Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-05-12
BURDETTE'S DISAPPEARANCE
Wall by Wire Partially Explains the
Mysterious Disappearance.

Mysterious Disappearance.
ST, Louis Republic, 4:
Union Depot, St Louis, May I, 1894
Redpath Lyeeum Bureau, Chicago, Him
,is: Where next! Iwant to go home
BCRDETTE.
This is the piteous wall that went
over the wires from this city Tuesday
This little message, which has tinge
of sadness and the hollow ring of Voc
ind despair, solves the hideous mystery
IF a disappearance. 1t is related that
gentleman once telegraphed home to
xnow where he was "at." lis evident
from the dates that the author of the
above knew more than this last Tues
lay. But where was he at last Sat
lrday night is the question which has
been racking the brains of people who
purchased tickets and turned out to
near him lecture.
This telegram Of seven words is
clew TO part Of this mystery, and fur
nlshes link to IA chain of evidence
which may eventually locate the famous
Robert j. Burdette.
The wanderings of the Hawkeye man
through southern Indiana, the garden
spots and small towns of the Egyptian
portion of Illinois and among the
,hrongs at the St Louis union depot
ave been traced, but here he seems to
De lost.
Many people, especially ticket hold
,rs. remember that the Iowa humorist
vas advertised for lecture in st. Louis
ast Saturday night, His coming was
oolied forward TO most eagerly and
waited impatiently by the lovers OF
rood laugh
Saturday night arrived on schedule
line and so did the Burdette audience.
There was a merry twinkle and CLEAN
# pleasant expectancy in the eve OF
he Jolly fat man as he took comfort
.blc front row seat. The lean men told
he ladies', whom they had promised "A
reat when they made the engagements
or the Burdette lectures, numerous
lmusing stories of iiurdette which they
lad heard or read. In this manner the
appetite of the audience was whetted.
The minutes flew by, but the lecturer
.ame not Harry Branch, st. Louis
manager of the Van Lyceum bureau,
inder whose auspices Burdette was to
peak, ran about with great beads OF
respiration standing all over him, un-
il lie looked like he had just taken
hover bath. lie tried to convince
himself and the audience that all
vonld be well in few minutes
nd that the great entertainer had
imply been uuasoidably detained.
This feeling of confidence was main
aimed under the trying circumstances
or an hour, when Mr. Branch was com
,elled to announce that the lecture
would be postponed. There was not u
rood laugh in the whole crowd In
,act, that was a sorrowful and in spots
IN angry audience that did not hear
Burdette
What was the news from Burdettep
There was no news; and from Satur-
| lay until Monday the distinguished
| journalist and great card of the lecture
bureau was lost. The Provident asso-
ciation, the organization to which the
proceeds of the lecture were to be do
mated. was worse than put out, and the
Van Lyceum bureau was suffering the
humiliation of having disappointed an
audience.
Monday morning Manager Branch
received "A postal card from the Western
Union Telegraph company, which
stated that there was message at that
office for him. The message had been
received Saturday night, but was sent
to the wrong address. The manager Of
the Lyceum bureau rushed to the tele-
graph Office and fevershly tore open
the telegram. Burdette was not dead.
Burdette was not lost. Here was a
message from him:
Harry Branch, Manager Vans Lyceum
Bureau, St Louis: Missed connection.
What can do for you! BURDETTE.
What could he do for the Lyceum
bureau? 1t was now Monday morning
and the crowd had been dism.ssed Sat-
urday Aight What could he have done
had the message been received as soon
as it was sent? The lecturer was then
audience was in st. Louis, and there
were not enough long distance tele-
phones in town to do any good.
Burdette was next heard of in Jer-
seyville, H., where he was to lecture.
All bolders Of tickets HAD been permit
ted to retain them like rain ehecks-to
be good when Burdette got to town,
and the fact that he was near town
was SuHfSleHt 10 OHcc HiOre tap inc
spring of eternal hope.
But the lecturer came not, and pa
tience became worn out and jaded. Mr..
Branch then went to Chicago to see the
Redpath Lyceum bureau, from which
Burdette had been engaged. At the
Redpath bureau the managers looked
IT Mr.. Branch in blank astonishment.
I'm reply to his questions they said Bur-
iette was in st. Louis. Mr.. Branch
said he was not. Then the Redpath
managers showed the "Want to go
home" telegram from St Louis. This
'ettled it, The Redpath people thought
Tim in st. Louis and the Van bureau
vas looking for him in Chicago. Mr..
Branch has given up the search and
'eturned to St Louis.
Holders of ticket coupons for the
t'nrdette lecture can have their money
refunded by presenting the coupons tc
ilr Branch at room 20+ Commercial
building.
tn: MARKETS.