The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-11

Walter Beakhane. an sngraver Of this
citv. has tust received positive informa-
tian that his brother. T. w Beakhane.
who left home twenty-three years ago.
and who was given up for dead after a
long search. is living In Lake county. CaL
By peculiar combination of circum-
stances the two brothers were In Seattle
last week. and discovered each Others
presence Just IN time to be prevented from
c1asping hands once more and closing the
gap of many years
Tventy-three years ago the Beakbane
family lived in Liverpool William Fox
Reakbane. the father of T. W. and Walter
Beakbane. was interested in the tannery
business. The establishment was an ex-
tensive one. and the Beakbanes were well
known both In business and social circles.
r. w. Beakbane was the eldest son. and
owing to reasons which are of interest
only TO himself and relatives. he left home
and came to the United States.
A short time after his arrival he was lost
sight of SO far as his own people were
concerned, and despite vigorous search
could not he located Time wore on and
the anxious mother looked in vain for
letter that would tell her Of her sons well
fare. Still no word came and the search
was renewed. The particulars OF the case
were forwarded to New York. from which
place a thorough investigation was insti-
tuted. Not a clue to the whereabouts Of
the missing man was discovered, and the
family at last came to the conclusion that
the eldest son was sleeping beneath the
sod OF nameless grave.
Twelve years ago the father died. Mrs.
Beakbane is still living and makes her
home in Jersey. England. The children
have left home to make homes for them
selves The daughter. Mrs. George Bis
son. came to America and finally settled
in Montreal. Canada. where she is still
living Walter Beakbane crossed the
water in 1890 and settled temporarily in
Portland. Or, but eventually went TO
Montreal. where he lived for two or three
years Then he went to Syracuse. n. Y.
Three years ago he came to Seattle, where
he has settled down.
Until last Friday morning he would have
told his friends that his eldest brother, T.
w Beakbane, was dead. He was as sure
of that as he was that he lived in Seat
tie. Why should he and his sister and
mother think otherwise? Twenty-three
years had passed and no word had been
received from him. Hundreds of dollars
had been spent in the futile search, and
the best detectives had been employed to
solve the mystery.
On this Friday morning in question Mr..
Beakbane arrived at his Office as usual
and found a letter awaiting him. The en-
velope bore the stamp of the Rainier
Grand hotel. Mr.. Beakbane tore open the
envelope and read. The color came and
went in his face He finished reading,
then grabbing his hat started for the
depot. He fairly flew along the street and
reached his destination out of breath 1t
was as he expected. The Canadian Pacific
train had gone. 1t bore with it his long
lost brother, bound for England.
The letter which told Mr.. Beakbane that
the long lost one was alive was brief, and
had evidently been written In the belief
that the train would depart before there
was any chance of a reunion. II stated.
however. that the writer would be back
in Seattle withiH the next six months. and
he would make it point to prosecute his
search to a successful termination.
According to the letter. t. W. Beak-
bane left San Francisco about May 3 on
a trip TO England, but the special reason
for his going was not stated. He did not
tell how he learned of his brothers pres
ence in Seattle but Mr.. Beakbane thinks
that he learned 1t from a friend named
Cline. who is In the railroad business and
from whom Beakbane purchased his ticket
to England.
From the register at the hotel 1T Is
learned that Mr.. Beakbane lives in Lake
county, Cal. and II Is thought that he 10
engaged In the cattle business.