Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-05-17
STRANGE MR.. sOUDER.
Started From Fort Wayne to indianapolis,
but landed In Cane Town.


About four months ago the city of Fort
Wayne had one Of those mysterious disap-
pearances which occasionally startle a COM
munity. The principal actor in the occur
renee was Mr. d. W. Souder, who up to
November, 1894, had been much in evil
dence as the clerk of Allen county. After
the expiration of his term of Office Mr..
Souder continued visible to his fellow citi-
zens until the 18th of January, 1895, when
he ceased to he seen. To use the appro-
pirate phrase in describing such occur
FENCES, che disappeared as completely as
if the earth had opened and swallowed him
up"
The first light thrown upon the mystery
was letter from Mr.. Souder, dated Cape
Town. March 10, 1895. 1t was addressed
to n member of his family and was as fol-
lows:
"You will be surprised to receive let
ter from me In this PARKWAY land. I don't
know what to say. 1 can't tell. l can't
tell why l came here or how got here. 1
did not want to run away. l can't tell
you anything about it. About n month
ago l found myself on q steamer coming
to this place. All, how 1 felt l can't tell
the suffering have had to endure. Such
agony! 1t is tcrrible 1 don't know what
to do. feel bad. l tried to writo to you
several times but could not. 1 wish 1
could die. Oh, to think that have run
away or got away from my home and
from you all, my dear ones What shall
do? Perhaps you know what left for. 1
don't remember"
As it is better to be alive in Cape Town
than the occupant of a Theoretically sealed
hole in the ground, this letter was good
news to the writer's family and friends.
The personal part Of it assured them that
he would return by the next steamer, and
preparations were made to receive him.
The reception has since taken place On
Thursday last Mr.. SOudcr arrived in Fort
Wayne, having been met and escorted from
Detroit by aformcr employee of his. When
this gentleman met Mr.. SOuder at Detroit,
he obtained from him the story of his
strange disappearance. He said:
"Jan. 10 last l bought ticket to Indi-
annapolis. l only went as far as Peru and
changed my course to Detroit. From De-
trOit l went to Montreal and then to Hal
flax. From Halifax l sailed Jan. 10 for
Liverpool on the steamer Laurcntian.
went to London and then sailed for Cape
Town on the steamer Dunbar Castle of the
Castle line, Captain Pierce. From Cape
Town l went to Johannesburg, the center
of the goldfclds in Transvaal, the South
African republic. 1 went back again to
Cape Town, and on March 20 last sailed
for London on the steamer Garth Castle of
the Castle line Captain r. Rendell.
arrived in London April II and sailed from
Liverpool for Boston April IS on the Gu
nard line steamer Gallia, Captain r. Hew-
ISL L arrived April ~, and in Detroit
tE.uv."
Persons who are fond Of working out
puzzles or trying to make things consist
will find an interesting study in the COM
parison of Mr.. Souder's Cape Town letter
and this statement. The first represents
him as absolutely ignorant how he got to
Cape Town and suffering great agony of
mind at the discovery that he was there at
all. The later statement details every
stage of the journey, even to the names of
steamers and their captains, dates of sail
ing, etc If he had any doubt as to who he
was why did he not consult the passenger
lists in his possession and establish his
identity? Or, if he did not have the infor-
nation at that time, when how and where
did he obtain it?
In the light Of these conflicting state
mcnts one is forced to think that the mys-
FERROUS disappearance of Mr.. Souder is
more mysterious than eyer.-IndianapOlis
journal.