Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-02-03
PEOPLE. WHO DISAPPEAR
HUNDREDS MYSTERlOUSlY DROP
OUT OF SIGHT YEARLY IN CHICAGO.

Records of Strange Disappearances
Kept by. the Police-A Remarkable
Case .Unraveied by Mind d-Resder
Many queer tale, more weird and
interesting than any penned by
writers of fiction, is hidden away in
the records of mysterious disappear
ances kept by the Chicago Police De-
partmeHt. Between three hundred
and four hundred men and women
drop out of sight every year in this
city-disappear as completely as If the
earth had opened and swallowed
them. What becomes of these people
is mystery few detectives care to at
tempt to explain. Foul play is the
explanation advanced by their rela-
tives in nine cases out of ten, murder
by footpads being the customary plea,
but in few instances are the facts such
as to justify this conclusion.
Wholesale killings for plunder
sould not go on year after year with.
put detection. Sooner or later the
bodies of some of the alleged victims
would turn up, or stolen valuables
would be found in that market for all
thieves, the pawnshop. 1t is because
pf lack of developments of this kind
that officers experienced in criminal
matters scout the idea of foul play.
But people keep on disappearing at an
tlarming rate, and the natural oues-
lion is, What becomes of them?
They are not embezzlers or others
who have known cause for hiding them
selves. If the reports received at Po-
ice Headquarters are accurate, nearly
I'll OF these missing people are indi-
Tiduals free from financial or domes-
sic troubles, and, to all outward APP
pearances, happily situated in life.
''Men do queer things at times"
'aid former Captain Elliott, in dis
;ussing this subject, "and of all their
!reaks that of mysteriously disappear
ng is the oldest. Sometimes they
'eally become insane and actually lose
their identity, but as rule those who
disappear are not afflicted mentally.
In nearly every instance where a man
If sound mind disappears, and no
murder has been committed, close in
Testigation will disclose the fact that
ie has some real or fancied cause for
getting out of the way. Wives are
always positive their husbands love
ihem, but have known instances in
which men who to all outward ap-
pearanoes were devoted husbands
we're really weary of life with their con-
tugal mates, and quietly disappeared
u order to get rid of them.
tfNTa, I
cause their business affairs are not in
good shape and seek relief in volun-
!ary retirement. Others, again, are
lmbued with love of adventure and
sitter spending years in quiet domestic
surroundings, suddenly become i'm
bued with an unconquerable desire to
see other phases of life. 1t is possible
and even probable that some of the
people reported as missing fall victims
70 footpads, but the number is small.
Grimes this kind are easily detected,
and while the perpetrators may not be
caught in every instance, the identity
Df the victim and the fact of killing
ire pretty sure to be quickly
established.
zone of the queerest cases OF NY
sterious disappearance with which the
Chicago Police Department has had to
deal is that of John w. Matthews, who
quietly dropped out of sight in this
city last November and has never been
heard from. An unusually vigorous
search was made for Matthews because
he was an intimate friend of Captain
Campbell, secretary of the Depart
ment, and the latter interested himself
In seeing that the hunt was thor
ough me. Matthews lived in Mon
mouth, Ill.,, and was man of con-
siderable wealth. He came to Chicago
about the middle Of November, wear
ing new suit of clothes and with
300 in cash. Here he met and talked
with several friends, all of whom
Afterward remarked that he was in
ine health and spirits. Two days
Iater Matthews was missing and no
race of him was to be found.
"The police were baffied, when q
mind-reader gave them q clew which
ed to strange disclosures. This per-
ION and Matthews had been suddenly
taken insane in Chicago and had gone
to hotel in Madison street, near
Clark street, where he registered
under his proper name, but in an un-
lecipherable running hand, and had
been assigned to room on the fourth
floor. Before bedtime, however, he
had taken car and gone to the lake
near jackson Park, where he drowned
himself. Shortly after this, the mind
reader said, the body was washed
ashore in the Calumet region, where
it was found by fisherman, who ap-
propriated the money and valuables,
andt then to save himself trouble buried
the remains in the sand.
"Matthews's signature was found
on the hotel register, and he had been
assigned to fourth floor room, which
he had not occupied. Search along
the southern lake front revealed spot
identical with that given by the mind