The times., 1897-11-27
LEWIS MYSTERY solved
Disappearance of a Leading Citi-
zen of Montreal Explained.
DIR. JEKYL AND Mr.. HYDE LIFE
Albert f. Lewis Plans to Have All
Believe Him Murdered, aud Then
With large Sums of Money Flees.
Feared Exposure of His Intrigu )
With Women.

Montreal, Nov. &c. The facts in connee
ton witt the sensational disappearance
of Montreal's leading citizen came 10 light
yesterday. For days the local papers have
contained columns telling how Albert f.
Lewis, 4 prominent real estate man, had
been murdered ana kidnapped at a lonely
spot on the outskirts of Montreal.
His hat and gloves and evidence of
struggle ere found near the place Lewis
was last seen Oh Saturday evening, when
he was at dinner with his family Abou.
O'Clock note was handed to him asking
him to call upon u resident of st. Louis
de Mileend, who, it was stated wished TO
seehim on business.
Lewis, after dinner kissed his wife and
started out TO keep the appointment, stat
Ing that he would afterwards attend
public meeting Of the residents OF the mu-
nicipality, which he had called. When he
reached the house of the man who IL vas
supposed tad sent the letter, the latter
denied that he had sent it, and after a
few words Lewis left, as he said, TO ~ to
the meeting. That was the last seen OF
him, and when he did not return home the
theory was that lie had been either Kid
napedor murdered.
II now transpires that the calling of the
meeting, the senling OF the bogus letter and
thesubsequeEt finding of the hat and gloves
were all part OF skillfully arranged plan
concoored by Lewis himself III order to lie
celye his family and the public and to lead
them to suppose thathe had been done way
with.
Lewis had carriage in waiting near tne
spot where he was last seen, into W hich he
got, and, after carefully Disgusting him
! self, he took all outgoing train.
The reasons for his going are now plain
Lewis, who was the son uf a leading Mon.
treaIer, and a man about forty-five year!
Old, was n ms early youth a wanderer an.
| Bohemian. fie had Travelled all over ths
| West, been n COW boy in oregon and Wash
ington, and had visited the Sandwich Isl
| ands. While on his travels he had met
| woman cC inferior station and lived witt
| her foI some time, but they finally sepa
rated.
Auout ten years ago Lewis returned tC
Montreal. aud not long afterward me
and married Miss Helen Bagg, one of tt'
richest heiresses iii this city TIE Bagg
are the largest landowners in the Do
Iuinion, owning vast tracts of valuable
land in and around Montreal The estatr
| amounts 10 many million dollars. Mrs
1ewis had a large amount of money, be-
sides great deal of land in. her own right
aud lewis, after he had married her
| launched into the real estate business oI
| an extensive scale.
He also speculated heavily, and, helpe'
by his wife, made a good deal of none y
While apparently model husband an,
| most devoted to his wife, he had man,
Iiasons with women, and had severa
niisttesses. The old skeleton in his close
was continual worry 10 him, ana he
sought To drown his care with women an
drink.
All the time he LED a DT. Jekyl and MT
HYDE existence, being i model husian
and at the same time keeping up hume
Gus intrIgues outside. Not long ago Tn
woman OF his wandering DAYS found Ju
his whereabouts and appeared on the scene
When Lewis would not meet her demand
ary longer she threatened to expose hin
To add to his trouble his intrigue with
married woman had been discovered by n
husband. who threatened to shoot him.
A few months ago Lewis decided 10 Z
to EhglaI. d with his wife for the jubi:c
festivities, thinking that the clouds wou
blov over in his absence, but when he r,
turned few weeks ago the trouble was i
sumed. When hefound things becoming L
hot for MIN he decided to skip out, and III
ranged the plan to lead people to sUppos
that he had been murdered.
The plan might have worked very we
only it leaked out that previous 70 his j
departure Lewis had transferred big block:
of stocks held by him, that he had bt'
rowed money from members of his wife
family, and that during his trip t0 Englan
he had placed large amount OF none
TO his credit i'll a London hank. He
believed to have gone To New York, whel
he viii be Joined by one of his Montre;
women and that he will then make ft
South Africa, for which he has often e,
pressed a liking.
Mrs. Lewis is Frustrated by her hu
bands disappearance and the terrib
scandal connected with his name.
SOCIETY OF NAVAL. ENGINEER