Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-12-25
MISSING PREACHER LOCATED
HE TOOK MONEY AND HORSES.
A California Sheriff TeleSraphs That
Denin min IL. ChristIeib Has Sur
rendered Himself to the AuthOri-
ties rs an EmbezZler From Wash-
ingtOn.

Chewelah, Wash, Dec. %. Sheriff
Denny has received a telegram from the
sheriff of Orange county, Cal, saying that
Ben jamin E. Christleib has given himself
up, claiming to be an embezzler from Ste
vens county. This solves mystery
which has been vcxing the minds Of many
citizens for several weeks.
Rev. r. f. Christleib for this self-ac
knowledged embezzler is Free Metho
dist preacher, came to this place last
spring from Penawawa Wash, taking
charge of the Free Methodist church. He
was a fluent speaker and gained the con
fdence OF his congregation and the com
munity at large by his earnest and per
sistent pastoral work. He apprised his
followers Of the fact that he was engaged
to young lady of Penawawa, his former
field, whom he intended marrying in the
fall. The betrcthed couple kept up per
sistent correspondence
His F1nncee's Horse ana Buggy.
AS further evidence Of their intention
to become man and wife, Chrstleib had
horse and buggy belonging to Miss
Smiths father.
The wedding day was set for October
p. This was about the time that mem
Der of Christleib's congregation was hav-
ing domestic infelicity and as he had
heard that his wife had husband living
at st. Regis, Mont, he desired Christleib
to 60 to that place while on his Journey
to claim his bride, in order to substanti-
+o !
ised to do, providing the member would
pay the expenses of the trip. He decid-
ed to make the journey by team and on
account of the rough country he had to
travel through would need strong We
hicle and two horses. He had won the
confidence Of Louis D,oz, who lives near
Colville, by showing his Willingness to
work i'll assisting him to load baled hay
and perform other farm labor, so he bor-
rowed the horse needed from Droz
w. W. Tilghman, whose wife was a
member of his congregation, owned
strong hack, and they unhesitating loan
ed to their preacher to bring his blushing
bride back with him
In October Rev. Christleib started on
his double mission of expectant groom
and detective, Mr.. Lung giving him about |
SO; he also borrowed 500 from merchants !
here before leaving, to whom he owes a .
small store bill
Then He Vanished.
No one here has since heard from him
October lG, it is said, he wrote a letter to
his e2pectant bride, telling her he would .
leave his team in Spokane ana be gone
about 10 days on important business.
He left here with the avowed intention
Of driving to st. Regis. When, therefore,
his friends heard this they began to have
suspicious that their pastor had betlay-
ed them or that some foul play had been
perpetrated upon him. Weeks passed and
still receiving no tidings a search was in
stituted for the team and hack
They were found in livery stable on
Broadway, Spokane, there being a feed
bill Of $50 against them, and the proprie-
tor claiming to have bill Of sale ior the
hack. Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Droz paid the
feed bill and took their horses out, and .
Mr.. Tilghman is now in Spokane trying
to regain possession Of his hack.
DR.. Lung says he also took with him a
valuable quilt and suit of clothes belong
ing to a young man named Andres.
A Much Engaged Man.
According to the statement of a fellow
minister who was here a week ago Christ
leib has been a much engaged man, hav
ing deceived four other young ladies in
the same manner. He had been in the
ministry about two years. Prior to en-
gaging in preaching he was foreman or
bookkeeper in machine shop in Port
land.
1t is said that Mr. Tilghman received 4
letter from his mother, who lives in Port
land, week ago, stating that she had
seen Ch1istleib there, so there is no doubt
about his being the person referred to i'll
the telegram from the sheriff Of Orange
county. The young lady's father, 1t is
said is making strong efforts to have the
deceiver captured. In the meantime the
Free Methodist congregation is without