The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-15
MISSING MAN
BACK HOME.
Mr.. j r. j. Melton Once More
in the Bosom Of His
Family.
WANDERED ABOUT FOR DAYS
Alteration Of Mind Caused by
Severe Hcadaclle-No Like
lilood Of Recurrence. 81

Aftsr wandering about the city ana
,sounty for four days, with many per-
sons searching for him with dire fore.
bodlngs In their breasts, Mr.. J. 4. J. Mel.
ton, tho VOL known contractor, Is again
It homo In the bosom Of his family.
Last Wednesday, morning Mr.. Melton
left homo TO go down town on business,
He visited the real estate firm Of chApir.
L Hume. and did some business with
them. After that his movements were z
blank until late that night, when he en-
tered tho First Police Station, and asked
PORN isslon To rest awhile. Ho said he
was going home on late car, and about
4 3 o clock no won't out. The next afternoon
srR depot
,;hcn he lost himself again. Ills mind
A is blank. but at intervals he came
10 himself for few minutes at a time.
I In these lucid moments he started for
home, but before making much progress
he would lose his bearings again, and
thus 1t was that tho time passed, until
he walked into his home at No. 300 East,
Broad Street early Sunday morning. 81
ONCE AT FAIR OAKS.
At ono time his brain assumed Its nor
NAL condition. while he was sitting on the
railroad track at Fair Oaks. no mad
built fire, and was calmly warming
himself. He had lost all rcckonings Of
\ time, and wondering how he happened
10 DO In that place, no started back to-
ward Richmond. In q moment he again
tnpscd into sta te OF alteration, and
when he once more realized his surround
ings he was In a fled near Strawberry
z HILL Making for tho road, he saw an
old negro trying to fix tho wheel Of his
wa on. which had worked Itself of It's
nut. Il He helped the old man to repair
the wagon, and again started for Rich
mond, after ascertaining that the day OF
tho week was Saturday.
~ Before getting home his mind again
wandered, and he does not know how
much territory he covered before reaching
his home, about o'clock Sunday morn
Ing.
In the meantime the family friends and
police were doing every thing to locate
the missing man. IT had been suggested
that he had possibly fallen overheard. and
arrangements were about to DO mEc Q IL
devote combined energies in that dircc-
ton.
LIGHTS KEPT BURNING.
Every night the lights at homo were
u
and friends sat up In silent vigil. On
saturda y,ntg bit several Of them werG sit :
ting up in the parlor. Along toward morn-
Ing, tired out with ccaseless watching,
the waiting party sank into q dozc. They
were still doing when Mr. Melton en-
tered the home. He looked at his dear
ones and realized that they had tired
themselves out awaiting his return. Iie
aid not feel like arousing them at that
moment. feeling that they needed sleep.
80 he put out the lights and sat down.
10 await their awakening. Mrs Melton
was the first to arouse herself. She no.
tlced that the light had gone out. and
FASTENED to light It again. She reached
10 tho fire with piece Of papor and
then Mr.. Melton spoke:
Here is match" he said.
The voice coming from the semi-dark-
ness startled her. but she Immediately
realized that her loved one had returned.
The lights were lit, and thore was geil-
eraI rejoicing. Mr.. Melton then went to
bed, and DR.. Garcin was called.
Last night the patient was reported as
getting along nicely. DR.. Garcln said
there was no reason to believe there
q would be recurrence OF the trouble. Tho
whole thing arose over severe head
ache that Mr.. Melton suffered with early
in the week.