The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-14
THE CASE OF BARD
The Pittsburgh Insurance Agent
Who Has Disappeared.
LAST SEEN IN MOuNDSyILLE
Where he stopped at the Parish Institute
Hotsi-All Efforts TO Follow his Step.
After Leaving the Hotel have been Fu-
'Ilo-rhs Suicide Theory is Advanced by
the Missing nlan's Frlsnda-FuI Detail.
Ofths Disappearance.

No trace OF William II. Bard, the
agent of the United States Life Insur-
ance Company, in Pittsburgh, who has
been mysteriously missing for week,
has not yet been found. Extraordinary
efforts have been made by his most In.
innate friends to ascertain something
about his whereabouts, but they have
been fruitless. A. S, Smith, close
friend OF Bard's, has returned from
Moundsvllle. He had not succeeded in
turning up anything new in regard to
the insurance mans whereabouts, says
the Pittsburgh Dispatch, The impress
sion is rapidly gaining ground with Mr.
Smith and number of Bard's most in
innate friends, that he has committed
suicide.
A complete investigation OF Bard's
business interests in Moundsvllle was
made BY Mr.. Smith. They were found
to be in not nearly so bad condition as
at first reported. Four attachments
have been made against Bard's oil pro-
perty The largest OF these Is for Sll9,
The property Il now IN the hands of the
sheriff.
1t was with little hope OF fir'lug
Bard that Mr. Smith went to West Vlr-
ginia, AT Wheeling he solicited the aid
of Chief Of Police Bennett, The tele-
phone. Mr. Smith said, was first called
into requislton and Moundsyille called
up. An answer came back that Bard
was there, and, IL wanted, could be To-
Gated In five minutes. Mr. Smith and
Chief OF Police Bennett at once went TO
Moundsvllle. They were taken to pri-
yate residence, where 1t was said Bard
had been seen 10 enter on Friday even
ing This proved upon inquiry, to be a
mistake The residents most strenu-
ously denied the fact of having ever
seen or heard of such man.
HIS Do1NGs AT MoUNDsvILLE.
An investigation OF Bard's actions af-
ter arriving at MoundsvllIe on Monday
last, Mr., Smith says was then made.
Bard was known to almost every per-
son In the town. When he arrived there
he went directly TO the Parish Institute,
where II Is his custom to stop. After
registering. he proceeded to attend to
some business, and, as Mr.. Smith learn
ed, had a long consultation with his at
torney there. The object Of this consul
tation, Mr.. Smith also learned, was
general business talk.
1t was noticed by Bard's most init
mate friends that when he returned to
the hotel he was unusually quiet and
taclturn. This was considered some
thing unusual in his case, as he Is or
was a man of a very happy and jovial
demcanor The time that Bard left
Moundsville is In dispute Whether he
left or not Is question. It may be that
his remains will he found In a woods
near the town, or floating in the river.
One man was found who was sure he
saw Bard leave Moundsville on We'd
nesday; another said he went away on
Thursday evening, while still another
claims to have seen him enter the res
idence on Friday evening There were
also number OF other misleading re-
ports as to his actions. One was to the
effect that he was without money. This
was found to be untrue. He was seen
displaying small roll Of bills around
the hotel when he paid his bill on We'd
nesday.
SO far as his financial troubles may
be concerned Mr.. Smith says that ha
went prepared to straighten 1t out FL
case he was successful In locating Bard.
He has good paper on which sufficient
funds can he raised to tide Bard over
any difficulty he may he in as soon as
he can be found to place his signature
10 It. Mr. Smith further said.
THE SUICIDE THEORY.
"The disappearance Is most myster-
ious one. It seems that the earth must
have swallowed Bard. Although Chief
of Police Bennett and myself made
every possible effort we were unable to
find any clew that would locate him
positively any distance away from the
hotel In Moundsville. ! am fearful that
he thought everything he owned had
been swept away, and has ended his
own existence.
II cannot account for his absence in
any other way. If he had been heavily
involved, Il would have been different,
but he was man who had friends who
wouldcome to his assistance and aid him
out OF his trouble It has been my de-
sire to put away the theory of self-de-
struction as long as possible, but / do
not see any other plausible one at pres
ent.
Contrary to the opinion of Mr.. Smith
is that of Mrs. Bard. She Is firm In the
belief that her husband will yet turn up
safe and sound and that his accounts