The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-11-12
CHARLIE BAILEY
ALIVE AND WE'LL.
The Drowned" Man Writes a
Letter to His Mourn
ing Wife.
INSURANCE CLAIMS WITHDRAWN.
Sustains the Original Contention of the
Times-Bailey Wanted to Get
Out of the Way.

A special to the Savannah News
from Wayoross, gives the particulars
OF the receipt of letter from Charlie
Bailey, who was supposed to be
drowned while on a visit to this city.
1t has always been a debatable ques-
.tion as to whether Bailey was really
dead, and THE TIMES, in It's first ac-
count of the occurrence, expressed
grave doubts on the subject. These
doubts were increased by the strange
conduct and the contradlctiDg stories
told by the two men who were sup
posed to have been Bailey's compan-
IONS at the time of his alleged death.
The reported drowning has been
thoroughly Investigated by the agents
of those insurance companies in which
Bailey had policies to the extent of
$4,000. The investigation ia still in
progress, and several Investigators
have been in Brunswick in the past
few weeks, getting all the light they
could on the subject.
The latest story published by THE
TIMES in regard to the case was to the
effect that Bailey had been seen in
Chattanooga by gentleman now in
this city.
The story of the letter is best told
in the words of the special, which are
as follows:
"a letter, bearing the Atlanta and
Nashville railway mail post mark, and
dated Nov. Z, has been received by
Mrs. John A. Lott of this city. 1t
purports to be message from Charlie
Bailey to his sister, Mrs. Lott. The
letter appears to be genuine. 1t states
that the writer, Charlie Bailey, sup.
posed his sister would be surprised to
hear from him. He got into trouble
at Brunswick and was also tired of
living with his wife, he said, and
sought escape by a drowning ruse.
His career after leaving Brunswick
has been checkered by yellow fever,
and he failed to find employment. He
is willing to confess his wrong and
take his wife and children with him
and support them. He gives no post
office address, and does not mention
what state he is in. The letter has
been sent to Charlie Bailey's wife at
McDOnald's mill, and will be returned
to Mrs. Lott tomorrow. Some think
it is bogus, and others are of opinion
that Bailey is alive, and that he wrote
it.
'It will be remembered that Bailey
mysteriously disappeared from Bruns-
wick several months ago. He and w.
N. Jones and Frank Bailey and three
women went rowing mp the river and
he did not show up with the others
on their return. His hat and coat
were found and his male companions
reported that he fell out of his boat
and was drowned. The women were
not identified, and their version Of the
affair was never obtained.
"Some people at Brunswick a day or
two after the alleged drowning were
inclined to believe that Bailey had
been foully dealt with by his compan-
ions. A futile search was made for
the body OF Bailey in the river.
"The wife put in her claim for in
surance on her husbands life, which
amounted to $4,000. The insurance
company gave notice that the claim
would be contested on the ground that
there was not sufficient evidence that
Bailey was dead, and the circumstances
were suspicious. A thorough investi-
cation of the case was begun by the
company.
"Bailey was reported to have been