The Portland daily press., 1896-08-25
WHERE is Hi?
What Has Become Of Young Robert
Richardson
THAT Is A MYSTERY WHICH Is
UNSETTLED.

He Came to Portland In June and Sudden.
azs Iy yanished-He Said He Was Going tc
Jump Overboard--Left His Clothing
and Board Bill with Mrs. Atwood OF
Franklin st.
Who was Robert e. Richardson or Rob
ert E. Hutchinson, and what has become
of him?
That is the question that Mrs. Atwood
who keeps boarding house on Franklin
street. and many of her boarders would
like to know. The young man in ques-
| tion, for he was a young man apparently
aboat 10 years of age, was a resident OF
Portland fol one brief week, and concern
ing his residence here and subsequent
disappearance, there hangs a tale, and
this is 1T.
On Wednesday OF the last week of
June last, there appeared at Mrs. At
woods house on franklin street good
looking, well dressed young man, who
said he wanted to engage board for three
months He said he had just come from
Boston on the boat, was out of health
and came to Portland hoping to regain
his health and strength He bore lstters
of recommendation from the Continental
Clothing company of Boston, in whose
employ he had been and as his appear
ance was prepossessing, he was taken to
board by Mrs. Atwood.
On the day following his arrival gen.
tleman of forty called to see him and in
CURED for Robert K. Hutchinson. The
young man had given Mrs. Atwood the
pane of Robert E. Richardson, so when
opportunity presented itself Mrs. At
woods sister asked him how 1T happened
that the man inquired for Hutchinson.
The young man replied that his name
was really Hutchinson, but that his
mother had been married the second
time to man named Richardson, when
he was very little child and that he had
always been called Richardson. This
explanat seemed entirely satisfactory.
The man who called to see him told
the lady thatrhe had formed the young
mans acquaintance on the boat and was
attracted by him. Mrs. Atwood or her
sister neither of them know this mans
name.
q Robert said that his parents lived on
Appleton street in Boston, and that his
father was employed by the Edison
Electric company. He spoke highly of
them.
He wac melancholy chap at times
and was apparently out of health. He
was very pale and appeared to have some
trouble on his mind. h would frequent
ly come in and throw himself down and
declared he wished he was dead and
thought he should commit suicide. The
ladies of the house thought it mere idle
talk.
While here he applied to j. F. Clark
& Co., for a position, and showed his
recommendation there, but he twas not
employed. He was however a member
of the z. M. G. A., and had his men,
bership transferred to the Portland as
ISOLATION. He was fine penman, drew
we'll and was some thing of musician.
When. he had been here just six days he
came in one morning about 1890 and
complained great deal and was very
respondent. Suddenly he jumped up and
said :'1'm going to jump off the wharf, -
and with that he went out of doors.
That was the last seen or heard of Mr.
Robert Richardson Fl hutchinson at the
Atwood mansion,
The people in the house thought moth
ing Of his threat when he went out, but
when night came, and he did not return
they began to be worried. He left some
clothes, and his board bill behind him.
AS nothing was heard of him, Mrs. At
wood reported the matter at the police
station, but has heard nothing to clear
up the mystery. She is inclined to be-
1ieve that he really carried GU his threat.
and made way with himself, and is very
anxious for any information that will
lead to clear the matter up. 1t would
seem if the boy told the truth as to his
antecedents, the mystery might be cleared
up.
The body that some young boys are
reported to have seen In the water off the
Eastern Promenade may have something
to do with the stranger disappeared of
Robert Hutchinson.