The San Francisco call., 1895-07-16
SMITH is NOW IN MEXICO.
The Brother of the Missing
Man Says the Family
Knows 1t.
THERE FOR DRESSES SAKE.
He Is Not Expected Home Until the
Absent Broker Says the
Word.

Charles Smith, the missing bookkeeper
of L. w. McGlaufin & Co., whose disap-
pearance and continued absence have been
shrouded in such dense and impenetra-
BILE mystery, is reported to be in Mexico.
Several persons are deeply interested in
the young man. His employers. Messrs.
McGlaufin and Bresse put forth every
effort apparently to discover their book
keepers whereabouts and the cause and
manner of his suddenly developed evanes-
cent proclivities at first, but to no purpose.
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith, the elder, and Mrs.
Smith, the younger, were much wrought
up over the battling inexplicableness which
met every inquiry and investigation as to
the strange vanishment of the son and
husband. Detective StilweQ was engaged
to unearth and develop every clew possi-
BILE, and from time to time he made his re-
ports to the anxious relatives. Finally he
received his discharge from the father OF
the missing man, and, in the language OF
the detective, the final report was filed
with Mr.. Smith and was satisfactory.
But Smith, the penman and friend OF
Eugene Bresse, the junior member of the
firm who several weeks ago initiated the
formers example, was still missing. Now
he would like so find them both, and Re-
ceiver Collins says he needs Smith badly
in his business. He would be invaluable
in expediting the exporting OF the firms
books.
But the family of the absent one has
apparently lost much of its anxiety, and II
there is an explanation therefor it may be
found in the story told by the step
brother. James Woodward is one OF Mrs.
Smith s five children by former marriage,
and therefore the half-brother of the five
sons and daughters who bear the name of
Smith. Mr.. Woodward was as much in
terested in the young bookkeeper as
though they called the same man father,
and naturally shared the doubt, grief and
anxiety OF the family. It is different now.
'Smith is in Mexico" said Mr.. Wood
much for sure, and the chase which some
of the papermen had up to Oroville after
him gave them their labor only for their
palms,
"How long do you think he will stay
there?" was asked.
"Until Bresse gets ready to have him
come back" replied Mr.: Woodward, after
and think know whereof l speak when
l say that Charley is in Mexico, and that
he is kept there by Bresse. 1t is pretty
well known, and so admitted by Nc
Glaufin, that there was nothing wrong in
Charley's accounts. The books were gone
over by my father. you will remember,
soon after the boys disappearance, and we
were all satisfied he had disappeared
through some other cause than that of
guilt and fear of punishment. He and
Bresse were much In the office together
and became quite familiar.
'Whenever Smith would work later than
usual on the books Bresse would send him
home in hack or cab. They used also to
go out together, and perhaps the boy specu-
| lated some with his young employer. AT
any rate he knew Bresse so well that he
discovered something which rendered a
ruse of some sort, followed by mysterious
disappearance, necessary to Bresse's pres
ent security. Whether this security had
any reference to a criminal act | would not
like to say. But it is evident to my mind
that Charley went away at Bresse's insti-
| CATION and will not return until the latter
| says the word.
''Some member of the family has heard
from the boy, but I cannot say who it was.
1t was probably either father or Charley s
wife. At all events l can state to you en-
phatically that he is in Mexico, and if he
| comes back without being sufficiently COM
| pensated for all the trouble and incon-
venience caused to himself and others
| will miss my guess. Over $4,000 has already
been paid out by father. That was, oi
| course, before we knew where he was"