with Louis .'ordes. Splendid fellow, Cordes. Stuck
 o me like A major. l bought wine by the ,ase with Cordes. We drove on Martin 6 taco course at the Delaware water gap.
 "Woll. that's about all-about all sN- sept SI2 had with me when got ba.ck nero in New York. have been waIk:ng g around most of the tiTie since last Tue lay night, when I got here. I haven [ ,lept for a week. l thought I'd end up oy blowing tho top of my head of with my revolver. l don't know what Is going 70 become of mo. Do youf Oh. LOrdH' And MT. De Shnys put up pair of very weak and trembling hands to his head in hopeless, bewiIdered way that was quite pitiful to behold. He was taken in charge, for he was not fit to care for himself, ard on the II o'clock train last night started for Bridgeport with his custodian, who won't to sue him safely to his homo, which he was very anxious to reach. Costly Amusement