The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-11
TI1
JUDGE DOUGLASS ALlVE?
Chief Of Police Murphy Is
Fully Convinced That
He Is.
SAYS He LOVED MYSTERIES
II Is Said That the Judge Drew
$4,000 From the Bank
Saturday.

The disappearance of former Judge
William P. Douglass, of Jersey Cily'
from the Peoples line steamer, Dean
Richmond. somewhere between New YORK
and Albany, on the Saturday night Trip,
which ended in Albany at six O'Clock
Sunday morning, has developed into 9
deep mystery. 1t is no longer believed
that he committed suicide, as was at
first reported. Investigation has brought
to light many things which We're over
looked in the excitement of finding the
former Judges effects in the stateroom.
Chief of Police Murphy, of Jersey City,
does not believe Judge Douglass Is dead,
and on the theory that he is alive Is
working hard on what will probably prove
one of the deepest mysteries Jersey City
ever produced. Chief Murphy and his
detective force will spare no effort 10 find
the missing man. New, facts and clues
are developing hourly Chief Murphy
could accomplish nothing until the Dean
Richmond arrived in New York and he
had possession of the effects of the miss
The steamer arrived in New York City
early this morning, n Detective Person
was on hand to meet it. He mad q long
Talk With Captain Melville, and went over
every detail of the case with nlm- ne
learned that, contrary to flfst Teportsihe
door OF the stateroom occupled by {he
Judge was not locked. He also learned
that the window through which II was
supposed the missing man jumped Goes
not open over the water as WAS reported.
Captain Melville described Judge Douglass
infinitely to the detective, and said that
when he purchased his ticket he carried
4 dress suit case and a small hand grip.
He was assigned to stateroom ", on the
main deck, amidships, just in front OF the
paddle wheel. The window of the state
room is large enough for any ORDINARY
sized man to craw through, II opens
above a narrow passage way by passing
along which a person can get out on the
guard rail near the paddle box;
srdess when she showed him to his room
and appeared in good spirits. He re-
manned in mis- stateroom until ten O'Clock
Saturday night. when he went 70 the din-
ing room and ate a plate OF clam choWo
der. He eturned to his room at lv:5O
O'clock. Thai was the last seen of him.
stewardness Wen to arouse the passen-
gers after the arrival of the
boat in Albany, she found Judge
was unlocked and the key was
on the inside. The passenger was gone,
but a number of his effects We're scatter
ed about the place. The articles found
were two pairs of eye glasses, an open
face gold watch, chain and charm, a
tobacco box, small comb, a pen knife. a
bunch Of keys, shaving brush, small
diary and case, two pocketbooks, one
containing 81 and the other with twenty
three cents in it, an umbrella, a suit of
clothes pair of shoes, and complete suit
of underwear. white shirt, collar and
cuffs, necktie, fedora hat. some newspa-
per clippings, railroad and street railway
passes and tickets, and his stateroom
ticket. Nothing of any substantial value
was found. The watch belongs to Mrs.
Douglass. The articles enumerated are
all in the hands of Chief Of Police Muir
DIV. |e said this mOrninR.-
! The fact that the two bags are miss
ing IL significant. Judge Douglass was
not in the habit of carrying travelling
bags when he went en- his periodical
sh5rt trips to Albany. He must have had
an object in doing so on Saturday. He
was always a great lover of mysteries
He reveled in anything mysterious. IL he
Intended to disappear or make an end
of himself he would have been just the
man to do it in a mysterious amer
There are two ways in which a man
could escape from the Albany boat with
out detection. He could get out of the
stateroom window and go along the pas
sageway to the guard rail, jumping
ashore when the steamer arrived, or he
could provide himself with two tickets
and use the second one to pass the
steward in disguise. If Judge Douglass
IS not dead, he probably adopted the
former method of making his escape.
II is reported that Judge Douglass drew
200 from the New Jersey Title Guaran-
tee q Trust Company before leaving Jer-
sey City on Saturday. The bank officials
refused to affirm or deny this. When
Chief Murphy was asked about it he
said:-AI cannot discuss that point at
present."
Archie Douglass, son of the missing
man, when asked about the money, burst
out crying. Judge Douglass was in finan-
cial straits but it is limited that there is
ever a stronger reason than his desire
to escape debt to account for his disap-
p~earance. The members of his family de
not believe he is dead. They are in con-
slant communication with Chief of Police
Murphy. They are heartbroken over the
affair. Last night the Garfield Building
and Lean Association foreclosed a mort
gage on the home of Judge Douglass, No.
Is Brinkerheff street.