Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-08-05
BANGOR'S MYSTERY.
Where Is George H. Smith the
Wholesale MiIIiner?
Also Where is Maud Davis, Who Dis
appeared at Same Time?
The Couple Believed TO Have EI0ped-A Very
Interesting Story.

HERALD, from Bangor says: The dlSap
pearance of George II. Smith, the whole
sale milliner Of this city. who departed
some days ago, under rather sensational
| circumstances, has baflled all efforts on
the part of the police and friends of his
wife and family, who are left behind in
destitute circumstances, and 1t Is now
only a matter OF conjecture as to the
whereabouts of Smith and the young
woman who Is supposed. TO have eloped
with him. He has not been seen in his
usual haunts in Boston or New York, and
the various Wholesale firms where Smith
bought goods report that they have seen
nothing of him.
when Smith left Bangor he told his
family and the employees at his establish
ment that he was going to Boston and
New York to buy goods, and settle up
some business matters. He informed his
wife that he should return the following
Saturday. After his departure his wife
received a letter from him stating that he
might not be at home for day or two
longer than he had expected.
" a pretty girl, who was employed in
his store, disappeared about the same time,
and since then things have been leaking
out, which throw much light on the whole
affair. The writer has been able Co secure
Information which has not been made
public, and which has direct and i'm
portant bearing upon the subject
The name of the girl who is supposed
to have eloped with Smith is Maud Davis
the daughter of a police officer of good
standing in this city. She had been en-
ployed by Smith In his wholesale rooms
for some time and he became so infatuated
with her that his wife became jealous of
the girl and several family jars took place
Smith was at the same time jealous Of
everybody who looked twice at the girl.
A man named Meservey, who was q
travelling salesman for Smith was one Of
the objects of Smiths unfounded jealousy
Smith was SO distrustful of him that br
kept him on the road nearly all the time
and sent him off on trips on which be
knew that Meservey could not even maxi.
expenses, to say nothing of profit This
made it costly for Smith, but it kept
Meservey out Of the way.
"A boy who worked In the store at
small pay was in the habit of wearing
rubber soled sneakers, which made lit
stairs into one of the rooms quietly ana
found Smith and the girl in rather Low.
ing attitude. Smith became very angry.
gave the boy terrible scolding, and told
him to get leather shoes at once which he
did The boys salary was raised after
that little episode, and he was we'll treated
by his employer
Charles Wolff & Co of New York.
placed an attachment on the stock shortly
after Smiths disappearance, and a keeper
was put in charge of the store, but the
New York concern found that the stock
was plastered over with mortgages, and
the attachment was removed. Two other
New York firms were ready to Jump on
Smith, but found 1t was no use. Smith
owes large sums to New York and Boston
firms and they will lose every cent with
out doubt.
After the disappearance of Smith his |
creditors and friends of his wife opened |
the office safe and discovered papers which |
show conclusively that the disappearance |
of Smith and the elopement with the girl |
had been planned for weeks, and perhaps |
months
"A strange feature Of the case is that, |
within week or two before his sudden |
departure, Smith paid a note amounting |
to $1,000 to New York firm, which, IL
was argued, would indicate that Smith |
did not intend to abscond. But, while |
be may have left rather more suddenly |
than he at first intended, he had had his |
plans laid out for it all along.
Two or three weeks ago, Just before
the note referred to matured, Mrs. Smith |
spoke to her husband about this mute and
asked him If he had the money to nay it
Smith replied that he had but that If he
didn't think that he could make more bv
paying it and remaining In business he
would put tha money out of the way.
where nobody could get at it, and try new
fields
''His wife asked him in distress, "You
wouldn't leave me and the children, would
you, George?'
"Whereupon he replied, "No, l will |
never do that, whatever comes +
He said to her that he was hard
pressed, and he would skip and not pay a
'ent, taking all he could gather, if he
idn't think there was more in it for him
o stay. His wife said she didn't wish to
iear him talk like that, and implorcd him
20 take the money and pay the note, which
le DID.
1t is supposed that he was induced to
tay to keep the girl with whom he was
infatuated with him, and it is thought
hat the disposal of much of his money
an be accounted for easily Everybody
lnows where the money goes in such cases
Smith left town owing scores of firms
nd individuals large sums of moncy.
'rocers. shoe dealers, dry goods men and
many other local dealers mourn Inside
arture.
A day or two ago an anonymous il tt
vas received from person representing
erself to be woman living in Roxbt rg.
dass., who stated that man and won an
lad taken rooms as house near wbc
he Notwithstanding it minutely-tb t
he woman was young and pretty and told
he landlady that her husband WAS
raveling man, and would not be at h. II
kept at night.
The father of the missing girl at once
7ent to Roxbury, but found that 1t wa
ot his daughter, although the drs nIptloa
tsA1w III