Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-20
HEKNEW HIMWELL
Peter Cramps Remembrance
of John Lauderbach.
STORY TOLD BIN BY BAsTIAE

I'M oct nv hEoCC VI tn6 mI8oIuk NAN
After He IL Supposed to Have Left the
Farm-Has Written to Relatives In the
Old Country to Prepare for the Worst
TIE ARGUS succeeded last evening
in locating the nearest and best
friend in this country of John Lau-
derbach, the hired hand on the farm
Of Henry F. Bastian and concerning
the fate Of whom there is so much
sensational speculation and fearful
forebodings. As was first stated in
The ARGUS during the early investi-
cations Of Fred kuschmann's fate,
John Lauderbach worked for Bastian
year preceding the middle of March
a year ago. when he disappeared and
no trace of him has since been found.
The Sunday prior to Bastian's sui
eide the purpose to learn the latter's
version of the Lauderbach matter be-
came one of the objects of visit by
ARGUS representatives to the now
noted farm in Black Hawk township.
Bastian, it will be remem bered.
stated then that Lauderbach had left
his employ to go to Omaha. whence
ne intended going On to Montana
and that he had driven him to Rock
Island with his trunk the day of his
departure and had left him at a
depot in this city.
Mr.. Grampp's Story.
Mr.. Grampp lives at 34O9 Ninth
avenue and speaks only the German
language, and hence it was necessary
to employ the services of an interpre-
ter to gain his story of Lauderbach' S
life here in Rock Island and also after
he entered Bastian's employ. Il
knew Lauderbach's folks in the old
country" said Mr.. Grampp, "and
when he landed in America he came
direct 10 Rock Island. He got here
in the fall of 1898 and stopped the
first night at the Harper house, where
| met him the next day and took him
to my place. He lived with me for
80 weeks and toward the end of Feb
ruary he went to work for
painter in South Rock Island.
He was there eight days when he got
job from Henry Bastian as farm
hand. After Lauderbach had been
there two weeks Bastian came to my
house with n note from Lauderbach,
saying he liked his work and wanted
his trunk. l gave it to him and it
was we'll filed with all kinds of
clothing. He came in to see me often
and with me visited friends of mine
in Rock Island, while he was en-
ployed there. About a year ago
after he had been there year-he
brought in some pigs one day and
told me he expected to be paid off
soon and would leave his Job on the
farm. He said he had agreed to work
for $3.50 a year; that he had drawn
SO and there was $40 coming. and
when he got that he was coming back
to me. So had found new JOB for
him and he was coming to take it
until he could get job at his regu-
lar trade as brewer.
Never Saw Him Again.
"But l never saw Lauderbach
again. | went out to see Mr.. Bias.
tian and he told me Lauderbach had
driven a team to Milan with his
trunk and there he had taken a train
for Montana or Wisconsin. l never
could see how the team got back to
Bastian. went out there 10 or Il
times after that until heard of Fred
Kuschmann's death, and every time
Bas:ian told me the same story.
always asked if he had heard any.
thing of Lauderbach and he always
said the same. / went to the depot
finally to find if anyone had bought
a ticket for Montana or Wisconsin al
| the time Bastian told me Lauderbact
left. and no ticket was sold to any
| body for either Of these places, but ;
man and his wife. Lauderbach hac
no wife. Four or five months ago
got a letter from Lauderbach'.
mother asking about him. She hao
not heard from him, and he was il
the habit of writing her every montl
or so. After l saw in the paper
about Kuschmann / went out agar
and saw Bastian. That was thre.
days before he killed himself and hi
told me the same story he had be
fore"
1 Mi. VIZ ampp was aShcu II Hc Sou
versed with Bastian in the German
language. and he replied that he al
ways did, and he was therefore salts
fled that he could have had no mis-
understanding with him. When h,
was asked if he had written to tn,
old country since the latter develop
ments at the Bastian farm, Mr.
Grampp responded:
Told to Prepare for the Worst.
| eyes. | wrote to Lauderbach'
brother two weeks ago. and told hin
he must not tell his mother yet. bu
to prepare her for the worst if b.
could"
what is your opinion. then, as t.
what has become of Lauderbach?"
Il believe he is dead"
''Do you know anything of Mr.
Lauderbach's general financial con
| dition?"
| Eyes, / know all about him. Hi
father died few years ago, leavin!
him 1000 marks, and his mother ha
Il I'll l.