The St. Louis Republic., 1900-08-13
St. L0uiSan'S Body Is Found
in the Weeds Near East
St. Louis.
LAST SEEN ON THURSDAY
Letters Signed Ada" Are
Discovered Among His
Effects.

Of John r. Young, who until recently was
superintendent of excavations for the I'm
perial Electric Light and Power Company,
was found.
The cage is shrouded in mystery. 1t is not
known when. or of what he died
When last seen alive he said he was in
fear of two men. who were following him,
and in this frame of mind, he departed from
Hotel Barnum, where he lived, early Thurs
day morning.
1t Is claimed that q young woman of his
acquaintance had caused him much annoy
ance. and it was known at the hotel that
he had been dodging engagements with her.
Young was about So years old, and as far
as known was never married. He was an
only son. His father John NJ. Young, lives
at No. 102S Cambronne street, New Orleans.
He is also said to have wealthy relatives
living at Selma, Ala.
The body was discovered by Charles
Sheep, who lives at No. 7l2 South Sixth
street, East ST. Louis. on Saturday even
ing. The man had been dead c. couple OF
days, and decomposition had already set
in. Undertaken Charles Buchler was noti-
fled and he drove to the place with Sheep
Yesterday the body was found with difficult
ry and the ground nearby searched.
About twenty-five feet from the spot
where the corpse lay was found a wheat
sack containing articles which had been
stolen from the farmhouse Of Henry Peter
son Thursday morning. 1t was thought at
first that Young might have fallen in with
the thieves and been murdered. but this
theory was rejected, as there were no marks
of violence on his body.
Letters From Ada.
Search. however, failed to reveal any ar
ticie that would indicate that he had
taken his own life. In his pockets were
found package Of letters, some small
change and two pawn tickets for small
sums. There was also batch permits is
| sued to the National Subway Company and
the Seekner Electric Light Company to e1-
cavate in the streets of St. Louis.
one subject OF his correspondence was
the employment of ]. ". Drown, VINO is
with .he Seckner Company. Brown refused
the position. Two letters were OF a personal
character. They were written Ill the same
hand. although one was signed Aide and
the other Ada; They read as follows:
downtown to see you only to be disap-
pointed. don't know whether this is MADE
up or not, but the hoy said he could not
wake you up. am sorry you sleep so sound
ly. If you knew how wanted to see you
you would not mind being aroused from
your sleep. l looked ana waited for y"u 10
to see my sweetheart before / so to bed,
but have to go back nome without But 1t
out Tomorrow eve, if only for little while.
| VIII 1 look for you 81, or send me message
1oqr ssr disappointed little ,sis girl NIL AlPE
| three or four times. but. of course. you have
put the boy next. Now that letter does not
go with me. and the best thing you can do
| is to see me, II only once more, for If ycu
don't you will never be able to stay In this
| town; You may think this is Idle talk, like
you have done, but I mean this. sure, as
$50 and you wait. If you are not here come
out to the house. sure Yours only;
Young Was in Fear.
Undertaken Brichler carried the mans
effects to East St. Louis and summoned
quest was held and verdict Of death from
| causes unknown was returned. The body
was buried where it lay.
| learned that Young was the superintendent
of excavation for the Imperial Electric Light
Company Comp Of . st. Louis. but had not been to
went to the Hotel Barnum. he was in
| formed that Young had lived there for sew
eral months and that for some time he had
ee@ h He s ~Ss meo es @Ps
| her, according to the clerk of the hotel. for
"Wednesday evening. He drank heavily and
| the clerk did not know whether he saw the
| woman: About midnight he appeared at
the office and complained thai he could
| not sleep because. two men We're looking
| room but at a. m. he again appeared at
| the office He trembled as he told the clerk
! hurriedIy good-hy-that the protection the
| hotel arorded was not sufficient. The clerk
tried to argue with Young. but he angrily
| strode out of the building. No one has been
| found who saw him crossing the river.
| The last seen of Young in st. Louis was
| last Thursday morning about S o'clock,
when ne was observed by an employe of the
| Imperial Lighting Company standing IN
front Of the company's plant, at Tenth and
| st. Charles streets He was then consider
ably under the influence Of liquor, although
ne gave little outward Indications of beng
| intoxicated. He was there but short time
and departed, presumably for East st.
S. B. Way of No. 2725 Armand street, su-
perlntendent of the Imperial Lighting Com
| pany, said last night that Young had been
In the employ of the Imperial company for
| apout lhree months, In the capacity Of su-
| perintendent of excavation.
| Thought He Had Enemies.
young applied for a position at that time,
the Abbot-Gamble Construction Company
for about three years. He had entered their
employ at New Orleans. and had worked in
St. LOUIS and Se WorSed fop this lie eams TO
| duits.
For some time Young's mind gave evil
dence of weakening, presumably from the
effects OF alcoholism, as he was a heavy
drinksr 1ke ,la He imagined that he had enemies
dermine him, by giving the Impression that
the work done by him could have been per
formed Tor less money than the city was
confded his fears to Mr.. Way. He had re-
signed twice and then had reconsidered the
| mater. When he came last Tuesday to
| MT. way and resigned. he was told that
| this time the resignation would have to
stand. He replied that he knew the work
| was more than he was capable Of and
said that his last resignation was final.
| Wednesday night he was seen in the COM
! pany OF another foreman of the Imperial
| Company drinking in saloon at Twentieth
and Chestnut streets. He is supposed to
have departed for East ST. Louis Thursday
| afternoon.
1t was stated by employees of the COM
| pany that a Young woman who Went by
the name of Wilson had often called to see
| nm, ana that he was much annoyed by her
| attentions. They could give no description
| of her.
At the Barnum Hotel, Sixth street and
| washington avenue, where Young had been
| living since July Il. Clerk Carter said that
| Young was last seen early Thursday morn
trg. 1t was not known by the hotel man.
agement that he was no longer in the en-
ploy of the Imperial company, as he rose
at o'clock Thursday morning, presumably
to go to work. 1t was noticed at the time
/ that ne was acting strangely, but nothing
was thought Of it. as he often came in late
at night very much under the influence of
horor, When word Of his death was re-
ceived from East st. Louis yesterday his
room was searched, but nothing was found
but shirt, some soiled linen, and a letter
from man who desired position as fore
man under Young.
The Mysterious Woman.
| Clerk Carter said that about a week after
young woman called and asked for Young.
| Scrng was allied and the two departed
| from tne MOTEL, Young not returning until
late at night. At frequent intervals the
woman called and when told, at times, that
Young was not in, manifested signs of
Il IN hoQ