The Portland daily press., 1895-12-05
nance in thousand for the wounded

hospital, made an examination of the
mans clothing and found Boston pawn
ticket calling for watch and letter,
written in pencil in good hand writing,
which was as follows:
Dear Folks-If you ever get this
suppose it will find you much mystified
as to what has become of me. But don't
let it trouble you. You have done with
out me for six years and you'll soon get
used to it again. Don't any of you think
that anything you have said or done has
to do with my going My mind was made
up some time ago. What money had
and the travelling expenses will partly
square my account. appreciate all you
have done for me, and am sorry to make
so poor return for it. I enclose a pawn
tt cket. Love to all.
isNED.".
''Wm. E. Elder,
''ReYere Bank, Boston,
Acting on the clues suggested by this
letter, kilograms were at once sent to the
chief of police in Boston, and the real
name Of the young man was soon ascer-
tained to be
EDWIN A. ELDER,
and his home West Newton, Mass.
The following facts from Boston
paper of yesterday, show how young
Elder disappeared from home and the
anxiety felt by his family:
1.-THE mysterious disappearance of Edwin
A. Elder of West Newton since Saturday
is causing his relatives and friends no
small apprehension.
Elder is a son of W. E. Elder, promi-
nent resident of West Newton, and is a
student at the Institute of Technology.
He has recently completed a course OF six
years at the naval academy at Annapolis.
He left his home on West Newton hill
about 8 p. M Saturday to go to New
tonville to visit relatives and friends. He
was apparently in his usual health and
spirits. He did not visit his friends in
Newtonyille, and the Newton police have
not found any one who has seen him
since
He is a young man of quiet DISPOSE
t1on and of unusually steady habits, and
his friends are unable to account for his
disappearance. He has never before been
absent from home without informing
his parents of his whereabouts.
Young Elder has been stuying hard of
late, and his health has not been good.
1t Is feared that this may have resulted
in his temporary arrangement. He is
fond of taking long solitary Tambles
through the woods of Weston and
Wellesley.
He is 23 years old, 5 feet II inches tall
and weighs 145 pounds. He has a smooth
face and is of unusually pale complexion,
with very black hair.
When last seen he was dressed in dark
mixed suit, thin overcoat and black felt
hat. He carried an open faced gold watch
and Wore class ring on the second finger
of his right hand.
In the Pullman from Boston last night
came Mr.. +. A Barrows of Newton, and
as soon as he arrived at the Preble house
and was told of the affair, he placed the
young man at once, and while he was
in the office came telephone call from
Newton. Tt was from George N Elder,
inspector of buildings, an uncle of young
Elder and he asked that everything be
done for the boy possible and no expense
spared, but the
MESSAGE CAME TOO LA1E
for hours before, the poor fellow was
probably beyond all human aid. The
message also said that Mr.. ]. j. Pooler
of the Sherwood was relative of the
boy and asked that he be notified of the
affair." This was done and Mr.. Pooler
and Mr.. Barrows went up to the hospital.
Further word was received that the
father of the boy, VIM. E. Elder, teller
of the Revere bank, would be here on the
first train in the morning.
A PRESS man examined the room
where the unhappy fellow performed the
deed, and the bed clothes were completely
saturated with the blood from the wounds,
and burned and scorched from the heat
Of the powder. In the room was little
box of cotton unopened, small paper
bag that had contained candy, and
number of newspapers, from one of which,
the Boston Globe
He HAD CAREFULLY CUT
the account of his disappearance.
The nerve of the man was simply
terrible. He deliberately lay down on
the bed, completely muf1ied his head in
the clothes, placed that small revolver
back Of his ear and fred five shots into
his brain before his frensied fingers re-
laxed their deadly hold on the trigger,
and the relief of Inconsistencies came.
IL must have been temporary insanity
that caused such terrible deed, in so
young man. He had no business
troubles and had apparently good home
and family.
In the six years he mentions in his
farewell letter, he evidently means the
six spent at the Naval Academy. alludod
to in the Boston newspaper item.
AT half-past three this morning Elder
was still breathing but the surgeons do
not. hold out the slightest hope of recov
ery