Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-14
AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.
Started for n Nearby City an
Brought Up in Cape Town.


Brought Up in Cape Town.
From the indianapolis Journal.
About four months ago the city of Fort
Wayne had one Of those mysterious disap-
pearances which occasionally startle
community. The principal actor in the &C.
currence was Mr.. D. W. Souder, who, up to
November, 1894, had been much in evidence
as the clerk of Allen county. After the eX-
piration of his term of Office Mr.. Souder
continued visible to his fellow citizens until
the 18th of January, 1895, when he ceased
to be seen. To use the appropriate phrase
in describing such occurrences, he disap
peared as completely il the earth had
opened and swallowed ;Im up
His friends, thinking he might have been
detailed on some political secret service,
telegraphed to Chairman Thomas Taggart
and other prominent democrats Of this city,
but they knew nothing about the missing
man. If his family knew anything of his
whereabouts they did not tell, and to all
appearances they were deeply distressed.
The supposititious hole in the ground which
had swallowed him up, Or down, remained
closed, and the mystery of the disappear
ance became dense and unfathomable If
anybody in Fort Wayne had a string to
the missing man they did not pull it. and
he continued in L state Of complete and
total observation
ne urSl HSnt thrown upon Inc mystery
was letter from Mr.. Souder, dated Cape
Town, South Africa, March IS, 1895. 1t
was addressed to member of his family
and was as follows:e
You will be surprised to receive letter
from me in this far-away and. I don't
know what to say. / can't tell. l can't tell
why l came here or how l got here l did
not want to run away l can't tell you
anything about it. About a month ago
found myself on a steamer coming to his
place. All, how 1 felt! l can't tell the SUI
fering have had to endure. Such agony;
it is terrible! l don't know what to do /
feel bad. 1 tried to write to you several
times but could not. l wish l could die
Oh, to think that I have run away, or got
away, from my home and from you all, MY
dear ones. What shall I do? Perhaps you
know what left for; don't remember"
As it is better to be alive in Cape Town.
Africa, than the occupant of a Theoretically
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 We're made to re-
ceive him. The reception has since taken
place. on Thursday last Mr.. Souder ar
rived in Fort Wayne, having been met
and escorted from Detroit by former en-
ploye of his, who> is row CLERK of Allen
county. When this gentleman met MIR.
Souder at Detroit he obtained from him
the story of his strange disappearance. He
said:
january Is last I Dough. a ticket to
and changed my course to Detroit. From
Detroit l went to Montreal and then to
Halifax. From HALT < 1 sailed, January
10, for Liverpool the steamer Lau-
rentian l went to London and then sailed
for Cape Town, South Africa, on the
steamer Dunbar Castle Of the Castle line,
Capt. Pierce. From Cape Town 1 went to
johannesburg, the center of the gold fields
in Transvaal, the South African republic.
I went back again to Cape Town, and on
March 20 last 1 sailed for London on the
steamer Garth Castle of the Castle line,
Capt. r. Rendeil. 1 arrived in London
April IL and sailed from Liverpool for Bos-
ton April IS on the Cunard line steamer
Gala, Capt T. Hewiston. arrived April
81, and in Detroit today"
Persons who fond of working out
puzzles, trying to make things consist,
will find an interesting study in the COM
parison of Mr. Souders Cape Town letter
him absolutely ignorant how he got to
Cape Town and suffering great agony Of
mind at the discovery that he was
there at all. He found himself on
steamer" and that was all he knew.
The later statement details every stage
of the journey, even to the names of
the steamers and their captains, dates of
sailing, etc. If, as seems likely, Mr.. Souder
kept diary of the journey, one cannot
help wondering why he did not relieve his
mental agony at Cape Town by referring to
his diary. If he had any doubt as to who
he was, why did he not consult the pas
senger list in his possession and establish
formation at that time, when, how and
where did he obtain 1t?
In the light of these conflicting state
ments one is forced to think that the lnys-
FERROUS disappearance of Mr. Souder is more
mysterious than ever.