Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-12-22

Of the place as TO seem complete anom-
ally Yet crime or some other hide
Gus mystery almost equally revolving
has during the last FIVE years been ac-
ccuntable for the disappearance in or
about this village of four persons of
various ages and occupations. OF these,
three were strangers and one u well
known vagabond accustomed to tramp
the hills and live ON the bounty of
farmers wives. All were of the male
sex, and in no case has any clew ever
come to light as to their fate. They
were seen in town or near it and then
suddenly were not seen or ever heard of
again. That is the matter as it Islands
before the police today"
"A serious affair" / remarked.
"Seems to me have read of such things
in novels. Is there tumbled down old
inn in the vicinity where beds are made
up over trapdoors?"
His smile was mild protest against
my fiippancy.
81 have visited the town myself.
There is no inn there, hut comfortable
hotel OF the most matter of fact sort,
kept by the frankest and most open
minded of landlords. Besides, these dis
appearances as rule did not take place
at night, but in broad daylight. Imag-
inc this street at noon. 1t is short
one, and you know every house OH it,
and, you think, every lurking place.
You see Il man enter it at one end and
you expect him to issue from it at the
other But suppose he never does.
More than that, suppose he is never
heard of again and that this thing
should happen just here on this one
street six times during five years.
81 should move" I responded dryly.
would you? Many good people have
moved from the place I speak of, but
that has not helped matters. The disap-
pearances go ON, and the why and the
where are just as much a mystery as
ever"
"You interest me-" I said. "Come
to think of it, if this street were the
scene of such an unexplained series of
horrors as you have described, do not
think I would move"
81 thought not" he responded curt
ly. "But since you are interested let
me be more explicit in my statements.
The first person whose disappearance
was noted"-
"Wait," interrupted. "Have you
map of the placer"
He smiled, nodded quite affectionate-
ly to an old friend of his ON the mantel-
piece, but did not produce the map.
"That detail will keep" said he.
"Let me 60 on with my story. AS was
saying, madam, the first person whose
disappearance there was noted was
peddler of small wares, accustomed to
tramp the mountains. On this occasion
he had been in town longer than usual
and was known to have sold fully half
of his goods. Consequently he must
have had quite a sum of money upon
him. One day his pack was found lying
under a cluster of bushes in wood, but
of him nothing was ever again heard.
1t made an excitement for few days
while the woods were being searched
for his body, but nothing having been
discovered he was forgotten and every
thing went on as before, till suddenly
public attention was again aroused by
the pouring in Of letters containing in
Quiries in regard to young man who
had been sent there from Duluth to col
lect facts in law case and who after
certain date had failed to communicate
with his firm or show up at any Of the
places where he was known. Instantly
~
bered the young man, and some two or
three of the villagers could recall the
fact Of having seen him go up the street
with his hand bag in his hand as if on
his way to the mountain station. The
landlord of the hotel could fix the very
day at which he left his house, but in
quiries at the station failed to establish
nor were the most minute inquiries into
his fate at that time or afterward ever
attended by the least result. He was not
known to have carried much money, but
he wore very handsome watch and
chain and ring Of more than ordinary
value, none of which has ever shown
up at any pawnbroker's within the
hhoWACuBC VI ehO pOiAOC. LhAo "u5
three years ago.
"The next occurrence of q like charac-
ter did not take place till year after.
This time it was a poor old man from
Hartford who vanished almost as it
were before the eyes of these astounded
villagers. He had come to town to get
subscriptions for valuable book issued
by we'll know u publisher. He had been
more or less successful and was looking
very cheerful and contented when one
morning, after making sale at GER
tain farmhouse, he sat down to dine with
them, it being close on to IL o'clock.
He had eaten several mouthfuls and
was chatting quite freely when sudden
ly they saw him pause, clap his hand
to his pocket and rise up very much
disturbed. i have left my pocketbook
behind me at Deacon Spears, said he.
Il cannot eat with it out of my posses
sion. Excuse me if go for it,. And
without any further apologies he ran
out of the house and down the road in
the direction Of Deacon Spears. He