Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-11-01
THUS MEN DISAPPEAR.
STORY OF ONE WHO CHOSE TO DROP
OUT OF SIGHT.

1aiO, ~. L., ie1e uAo PooieioS' Hne'
friends aud comfortable fortune to
so to the Centennial exposition in
Philadelphia. Be has since been q
wanderec up and down the country
from one extreme to the other, bTt
never returned to his home. he had
no trouble or cause to remain away,
but, on the contrary, every induce
ment was made to him to return home.
Not once in that time did he commu-
nicate with his relatives, and they,
hoping almost against hope that he
was still alive, have been steadfastly
searching foe him for more than q
score of years.
Their diligence was rewarded one
day last week, when meeting be-
tween Rogers and his family was
effected at the Office of his attorney,
Mr.. David I. Gitt, G23 T street, in
this city. It was through tue efforts
of the latter that Rogers sisters We're
enabled to find their lonS-lost brother
and that they came here from Buffalo
to meet him. Their recognitions
were mutual, and while the women
wept for JOY, the old man was so over
come by emotion that for n few min
utes he could hardly speak.
The story of the eventful life of the
old man, now sixty-lwo years of age,
is an interesting narrative. His
father was weii-to-do farmer in Erie
county, and possessed fine tract of
land in what is now growing sub
urb of Buffalo.
When Rogers was boy the land
was reckoned to be worth about 500
an acre; now $50, 900 would scarce
purchase that much of it. When a
young man he enlisted in the Ninth
New York cavalry and served through
out the civil strife. There the ro-
nance OF his nature developed. The
life was to him rather shiftless and
aimless, and he became imbued with
the spirit of a wanderer. However,
he returned home after the war was
over and went to work on the rail-
road.
HIS father died, some of the estate
was sold, and by economy Rogers
managed to acquire considerable
sum of money. He kept an account
in savings bank, loaned money Oh
mortgages, had good position as
station agent and became well-to-do.
Still he was never wholly contented.
During the Centennial year he
started for Philadelphia, fully ex-
pecting and intending to return after
spending few weeks at the e1posi-
tion. He took with him only enough
funds to pay the expenses of au econs
omical trip, for lie was never a spend
thrift, but rathet frugal and modest
in his wants. Weeks went by, and
finally they lapsed into months, still
no tidiugs came flom rogers. His
sisters, with whom he lived, waited
patiently and anxiously for his re-
turn. Finally they wrote to Phila-
delphia and asked the authorities to
find their missing brother.
No man answering his description
could be found; in fact, no trace of
him was discovered and the family
continued to hope that he was still
alive. Still no message came from
him, although they could see no rea-
son why he should remain away, and
still less why, if alive, he should be
silent. Year after year passed, but
from time to time the family con-
tinued the search for the missing rela-
tive. Once during the first inaugura-
of President Cleveland some Buffalo
people reported to Rogers sisters that
they had seen him in this city. Again
their hope was revived and efforts
were made to follow up the trail, but
all to no purpose. The police in large
cities were asked time and again to
look ont for him.
In his wanderings Rogers frequent
ly came into Washington, and, in
fact, ne has been in almost every town
of any considerable size in both Mary
land and Virginia. Upon one OF these
trips he went to the Office OF Mr.. Gitt
to have him intercede for him in OBJ
tanning a pension. The attorney,
however, had no knowledge of his
clients wanderings. In this city
Rogers also met Captain Wooley of
the rostoffice department, who was
the commander of ono of the COM
panies in Rogers regiment during the
war. He, too, was in ignorance of
the fact that the former soldier was O
wauderer from home and that his fam
lily was endeavoring to find him.
After laying his case before Mr..
Gitt, Rogers again disappeared, and
even his torney did not know his
whereabouts for long time. One day,
however, he learned that one of The
Buffalo congressman had received a
regncs. from Rogers sisters, asking
him to make inquiries concerning
their lro her, whom they had once
more learned had been seen.
Nr. Git assured the cong essmal
that Rogc was still alive al he had
made strenuous efforts 10 Z d him.
For olg time he was uusL -cessful
Finally, lie again found his clients
trail aal followed it to Dnaville, Va.
There Rogers WIS discovered about a
week ago and induced to come to
Washington to meet his sisters, who
were advised OF the success of the
attorneys sea ch, and fastened to this
city to see their long-lost relative.
Why Rogers never returned to his
home and never wrote 10 his friends
he is unable to explain. He is a bright
but somewhat eccentric old man, ami
able but aimless. He tells many in
teresting stories of his travels and
his experience with people and affairs.
For twenty-three years he has worked
in one place or another, both IN cities
and in the country, although large
portion of the time he has travelled
l ,r;tI, fbo oiroue Eor cnvorol aoeuono