Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-05
Daily Kennebec Journal.
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
SKIPPED THE TOWN.
n. ]. Wilson Leaves an Unpaid Board Sill
and Unfinished Work.

A number of people about town for
whom he had agreed to paint signs,
are interested in knowing where IL. }.
Wilson has gone. He has not been
seen since Monday and there is also
an unpaid board bill that the proprie-
tors of Hotel johnson are anxious to
collect.
Wilson came to town three weeks
ago The cough which he succeeded
in working was ragged as his general
appearance. and it was his dilapldateu
condition that excited the interest Oh
those with whom he came in contact.
He stopped at the Johnson house anu
in a friendly manner w. :. burbank
asked the man his business. Wilson
said that he was sign painter by
trade and wanted work. Mr.. Burbank
was in need of signs and made a con-
| tract with him for a quantity.
When everything seemed about to
start in all right, Wilson went to Mr..
burbank ana with the innocence OF 2
child frankly confessed that he was
hard up and asked for money with
which to purchase the materials say
ing that he would take the money as
advance payment. AS this was not Mr..
Burbank's way Of doing business he
told the fellow frankly that he was
making an exception, at the same time
pitying him on account of his condl-
ton.
In the meantime, Wilson had been
around town to different parties and
made arrangements to paint their
signs. He had several orders for signs
/ ;,, h. inritN nf thh had
a pretty story to tell Of his being hard
up ana needing the materials with
which to begin the work.
The story caught half a dozen peo-
PIE. ut least, in this city and they ad-
vanced the money, more out Of pity
for the mans appearance than because
| they believed it necessary to get their
signs.
Wilson hired Il studio over Burgess
photograph rooms and there went to
work.
Up to Monday. he had been at the
| Johnson house. three weeks. and the
proprietors. fearing that they would
not get the amount of their board
made up their minds To present their
bill. The bill was ready. but in the
afternoon. Wilson delivered some Of
his work. which was not Of the Van
Dyke order. and he has not since been
seen.
Wilson had the asthma as badly rs
the law will allow. ana at times it was
| feared that he would strange 70
death. When he did not show up.
Monday. it was feared that he had
died in his room. With this idea in
mind some of those interested went to
| his studio, where they came to the con-
clusion that he must be dead. since
the studio door was locked and the
KEY seemed to be on the inside. Later
it was discovered that there was no
foundation for this rumor as the key
was not in the lock.
Those interested have come TO the
conclusion that he left On the afternoon
| train. Monday. after collecting money
| for some Of the work which he had
done.
Wilson said that his home was in
| Poughkeepsie, y. Y. and claimed that
he came from a good family. Those
who were associated with him believe
that this is not one of his regular
| tricks. but that he used it simply as
| a means of helping himself over hard
| place.
The sums for which he agreed to
paint the signs We're not large. vary
| ing from 81 to s.. 1t * said that he
worked half dozen people in the
| city by his game. The matter had not
| been placed in the hands Of the police,
m to last evening.