The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-13
Another Sensation In
Spencer.
MAN DISAPPEARS
At the Same Time a Paxton
Woman is Missing.

Spencer, Jan. '12.-Spencer seems to
be having more than her share Of SEN
sational cases lately, being startled by
two suicides last week, and now she is
again aroused to excitement by the
strange disappearance of one of her
most prominent business men.
Who would have dreamed week ago
that Robert Payne would leave his
happy home and his wife and chill
dren?
This, although it seems hardly pos
sible, nevertheless is the case, and Mr.,
Payne is missing.
Payne is a wholesale meat dealer
and resides on the old Tirreu place, in
North Spencer, now owned by Thomas
A. Prouty. Mr.. Paynes business is to
buy up fat cattle, ready for slaughter,
butcher them, and take them to mar
ket. He had many dealings with Wor-
cester market men, as well as the local
meat dealers, all of whom had a very
high opinion of the young man.
Mr.. Payne, according to his custom,
( loaded up his meat cart Tuesday morn
ing, and, as usual, started for Wor-
| cester to dispose of his produce. He
! bid his family goodbye, and started on
4 his way.
Payne generally takes a day for one
! Of these trips, arriving home about
o'clock in the evening. When o'clock
arrived, Mrs. Payne began to look for
/ the homecoming of her husband He
/ put in no appearance, however, not
only at 6 o'clock, but what is still more,
not at ALL
MrsqlPayne became greatly worried
about her husband, but tried to quiet
1 herself by thinking he was obliged to
stay in the city for some necessary
, reason. But when he did not show up
( by II o'clock Wednesday noon, the
alarmed woman thought it about time
for an investigation.
/ The young lady then looked up the
/ whereabouts of her husband in Wor-
I cester. No trace of the missing man
could she find, but his meat cart and
4 horses were located in a Worcester sta
Bile, while Mr.. Payne had mysterious
ly disappeared. Mrs. Payne had the
meat cart driven home, where she re-
turned later herself almost heart
| broken
Mr. Payne for some time is said to
nave paid marked attention TO a woman
in Paxton. Her real name is unknown,
/ put she has the name being the land
| lady of house. This woman is also
| missing, and has been gone from home
since Tuesday.
The Spy man called upon Mrs. Payne
inns evening, who is about wild over
this strange affair When asked how
! she accounted for her husbands
| strange disappearance, she replied: Il
cannot account for it: do not under
stand 1t. Mr. Payne has always been
an attentive husband, and a loving fa-
| ther and why he should leave in this
unexpected manner is more than l can
understand. If he was a drinking man
IL would be different, but he is a tenn
| pefate, sober man, and one who has
| Always, at least to my knowledge. at
tended strictly to business. He may,
! however have become enticed by that
woman and led astray by her"
Mr.. Payne, the missing man. is
ABOUT 20 years of age, light complex
Toned and Of fine physique. He is the
rather OF two children, one about three
ana nc me e. other five. Mrs. Payne is
! ABOUT the same age OF her husband
she is a blonde, and exceedingly good
looking. The Paynes moved to Spen-
/ Ger from Worcester last spring. where
Mr. Payne was also engaged in the
wholesale meat business.
All the meat men in town with
Wnom Fayne has had any dealings
| speak very highly Of him and ALWAYS
lhousht that he was a straightforward
ana upright man. They cannot account
FOR his disappearance Mrs. Pavne
reels terribly about her husbands
disappearance.
She shows her feelings badly, and is
very pale. Mrs. Payne seems to think
that her husband is in Boston al
though she knows nothing about If.
she hopes that he may return soon.
Spencer police will be set at work
upon the case at once, and if if is
within their power, will locate the
missing man.
John Pye and Miss Abbie Josephine
prescott were married this evening at
O'Clock at 43 Pleasant street Rev. F.
p. Heath performed the ceremony.
Frank Smith of Spencer was. best man,
ana MISS Elsie May Leland was brides
maid.
After the wedding a reception was
held at the residence, which was well
attended, and much enjoyed The cou-
pie will start tomorrow on wedding
tour, and on their return will reside in
Spencer. About $50 persons attended
the reception.
d. D. G. NJ RoweH of Worcester in
stalled the officers of Spencer lodge last
night as follows: N G.. William
Brown; V. g., Fred P. Smith: record
ing secretary, Estes Merrick; treas
urer, W. o. Watson; warden, Willard
Staples; con-, Harry jerks.