Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-29
NHER[ IS VIRGIL WHITE!
Although He Was Located at
Defiance, His Relatives Have
Not Seen Him
DETECTIVE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED
Father Of the Mysterious Young Man
Gives Out Statement to the Pub
lie in Which He Says There Was
No Woman, Man or Child Concerned,
Except Virgil Himself.

Except Virgil Himself.
| Special to Times Republican
! Des Moines, June 29.--There is {
strong suspicion that though Virgi
friends and relatives don't know nov
l.where he is. His father expects t
see him in day or two. His mothe>
today told a Des Moines newspaper
man at Webster City that Virgil wa'
| IN Council Bluffs. The father has Sc
cured a detective, though he will no
explain for what purpose Fred White
is In Des Moines today, and gave t.
the press the following:
II feel that the many friends of
my son, Virgil n. White, are en-
titled to some information re-
garding the matter. For the
present, however, | can only say
| that he is alive and comparative
l Nv Well nave llol SGSIi cus
| expect to see him within a few
! days AS to his disappearance on
| Sunday evening June IS, l know
enough to assure the public that
its cause had nothing to do with
anyone, man, woman or child, 9TH
err than himself Nothing crini-
nal or dishonorable entered into or
caused his actions in the case.
appreciate the assistance the
newspapers have given the family
and friends and hope to be able
to give them more specific infor-
nation in the near future. For
the present, however, must re-
frain from making any further
statement and anything else pub
lished will be without any author
ity.''
Virgil Whites Secret.
The greatest mystery attaches to the
secret which Virgil White mentions in
his diary, found at the Ferguson home
2
near Defiance, as the cause of his de-
sire to drop out of sight of his old
friends. RE little diary was found
wrapped UP with his picture In the
drawer of dresser in the room he
occupied at the Ferguson home, where
he worked as a farm hand.
The record contained forty pages
written on both sides Of the paper and
covered the events which had occurred
between Sunday afternoon when he
left Della Thompson at University
Place and started for the river. He
tells iii detail his different acts.
Story Of His Wanderinss.
II am not Henry Newkirk, but am
Virgil White, missing from Des
Moines" the record said II am wfi
ting this because it is something which
/ want to forget and that III case any
thing should go wrong with me the
family and the authorities would
know who l am and what 1 have
done"
II remember full well the afternoon
on the green at Waveland park. There
was with women friends. loathe to
part with them, but part 1 must. Why?
That no one will ever know. 1 would
fain write it, but dare not reveal my
terrible secret.
81 knew what I was doing on the
night. I left Des Moines. I did it for
that reason which dare not write. 1
had with me when reached the river
a full suit of clothes tucked away in
my breast and covered with my shirt.
1 hwed about the river in front of the
boat house. saw the storm approach
and I was wet to the skin. I saw the
beautiful rainbow come up and I won
dered if it was shining for mes saw
the big black cloud and thought how
it represented my condition and how
1t blotted out the beautiful rainbow.
II went to the bank and there placed
the canoe upside down and took off
the boat and started through the
woods for the west. reached little
Station and took the train to Madrid.
"F'or the entire day lay in my bed
in the Madrid hotel, wondering what
to do in my condition. left the hotel
bought my clothing and took a train
to Defiance where staid all night
Sorry 70 Leave Friends.
MY departure means much to me.
am heartbroken to leave my friends at
Drake. o boys, 1t is the hardest thing
for me to do. hate to break those ties
OF friendship which have kept us so
close together for these many years.
But this shadow must be obeyed.
"On Sunday afternoon as was leav-
ing Des Moines / wondered If 1 would
ever look upon that beautiful city of
Des Moines again; wondered if its
green parks were to be enjoyed by me.
remember how I was with Della
(Thompson) at Waveland park and
how we played golf. let her beat me
the first game, but could have wor
them all.
20, how she pleaded with me to stay,
but had not the power to do so''
Page after page the record went on,
telling in eloquent terms that feeling
he had for Des Moines. for his friends
at Drake university, his hope and his
and how he had tried to
stand against the circumstances which
had forced him to leave. The letter
showed no signs of insanity.
Found by Mrs. Ferguson.
The record was found by Mrs. Fer
guson, the mother of Will Ferguson,
on Monday morning in the telescope