The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-30
FAMILY OF J. G. MASSEY NEARLY
DISTRACTED OVER HIS DIS
APPEARANCE.
!F-4-Aa4ss s#Haas4 ar zal-
LEFT HOME LAST WEDNESDAY,
II 81 sl4s= ~ rea=-sl
"BY THE TIME You RECEIVE THIS
SHALL BE NO
MORE"
SAYS A LETTER To HIS WIFE,
Despondent Over the Fact That He
Was Unable to. Provide for His
Family.

j. u. Massey, formerly g. boOkkeeper
in the auditing department of the
Northern Pacific railroad is missing
from his home, 737 Martin street, un-
der circumstances which lead his fami-
ly to believe that he has taken his own
life. Search for the missing man
since Wednesday afternoon has failed
to discover any trace of him living,
and from facts connected with his dis
appearance it is thought that he has
ended his life in some remote place
where his body may be found later.
The theory of his family is that he has
drowned himself, either here or at
Minneapolis.
Massey has been very Respondent Of
late on account of losing a position
With the Omaha road, which he secured
three months ago, after nearly a year
of enforced idleness. During this time
it was an uphill struggle to provide
for his wife and four children, and at
times the family has been in straight
ened circumstances; necessitating not
long ago, the mortgaging of the house
hold furniture. Worry over his f1nan-
cial condition had it's effect on Massey.
by inducing spells of melancholia, dur
ing which the apprehension of his
family was aroused, but when he re-
Gently secured his last position at the
Omaha freight house, where he worked
in the double capacity Of night watch
man and accountant, it was thought
he had recovered his normal mental
condition. When, however he lost this
last employment ten days ago. he broke
down completely and has since done
nothing but brood over his reverses.
Throughout the day. his folks say, he
hopelessly sought employment and at
night wandered about the streets in
fits of abstraction. At home his actions
excited the fear of his wife, and it was
dreaded that worry had effected his
mind
Wednesday morning Massey left the
house before breakfast but returned
about 10 O'clock and after going to
his room for short time, affectionate-
ly bade his wife goodbye, saying moth
ing Of his intentions, but apparently
laboring under excitement At o'clock
in the afternoon Mrs. Massey received
a letter from her husband, stating that
cation he would be dead, having de-
cided to end his troubles by suicide.
The letter was written from the ST.
James hotel in Minneapolis, and from
the postmark, had been mailed shortly
before noon. From it's contents 1t is
judged, that Massey had been planning
to take his life for several days Part
of the letter was written April %, in
this city, on a Merchants hotel let
ter head, and stated that the writer
had become utterly discouraged with
his inability to provide for his family,
and felt that no other course than
death was open to him. The other
portion of the epistle dated in Mime
apolis, Wednesday, informed Mrs. Mas
sey that her husband had given up
hope and was about to take the fatal
step which he previously threatened
by the time you receive this I shall
be no more" wrote the disconsolate
man, and his wife believes that he has
ended his existence The letter is pitt
able in its hopelessness and begs the
forgiveness of the wife for casting her
with the family of children alone upon
the world, concluding with the express
ed wish that friends may come to their
assistance. An old razor which Mas
sey kept in his room is not to be found,
and it is thought that it was for this
that he returned to the house before
going away.
Mrs. Massey, who is an invalid, IS
completely Frustrated by her husband S
disappearance. She is wholly without
means. and this. with the care Of four
children, the eldest a girl of seventeen
years and the youngest a girl six years
old, serves to increase her distress. Seen
at her home by a reporter for the
G l o b e, yesterday afternoon, she re-
lated the story of her husbands dis
appearance and expressed the belief
that he would never again be seen
alive.