The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-07
MYSTERIOUS ABSENCE OF
MR.. ARTHUR PONSFORD
Book-keeper Of the Implement Company Left to &c
Married and Has Not Been Heard Of Since
Accounts in Good Shape.

The continued and unexplained absence
of Mr.. Arthur E. Ponsford. who left this
city about three weeks ago to be mar
ried in Baltimore to a young lady sup
posed to have accompanied him, is the
source of NO little concern to the friends OF
eha,young man >here. and 20 his employ ers
as well. Up to this time there is ap-
parently no conceivable motive for his
failure to return.
There is fear that Mr.. Ponsford Is
the man who was killed on September
SOth in a wreck on the Southern Road
near Washington.
An Englishman by birth. Mr.. Ponsford.
who is about thirty-two years Of age.
came to this country some eighteen
months ago. About the 23d Of May. 1901.
he accepted a position as bookkeeper
with the Implement Company on East
Main Street, in this city. His work pro-
crossed satisfactorily, and Mr.. Ponsford
won the high esteem Of his employers
and Of those with whom he was asso-
ciated In work.
On the 18th of September last Mr..
Ponsford left Richmond ostensibly to be
married. His last words at the office
Of the Implement Company were to the
effect that he had to call on a young
lady that night and arrange matters for
his departure. The last seen of him was
that night when he borrowed a satchel
from Mr.. Tinsley, Of the Implement
Company.
Two days after Mr.. Ponsford left Mr..
Tnsley received a letter from Mr.. PonS-
ford announcing his safe arrival In
Washington and his intention Of push
ing on to Baltimore, where. on the 21st,
he hoped to be married. He purposely
refrained from mentioning the name OF his
prospective bride. merely saying she lived
on Grace Street, and leaving the rest for.
his friends to guess Since that letter
nothing whatever has been seen or heard
from Mr.. Ponsford. He was due in
Richmond and at his office on the 18th
Of September. but so far from showing
up he has not given the slightest indl-
cation of his Whereabouts.
The employers Of Mr.. Ponsford are al
a loss to understand his continued abb.
sence The accounts Of the young man
were in tip-top shape. and there IS no
conceivable motive for a desire on his
part to skip There is generally felt to
be some other and unknown cause for
his detention. He took with him a small
trunk and the satchei as aforesaid. but
left at his boarding place. NO. COZ East
six feet ad possibly a, little more and
Minor Drug Co
In appearance Mr.. Ponsford was tan
and rather slight He measured tully
six feet and possibly littel more, and
weighed about 40 pounds He taxed
fast and with an English accent.
one of the fellow employees OF Mr.
Ponsford is fearful that he was the I'M
known man who met his death IN
wreck on the Southern Railway, near
Washington, on September 3oth- He has
written to the coroner Of Alexandra
county to inquire about the man VINO
was killed No inquest was deemed ne-
cessary. but the coroner E.ewed the re-
mains and may be able to give a de-
scription Of the man killed. so that 1t
can be ascertained whether it TALES
with that Of Mr.. Ponsford
The chiefs OF police of Washington
and Baltimore have also been commu-
nicated with So far nothing has been
heard that would throw any light on
the mystery.