The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-15
VAN HAS VANISHED.
Gone With the Girl He Loved in
Sunny Mexico.
soTH MATURE. BUT skiTT'sH.
Anoreas Esesesds 81 Van vaikenhurgh
Advises His wife 20 Get d.
vores and she VIII Do Sc.

Kitchen ard for many years supertn.eud-
ent OF the northern division Of the Nexi-
can Telegraph Company. elopsd from San
Francisco December % with Miss Matte
Trowbridye. Of Eapa. Cal. daughter Of the
late DR.. Troxhrsdge. Who WIS American
consul ~ Vera cruz for sixteen years and
who vas also an intimate friend OF Mrs.
Van valksnbnrgh. The latter In now IN
this city and received the hrss Information
of her husbands in6delity in q letter writ
ten in his own hand advising ner 20 get :
divorce and neTer expect to see him AGAIN
Fine has taken him at his word and the pa
p4rs are nov being prepared.
Frank S. Van yalkenbnrgh Is native
of Lockport. y. Y, and a. the age OF ~
became interested in telegrsrhy. lie ae-
Quir.d the art Of making dots and dashes
with ease. and was no less apt at learning
90 translate what the ticker said. Eyentn-
ally be became so skiilful that the West
ern Union Telegraph Company gave him
o regular situation In the Broadway Office
tn New YORK city. While so employed, he
met Miss l. T.. MeBurney. OF Newark,
NJ She was pretty. plump. blue-eyed
girl, well edncsted, and attracted Mr. Van
yalkenburgh so much that he fell in love
with her. June II, 1s77, they were married.
Mr.. Van Valkenburgh showed such abii-
fly In his chosen profession that he was
cent to Vera Crus In 1851 to take charge Of
the northern division o. the Mexicsn
Telegraph Com pany and Central and
eouth American Telegraph Company.
The lire was not constructed at that time
and Mr. Van yaikenburg rendered great
assistance In running the line from one or
ssa{ he
was completed, the electric current passed
from one terminus &C Galveston - Vera
Cruz, thence to Coatzacoaicas. across the
fsthmus TO Saleua Crux and then 20 Val
paraIso, comprising a mileage Of 5.001
Mr.. and Mrs. Van Nalkenburgh made
their headquarters at Vera Cruz. part OF
the time they were in Mexico and there
met the family of American Consul Trow-
bridge. DIR. TrowbrIdge had held the
position for years. lived in elegant style,
and his family moved in the best society.
As time went on the two families became
very intimate and Mrs. Van Valkenburgh
looked upon Mrs. Ada Peterson and Miss
Matte Trowhridge. daughters of the con-
sai, with ssterly regard. Matte Trow-
bridge was O. tail, wcil-formed, light-haired,
blue-eyed woman OF q years, with rather
dress, but is timely educated and an ac-
complishcd musician. There was
something about the girl that at
tractcd Mr.. Van valkenburgh's attention.
He liked all the members OF the family,
but when Miss Matte was around he
showed decided preference for her society.
His wife at the time gave the matter no
special attention. and the friendship be-
tween the families was not strained in the
least when Consul Trowbridgc was recalled
at the close of the Arthur administration.
In fart the Van yalkenburghs visited the
Trowbridges at Decatur. H.. some time
later. Ten years passed, and Mr.. Van
Yalkenburgh became well known in
all the principal cities of Mexico.
especially the City of Mexico. where
bis acquaintance were among those in
the highest positions, In the meantime
he had acquired some property, among
which were included several shares in the
telegraph company. Married life. so far
as was noticeable, was agreeable 70 him.
but once in while the wife vas troubled
over what in this country Is termed a
'-quiet drunk" Mr. Van yaIkcnburch
did not drink in public houses or make q
show Of himself. lie retired 10 secluded
nook aud had IL out all by himself. Then
he would be sober for months
II vas IN 1s9I that he left Mexico and
came TO Seattle. Soon after his arrival
here he became interested in the New
York Kitchen, but even dnring the last
months of his connection with that estah-
iishrncnt people thought he was l.. e.
Riggs, his partner. and so addressed him.
Hc was rather tall man, with dark
hair. tinged with gray. and wore gold
bowed glasses. In this city he
attended strictly to business and
never touched drop OF iignor.
bat he s,ili admired pretty face.
Mrs. Van Vsikenburgh was cashier In the
restaurant for long time. Last May be
sold out his interest and with his wife
took trip TO the Worlds fair, then visited
California, " here he renewed his aoquaint-
ance with Matte Trewbridgs, who had
been married. bat was either divorced or
awaiting the conclusion of proceedings.
The same attraction as had been notice
able In Mexico was observed by Mrs. Van
Nalkenburgh. bat she did not give her
husband any cause 10 think that she paid
any attention to IL. Later they returned
10 Seattle and went on trip to Alaska.
On returning 10 the city in the fall Mr.
Van faisenhurgh concluded to go 20 Cali.
iorata. presumably te visit his sister at
caiistoga and the Trow bridges at Mana.
tMr. TFow bridge having died some tune
sgob and transact some private business.
Two weeks before he left tie pat his tele-
graph stock in the hands OF Mrs. Van
Nalkenburgh aud. ss she thinks. con,-
menced taxing drink now ard then. On
November Is BE sailed for San Francisco
eu the steamer MaliA Wails. bidding
his vile goodbye st their home on
fiIth. between Madison and Marion
streets There was nothing In his
actions 90 make Mrs Van Vaikcu bureh
think that her husband had anything on
his mind or contemplate the steps he
afterwards took. Alnaos. Immediately
sftsr HIS arrival in San Francisco he de-
posted IN the Nevada bank aboui s. 0sso
and then sent her = signed blank eaeck.
This was pFscaution Mrs. Van Valken-
hagsh saws was taken frequently hy him
when away. 70 prevent Implications ia
case of sudden death. Letters came AZ
regular intervals. conehed fn language
such So husband - accustomed - u.e
to the wife Of has basem In 20
December IS Mrs. NanNakeahureh r.
cciyea seven epsssles, wh&ee are nov IN she
hands of her attorney. Ia these letters
he spoke frequently Of Matte TsowAriare
aud other members a. the family. t,es
never said woEd of . love affair OF gave
aay htat that would accoaaf for the soI-
loving letter received January IL datei
al the Occidental MOTEL, SAr Francisco.
Take nv advice aud sprAy for a d..
vogce. / have let;. and i'm al probability
N0u will never see ne agaia Tho usansv