The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-06
BELIEVE STUART
IS STILL ALIVE
Mailed His Farewell After
His Hat and Coat Were
Found.
Friends Assert That His Disap.
pearance Was Not Into
the Bay.
People Sitting N ar His Coat and
Hat Saw No 0ae Jump
Over board.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
COS PrOadWaV Jan >.

JOO bIOSN " an -.
There are many of The friends of w. 6.
Stuart who do not believe he committed
suicide last night They point to a num-
Der OF circumstances that look as if the
missing man made very elaborate prepa-
rations for a disappearance, but not IN
the bay.
Mrs. Stuart said yesterday: III wish to
deny the report pubis ed in a morning
paper that my husband was at one time
given to drinking heavily" said Mrs.
Stuart. at is not true and does him a
great injustice. The insinuation that he
may be short in his accounts is also uD-
true and uufounded, because he handles
no money in his department. The whole
affair is a mystery to me, and although l
have identified his coat and hat ] cannot
believe he has committed suicide
A very intimate friend of the family
made very peculiar statement to-day.
at does not look to me like case of sui
eide" he said, land l think that Stuart is
still alive. He made altogether too many
preparations. He seemed to be so anxious
to make 1t appear case of simple suicide
that IN my opinion, he oYerstepped his
mark.
"In the first place, he sent money
order to his wife few hours after leaving
home. Later in the evening he sent her
farewell letter, just as all suicides do. But
the point that seems most suspicious to
me is that be pinned his farewell message
to the world on his coat. His hat and
coat were found on the seat of the ferry
boat, and so that there could be no mis-
take and that the wind would not remove
the name that he wrote he fastened 1t.
This, it seems to me, would not occur
10 man about to commit suicide. He
had already told his wife in the letter that
he was going to drown himself from the
80 P. NJ. boat, and it is altogether too
methodical for him to do all this and then
take such pains to prove that he carried
out his intention.
If Stuart is dead he is the most
methodical suicide l ever heard Of In
my Judgment he had some other reason
Tor disappearing than he divul ed. A bill
for $40 is not likely to drive man to
suicide who draws good salary each
month and who is in no danger Of losing
his position. l am convinced, however,
that Mrs. Stuart believes he is dead. -
In support of the belief that Stuart is
still alive is the report OF two men
dressed in the uniform of the Salvation
Army, who say that they were sitting
close to the place where the hat and coat
were found, and that they did not see any
one Jump overheard. ....e
1t was reported This evening that w. G.
Stuart had returned, but there is no
foundation for the report
When seen late tonight Mrs. Stuart
said: My husband has not returned and
nothing has been heard of him. l don't
believe that Mr.. Stuart is either dead or in
the bay. l have been making some in
quiry and find that his letter to me was
mailed at 8 O'Clock and his coat and hat
were found on the 7:30 clock boat. Now
If ne came over on that boat to Oakland,
leaving his coat and hat, be could have
gone back on the same boat and mailed
the letter at Station d before clock.
think that is what he did, and that he is
now alive in San Francisco.
II cannot understand what he means
by saying he has disgraced the children
and me. He never did thing in his life
that could be suggestive of disgrace. If
he has disgraced US at all it is in the pres
ent case. His health has been good but
he has had to stay up every night for two
weeks with children who had the measles
With his work it would be no wonder if
he had become mentally unbalanced"
Mrs. Stuart called at the Office OF Wells
Fargo d Co. in San Francisco to-day and
learned that Mr.. Stuart left half an hour
earlier last night, after drawing $40, due
him on his Deem Der salary account. She
has received many friends during the day.
all OF whom offer her assistance III any
form she desires.
1t is now believed, after the investiga
ton made to-day, that Stuart is not alone,
but that his reference TO 'disgracing his
family" has some connection with some
one else.