The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-17
WEALTHY KLONDIKER HAD BEEN
MISSING FOR A YEAR.
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE
Interesting Story of Mental and Ply
steal Wanderings as Told by
Hinself-Lancaster an
Ex-Butteite
(By Associated PreSS.l

Denver, Colo, Oct. 17.-Joseph Lancas-
ter. the wealthy merchant Of Dawson
City Alaska, who was missing for over
q year until he recently made known his
whereabouts in a letter to his sister
in this city, written from Beaumont.
Tex, arrived in Denver Monday, but
his presence did not become known until
today. Mr.. Lancaster denied ever hav-
ing any Of the fierce adventures at
tributed to him.
He is conscious Of having passed
through an extraordinary experience. the
details of which and the incidents are
clouded, although he is aware that after
disappearing from Seattle he wandered
through California and around the Pa
cif1c coast, and then to Texas.
Speaking of the influence that worked
upon him and caused him to hide him.
self away from his family and friends
for the past year or more, Mr.. Lancaster
said:
"Overwork, nervous strain. accented
in the Alaskan climate, and business
worries brought about mental col
lapse. It struck me suddenly. l felt as
though I was going to lose my mind.
saw strange things and would talk with
imaginary people I was on the verge
Of insanity, when. in lucid moment,
saw myself as others saw me.
IF 1 am going this way I said, I
will cease being a burden: I will save
my family and friends the annoyance Of
having an insane man on their hands
THAT relieved me, and the idea grew.
quietly slipped out, and instead OF COM
cjc CT
communicating with my family. turned
myself loose l felt these strange moods
coming on, but did not resist them. 1
presume I became worse: there is a
blank for which I cannot account.
had little money, and that ran me.
remembered nothing Of my past. People
called me by another name. 1t Is posi-
bic was like man under hypnotic In
fuence until found myself one day In
Nevada. in a lumber camp"
Mr.. Lancaster says he was as easily
pleased as a child, yet had powerful
inclination to anything gay or exciting.
He must have gone from place to place,
believing himself another person and
having forgotten he was once merchant
in Dawson. 1t came to him in Beaumont,
Tex, during the oil excitement that he
was Joe Lancaster.
st think the cure was completed, ne
said. "the instant it flashed across my
mind that 1 was Joseph Lancaster. l
Immediately telegraphed. when round
out the date, and wrote my sister here
In Denver. 1t seemed as If cloud had
been lifted, and the clearing brought
only indistinct shadow pictures, you
might say. Of what l had peen oolng
since left Seattle"
Mr.. Lancaster came from Beaumont
Monday night. He went to the home of
Mrs. Peyton. his sister, where ne was
met by his mother and brother, p. /.
Lancaster, who reached the city from
Dawson the same day.
His relatives have prevailed upon him
not to risk a relapse by return before
spring to his business in the far North.
Ee will spend the winter in San Jose,
Cal. with his wife and children.
BEFORE going to Dawson, Mr.. Lancaster
was a merchant Of Butte, being engaged
in the secondhand furniture business
with Rennie w. Calderhead, on west
Park street After the firm disposed of
its store, which was not until reports
of the discovery Of gold near Dawson
had been verified, Mr. Lancaster started
for the West, leaving his partner here
to wind up the affairs Of the firm. Later
on they met in Seattle, bought a stock OF
goods and sailed for the North.
On arriving at Dawson they opened
general merchandise store. After con-
Quoting it nearly two years, Lancaster
went to Seattle for more goods, and
while there disappeared as if the earth
had swallowed him.
M. w. Orion Killed.