The evening times., 1899-10-10
MISSING FROM A STEAMER.
A Preacher Thought to Have Jumped
Overheard

Overheard.
NEW YORK. Oct. 10.-"Please do not
say a case of suicide. but missing or lost
from the steamer Puritan is a request
contained In a letter signed Charles e.
Preston. found in stateroom on the Fall
River boat that arrived in New York Sat
urday morning.
The Rev. Charles E. Preston, recor of ST.
Matthew'S Church, Of jamestown, r. l., has
been missing from home since last Friday.
The police of Boston and other New Eng
land cities have been asked to look for him.
Beside the open letter found in the state
room of the Puritan, which speakes of tenn
porary arrangement and straitened cir
cumstances. were nineteen others sealed
and addressed to persons living in New
port and jamestown.
The open letter, after asking that the
case be not called one of suicide, says:
Temporary mental arrangement or some
fearful condition of mind has brought me
to this hour. l do not wish it to be thought
cowardly thing, but one which could not
be helped. Let not those inane babblers
or infdels get hold of this for their misera-
Dic, yearly DOOh OH IHe
crimes of preachers. / am sorry, so sorry,
done me. So much staring me in the face
and l cannot go on and leave debts TN
numbered behind me.
"One most excellent man went from
earth nearly $4,000 in debt, and another
died CT starvation; also the author of an
able book in the West had hardly a slice
nf bread in the house This is too bad
when there is so much wealth in the land.
Shame on wealthy church people who will
not look into the condition of poorly paid
clergymen and missionaries
~ am not alone in distress. There are
more besides. Having raised sl2, coo in
eleven years for extra work, / should have
Jared better"
Then comes the signature This letter
was not addressed and evidently was in
tended for the public. The officials OF the
Fall River Line. have mailed the sealed let
ters to their destinations. They declined to
say to whom they were addressed. as they
regarded these letters as pirate. The off,
cials think the writer jumped overheard
during Friday night.
Besides the letters there were found in
the stateroom satchel. a suit of clothes, a
pair of shoes, shirt, gold watch, derby
hat, cuffs and buttons, collar and a pas
purchased in Fall River. Some of the twen-
ty-fye letters addressed TO the Rev Charles
E. Preston. which were found in the pock
cts, We're from prominent persons, accord
ing to the statements of officials OF the Fall
River Line.
There was none OF the Puritan's officers
or crew who remembered the appearances
of the man who had occupied the statarcom
in which the clothing and letters were
found. All they were sure of was that the
ticket had been purchased at Fall River.
Mrs. Preston had feared that her husband
had become mentally unbalanced. Her
brother, physician Of Taunton, had re-
eaived a message from Mr.. Preston on Fri
day saying that Mrs Preston was very i'll
and requesting him TO go 10 her at once
Mrs. Preston had not been i'll, but is pros
trated now.
Mr.. Preston originated the church on
wheels. which is drawn by oxen. and used
every Sunday for services on the Island OF
Conanicut. He had been rector OF ST. Mat
thew's Church. Jamestown. for six years.
He has written several books One OF them
was regarding the church on wheels He
placed several books in a grip on Friday
and told Mrs. Preston he was going 10 FAN
River and New Bedford TO sell them. He
Gsid he needed the money. He told Mrs.
Preston ne would return that night
Mr. Preston was about forty years old
He has several children. Before going to
jamestown he had a parish in Providence.