The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-23
CONKELL IS ALIVE.
A CLEVELAND MAN MEETS HIM
IN GEORGIA.

Knew Him Well and Had a Long Talk
with Bim-cIoud Will he Lifted
From the Name of Former
Leetonia Citizen.
The Conkell mystery has been vividly
brought to the miods Of those most
closely interested by the statement of a
travelling salesman who asserts that he
met Conkell In Atlanta, &C., few weeks
ago and at tnat time conversed freely
with him. The information was given
to Mr.. Charles Hahn, the East Seventh
street marble. man, by Robert Graham, a
Cleveland travelling man, who has for
many years sold marble for the Georgia
Marble company, with which company
he is still connected For many years
Mr.. Graham
SOLD MARBLE
to Mr.. Conkell, who was the proprietor
Of the Canton Marble works. He bsa
known him for years snd he asserted
that there was no possibility of doubt
about his meeting Conkell, who was In
apparent good health and evidently
prosperous Mr.. Graham did not attach
much Importance to the meeting but
while conversipg with member of the
Celvleand Marble works that individual
insisted that Graham should come To
Canton and notify the family of the
man long supposed to be in an unknown
grave.
Acting upon bis friends advice Gra-
ham yesterday came to Canton and told
the story to Mr.. Hahn Attorney Hoosel
and Charles Webb, a former employe of
Conkell's.
THE WIFE ILL.
Mrs. Conkell, who resides with ber
daughter Hettio and son ELIAS, at No. 81
High street, was not informed of her
husband being alive as she was not in
physical condition to stand any shock.
However Mr.. Conkell's sister Mrs.
Brach, of New York, was at once placed
in possession Of the facts and she caused
Attorney Honsel to Immediately COM
menoe an Investigation to fully CUB
stantiate the facts as conveyed by the
statement Of Mr.. Graham. Mr.. Hahn
also wrote Mr.. Graham and asked
him for further particulars with the
view to thoroughly establish the fact
that j. II. Conkell is among the living
instead Of being mouldering corpse.
DEEP MYSTERY.
The news Of Conkell being alive re-
calls the deep mystery which surrounded
his disappearance three years ago. He
was business man, who, for years, en-
joyed the confidence of the business men
of Canton. His home life seemed to be
pleasant and there seemed to be no r,a-
son why be should desire to leave bis
home aud family. A large job Of marble
work had been completed at Leesonia
and on October IL, 1894, Conkell left
Canton and went to Leetonia to settle
for the work. Three days later, October
IA, news reached Canton that Conkell
had disappeared. He was last seen
going In the direction of the cemetery.
A large sum of money had been paid
him and was known 10 be on his per-
son, at least he had
MADE NO DEPOSIT
in the banks Of the town. Previous to
going to the cemetery he had taken his
valice and tools to the railway station
preparatory to leaving the town. He
never called for the valice or the tools.
He disappeared as completely as though
the earth had swallowed him and no
word Of him or his whereabouts ever
reached his family or friends until yes
terday when the travelling mans state
ment threw the first ray of light on a
mystery as unsolvable as that surround.
ing the celebrated Charlie Ross case.
DETECTIVES FOOLED.
Every effort known to human ingen uity
was employed at the time of the dis,p-
pearancs to unearth the mystery but all
to no avail. The best Pinkerton talent
declared it to be their belief that foul
murdtr had been committed This yisyy
was held by eminent attorneys and
judges who employed their brains to
probe the dark veil surrounding the
case. Milf Whitman, the sexton of the
cemetery was arrested by the sle lths of
tns law and for two months lapRu ished in
a prison cell. mo evidence TO convict
released him and after being made the
butt of many cruel joke for short time
he left his native town and now resides
in New Springfield, Mahuning connty.
To him the news of ConkelI being alive
will bs most welcome as all shadow tf
suspicion will then be removed from an
innocent man.
Thus one man was made to feel the
touch of the law. But the law and it's
officers failei In every Instance and after
weeks of work and worry ths sleuths
were called off ami 1t came to be gener
ally believe that j. II. Conkell had been
victim of bloody tragedy, the perpe-
traitors OF which were too skilled In crime
to fall into the meshes of the law.
SILENT SUFFERING.
How the family, the wife and children
suffered there is but one who knows.
They suffered in silence and for three
long years have mour ed the husband and
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