Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-08-09
DISAPPEARANCE
OF A. VI. THOMAS
Wife and Friends Believe His Ab.
sence is Only Temporary
REASONS FOR GOING AWAY.
Was In Financial Trouble and Want
ed TO Get Money 60 Pay His Debts
known to be Honest

After a residence OF something over
three Yeas In Utah W. A. Thomas, bet
ser known as Arthur Thomas, has left
the city for parts unknown. Ills dee
pariure, which took place from his
home iu the First ward, late ON Satur-
day night, was not unexpected by some
of his friends. He leaves "a wife and "a
small child His debts do not amount
To- much more than 800. and as Mr..
Thomas has always been scrupuIously
honest 100 hls business dealings It IS be-
lieved By his friends ana those who
knew him trust that Dee has simply gone
away temporarily with q View TO bet
terug his financial condition, ana that
be viii return and square up his few
| small accounts.
Behind his disappearance there Is a
remarkable story OF money expended in
seeing the world, an ultimate identit-
cation with the people of Utah, among
whom De- resided for more than three
years He is the youngest of an old
Cheshire family in England, has NUM-
| beTs of relatives boz Liverpool England,
| besides three brothers in the Eastern
| States Receiving "a large allowance
| from bis fathers estate hs decided to
| see the world and made several trips
| 90 New York and later t0 Africa whore
| be- travelled among the blacks tor some
| time. Later stIl Doe revisited Eng
| land, and through the faFors of an aunt
/ 'he i0urueyeI t1 Australia, staying seY-
| eral months in sydney The journey
homewurd was made on % Canadian
/ Australian steamer Mi0were, well
! known Go many Utah people who have
/ visited New Zealand and Australia
/ This steamer contained "a party Of re-
| turning "MormOus, among whom was
an Elder Bartlett of Yernal, UinJah
county. with whom he afterwards be-
came acquainted. AS soon as he
| learned that a party of 'MOrmons' was
! aboard he desired To- meet them dnl
| show them their errors from the Bible
| The atempt 90 do 500 resulted m bis
conversion before the voyage ~ ended
! RE stayed some time iu Vancouver b
| g.. and Ion due time arrived in salt Lake
/ Being in need OF place to board hl
/ entered the home of "a Mrs. Armstrong
| of this city who says she tried 90 act
the part OF . mother 90 him, feeling
| sympathy for one who had taken On.
NNfMI $50 Nr MAUI NI| lIA'NtNA VI iNa
| Mrs Armstrong; daughter come ubou
and eventually they were married abou
eighteen months ago.
His wife said today that she ha'
nothing 90 say on the matter. furthe
than that he had always treated bel
we'll up 10 a few weeks ago, when sh'
noticed a change but attributer IL q
| financial troubles. He HAD neVc
! worked before coming to Utah and wa
not accustomed 10 providing for hi
wants. This and the fact that fVn
his inexperlcnce only juniors wage
! could be given him. doubtless contrib
! uted greatly 10 depress him. IL q
thought that he has br0oded over hi
troubles. real and Imaginary until h
was not himself lie was often spokel
of as Lord Thomas but In relation
TO- This matter HIS wifeH folks say By
never made any pretentions to a title
So far they have never had any reasoi
to dlsbalpve his statmeut that some %
his people are well connected in th
! city OF Liverpool.
For some time past be has been clerk
Ing iu the dry goods department of Z
q. NJ T. which position was secured 4
him through friends.