The San Francisco call., 1896-12-22
Chicago Capitalist Claims
He Suffered From an
Hallucinati0n.
Returns to Home and Family
After a Strange Absence
of Two Years.
His Explanatory Tale Contradicted by
the Woman With Whom
He Eloped.

PORTLAND, Or, Dec. 2L-Early in
Octo Der the local police were requested to
make search for Cornelius V. Kolliston,
about As years old, employed in and about
Warrendale for several months, and whose
few friends were distressed over his dis
appearance. Kolliston had been oscillat-
ing between this city and Astoria for
almost ten months, and although COM
mon laborer, when not at work he asso-
ciated with a superior class of men. He
was a mystery to those even who i'm
agined they intimately knew him, for mis-
language, manners and habits were those
of well-bred man, which was somewhat
incongruous to his station in life. This
anomaly gave rise to occasional comment
During the last week in September he
left Warrendale with $400 in gold coin,
purposIng to visit friend here. Detec-
tive Welsh week later ascertained that
Kolliston had gone to Chicago. Personal
curiosity led him to inquire about this
mans career through private detective,
personal friend, in Chicago. An answer
came yesterday.
Kolliston was a well-to-do furniture
maker in West Chicago up to the early
part of August, 1894, when be disappeared
from that city. At that time he owned a
factory and other valuable property unin-
cum bered. At first foul play was feared,
but when it was learned that on the day
he disappeared he had drawn all his ready
cash from bank of deposit another con-
struction was placed upon the motive for
his disappearance by some OF his most in
innate friends. Their conjectures were
never communicated to Mrs. KolIiston.
"Kolliston made his temperance at his
home on the Goth of October" writes De-
tective Welsh's friend. From what / can
learn he represented to his wife that when
he left Chicago he was suffering under a
strange mental hallucination, which was
his constant companion up to the day he
left Oregon for home. During all of that
time be believed himself 10 be some one
else, and never for moment bad he the
will power to concentrate his mind upon
what he had left behind him.
This story was briefly handled in one
of the Chicago papers," continued the
writer, (which gave rise to an unpleasant
sequel, Ada REVERE, a dashing variety
actress, being the principal. Last Sunday
she called on kolliston at his home, de-
manding $4,000 from him, else she would
expose the true motive of taking him
from his family in 1894"
The writer inclosed a picture of Miss
REVERE, which is identified as that of
susie May oell, VINO created Juror at
John Cort's Standard Theater here six
years ago. Continuing the letter says:
being unable to intimidate Kolliston
Miss REVERE told Mrs Koliston that he
left Chicago in her company in 1894, going
to San Francisco. Subsequently they went
to Portland. After he had squandered
his last dollar she returned East. This
woman accounts for Koliston remaining
away from home so unnecessarily long
and working as a common laborer on the
basis of lending his story more truthful
flavor"
The letter says, in conclusion, that if
the treacherous variety actress can prove
her assertion, and Mrs. Kolliston will pay
her well if she succeeds, sensational di-
voree suit will follow, involving about
SOS0