The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-02-23

rEX4@kN In selecting o
N&S~ wife for royal
800 and 100 men and women drop out
u sight every year In this city-dis-
Ippear ~ completely a. II the earth
had opened and swallowed them. What
becomes Of these people is a mystery
few detectives csre 20 attempt 20 ex-
plain Foul play II the explanation
advanced by their relatives In nine
cases out Of ten. murder BY footpads .
being the customary plea, but In few .
Instances are the facts such az 10
Justify this conclusion.
Men do queer things AZ times" said
former Captain Elliott In discussing
this subject. "and ~ all their freaks
that Of mysteriously disappearing II
the oldest Sometimes they really be-
come insane and actually lose their
Identity. but a. a rule those who drop
jut Of sight are not AFFLICTED mentally.
In nearly every Instance where man
n sound mind disappears. and no muir
der has been committed. close investi-
cation Of the conditions will disclose
the fact that he has some real or
fanc'ed cause for getting out % the
way Wives are always positive their
husbands love them. but ! have known
Instances IN which men vho 70 all
outward appearances were devoted
husbands we're really weary Of life with
heir cpniugal mates and quietly dis
appeared In order 70 get I'd % them.
One Of the qucerest cases % mys.
,erlous disappearance with which the
Chicago police department has had to
teal ia that OF John W. Matthews. who
quietly dropped out Of sight In this city
ast November and has never been
heard from. An unusually vigorous
search was made Tor Matthews because
he was an intimate friend Of Captain
Campbell. secretary % the department
and the latter interested himself In
seeing that the hunt was a thorough
one. Matthews lived In Monmouth
H.. and was a man Of considerable
wealth. lie came 20 Chicago about the
.
suit Of clothes and with 500 IN cash
Here he met and talked with several
friends. al Of whom a'terward re-
marked that be- was In fine health and
spirits. Two days later Matthews vas
missing and no trace ~ him was 20 be
found
/ The police were baiIied. when a
mIndreader gave them a clue which
led 20 strange disclosures. This per.
son said Matthews had been suddenly
taken insane ln Chicago and had gone
% a hotel 10 Madison street. near
Clark. where be registered under bis
proper name. but In an undecipherablC
running hand. and had been assigned
10 a room on the fourth floor Befor,
bedtime. however. he had taken a car
and gone 10 the lake near Jackson
Park. where be drowned himself
shortly after this. 20 the mindreadei
said. the body was washed ashore 10
the Calumet region. where 10 wa'
found by a fisherman who appropriate
cd the money and yaluables. and ther
70 save himself trouble buried the re-
mains In the sand
The hotel. the spot where he sui
eide occurred. the appearance 81 th'
fisherman and che locality in which
Matthews body was washed ashore
were an described with much minute
ness hy the mIndroader Ills storl
caused q great deal Of merriment 10
police circles until Captain Campbell
Insisted 70 should be looked into. an,
an the essential facts were found Z,
b. correct. Actual suicide and rohherl
OF he body were never established. AM
many OF Matthews friends think HI
Is stiU alive. but in other things Their
was an exactltude Of description tina
was alarming
I Matthews signature was found ol
the hotel register. and he had been as
signed 10 a fourth floor room whic
he had not occupied Search alon
the southern lake front revealed o spo
Identical with that given by the mind
reader as the place where Matthew
had Jumped into the water. and IN N
Calumet country I've officers found IN
fisherman they were after There. ale,
, Il was easy to make ont the mind
readers plcrire ~ the corpse-mark'
beach where the body had been ca,
up. As the fisherman stoutly denle
having found such a body. howeye
and no evidence could be had againi
At.. a.. ,,,ttar syaa draunaH