The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-23
BLACKBURN IS MISSING


lions Being ExpoSed the Prob
able Causes Of His Going =
Police oncer J. w. Blackburn has been
missing from the force since last Friday,
and it is believed that ne has left the city
to avoid troubles which have been threat
eninR him for number Of months past.
His is a story Of illicit ihfatuation and the
Inevitable consequence Of domestic inndel-
| ity on his part. Blackburn has left behind
him a wife and three children, who are
without any means Of support. There 10
a possibility that his disappearance IS net
permanent. as some Of his fellow members
Of the police department. suggest that ne
may simply be on hts vacation This Is not
probable, however. as his name has been
posted on the bulletin board In the police
station as among the first to take their
summer outing.
If Blackburn has left the city for good,
It has most probably been due to domestic
troubles and the fear Of his past life be-
oming public. Threats Of exposure before
the police commission had been made to
him, no doubt for the purpose Of inducing
him to change his course, but they appar-
entity had not the desired effect. The last
seen Of Blackburn in Los Angeles was last
Friday night. On that afternoon ne called
on his wife at 1917 East Second street. Boyle
Heights, and the pair discussed their
troubles, Mrs. Blackburn even saying she
would again receive her husband, provided
he would cease his attentions to another
woman, who is a colored female. Black
burn tried to brazen the matter out and re-
fused to admit that he had ever been guilty
Of anything wrong. He did not announce
to his wife his Intention Of leaving the city,
and the impression she got from his con-
versation was that he intended to return to
his work az usual He failed TO do so. how
aver.
For month or 50 past Blackburn has
had the day watch In Chinatown, reporting
for duty at in the morning and being
through by in the afternoon. He worked
last Friday. It is said. but failed to report
for duty on Saturday morning. Nothing
strange was thought Of this, as officers are
frequently taken Ill; but when he did not
report on Sunday and sent no excuse nor
explanation for his absence. an officer was
sent to the home OF his wife to try to get
some trace of him. Mrs. Blackburn was
unable to throw any light on the matter
Of his whereabouts, as she had supposed
him to have been working as usual. :, The
reason for his neglect Of duty became
known In short time.
One of the drivers for the Reavis Car
riage company supplied the information
which caused the authorities to suspect
that Blackburn had left the city. On Friday
night the driver was hailed at the corner
of Second and Spring streets by Blackburn,
who asked If he could take him to the Ar
cade depot in a hurry, as he had to catch
the 1920 train. This1s on the regular night
| ly run to San francisco. The driver drove
hurriedly to the station, and his passenger
had but a few minutes In which to catch the
train. Blackburn purchased special tick
ct, naming San lose, San Francisco or Sac
remento as the destination, to which he
signed his name. This was the last seen
OF him, SO far as Is known, the supposition
being that he boarded the train and went
north.
A negro woman is the alleged cause Of
B1ackburn's downfall, and the man has
been infatuated with her for fully year
past She is a fine-looking woman and
came first to Los Angeles with Watts, the
big-voiced darkey, whose stentorian tones
were heard for some months calling papers
on the streets. She passed as his wife and
is said to have secured a divorce from
Watts. In any event. Watts left the city,
and she remained. Blackburn met her and
almost from the date oftheir acquaintance
he seemed infatuated by the woman and
began neglecting his family and paying
her attention. He would remain away
nd nj 6 .
week, inventing some excuse to his wife.
Naturally her suspicious became aroused,
and while she felt confident that her hus-
band was frequenting the company Of
other women. she did not imagine the ex-
him. Mrs. Blackburn resented his neglect.
Her upbraidings were met with angry
words on his part and the pair became
more and more estranged, until finally he
took a room in the city.
1t was not until the last of May that Mrs.
Blackburn discovered positive confrma-
ton of her suspicious. At that time the
Watts woman was in New York state, and
her western admirer was pining for her re-
turn. The woman wrote to Blackburn ex-
pressing her love for him. but said that it
would be impossible to return to Los An
he had sent her. Could he not send her sis
more. The letter was couched in terms Of
endearment and showed the relations which
existed between the pair. Unhappily for
Blackburn, It fell into his wife's hands,
as did the reply which he Immediately
made to the woman. In answer to his
wife's reproaches, Blackburn tried to blum
| the matter out by saying the woman was
away and that all was over between them,
He made strenuous efforts to secure the
letters, but his wife declined to surrender
them.
Some weeks ago the woman returned to
the city and took up her abode at the Earle
lodging house at 1873 North Main street.
Blackburn Odd not room there until two
weeks ago today. but he probably was no
stranger to that part of the city. On
T'uesdayT the 9TH. he fenteddas room Tor d
week and remained at the house for about
nine days altogether. and then took lodg-
Ing at some other places No one knows
where he went the last timer sit
While this liaison WAS going on, Mrs.
Blackburn was worrying over the neglect
and some weeks ago. she called on Chief
Glass and made known herctroubles. 1t
was said that charges were to be brought