The times., 1899-06-27

Local Thespians are interested in the
story which comes from St. Louis to the
effect that Frank Connolly, who
! mysteriously disappeared one night
during April of last year. while act
ing as treasurer of the Thomas w. Keene
Dramatic Company, has been located.
| Connolly was in the employ of Charles
b. Hanford, of this city at the time of
his disappearance. Connolly was we'll
known here, having visited the city as
business manager for the Hanford- Spencer
o'Brien Company during the season of
1926. year later he was engaged
by Mr.. Hanford as treasurer of the Keene-
Hanford Company. and served that organ
tzation almost the entire season OF 1897
| So, until the time of his disappearance in
| Chicago in April 1898. The company was
playing classic plays at McVicker's Thea
tire and was nearing the close of its sea
son. when Connolly, on the closing night
oil the engagement, dropped out of sight
taking with him, it is said, the
$500 which he had received from
the treasurer of the house. It represented
part OF the companys share of the re-
ceipts for the closing night.
connolly lost himself to the world. or
at least to those circles in which he was
accustomed to move as effectively and rs
suddenly as if he had been aided by some
mystic Dr. Jekyl potion. He did not re-
turn TO the Gait House, where he had been
stopping. and when Mr.. Hanford and
other members of the company reached
hn hot oil tta,.
turbed and Just as he had left them in
the evening before going to the theatrs.
His trunk, valuables, excepting jewelry.
and books were found in his room, and
were in good shape with the single excep-
ton of the latter. which were found to be
SioO short including the S4O0. 1t seems
that Connolly did not premeditate taking
such sudden leave OF the company for
he had spent 5000 on that day for railroad
transportation for twenty five persons,
members OF the Hanford Keene Company,
for points in the Northwest. The com
pany left Chicago after placing the mat
ter in the hands of the police. D:ligent
search was made by the police but 10
trace was found of the missing treasurer,
and it was generally believed that Con-
molly had become victim of foul play.
When Mr.. Hanford visited police head
quarters he was informed by the chief
that an average of one person disappeared
in Chicago daily never to be heard Ct
again. Nothing has been known of the
whereabouts OF Connolly until the pres
ent time, dispatch stating that he las
come to light in st. Louis. There was no
cause for Connolly concealing his identity,
inasmuch as Mr.. Hanford openly declared
that he had no intention OF prosecuting
him.
The story of Connolly's disappearance,
as related by himself, is not lacking in
strangeness On the night that he disap-
peared he claims to have partaken of a
midnight repast with a friend from
Pttsburg After that he knew moth
ing, he says, for two weeks, when he
claims to have come to his senses and
found himself in a freight car near Mat
toon, Ill. His jewelry and the S40O had
disappeared during the trance. He main
tains that he had been drugged, and that
he had TO be sent to a hospital for treat
ment as a result of the Illness which fol-
lowed. Connolly says he thought he was
disgraced and rather than call upon his
old friends, whom he feared to face, he
went to Cuba as an American newspaper
correspondent He returned TO St. Louis
and was recognized by a friend. and now
all is well, having ended well, with the
exception OF Mr.. Hanford being out his
money. He believes Connolly will make it
good when he can.