Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-30
ABSENCE EXPLAINED
Mrs. Robert Castelberg Hears
From Her Husband.
WRITTEN ABOARD TRAIN
HIS FRIENDS CONCERNED ONLY
FOR HIS PERSONAL SAFETY.
Losses Believed to Have Induced Him
to Exclude Himself-Creditors Have
Confidence in Him.

Confidence in Him.
The disappearance OF Mr.. Robert Castel-
berg, as noted in The Star yesterday, Is
causing apprehension. his friends say, only
as to his personal safety. There Is nothing
particularly sensational about the matter,
and the widely published statement that he
had not been heard from since August 10
is incorrect. 1t was learned on excellent
authority today that Mr.. Castelberg's wife,
In this city, received letter from him sew
eral days ago. 1t was written on railroad
train and mailed from a little station in
South Dakota. showing that he was max
Ing his way to the Pacific coast. Mrs. Cas-
telberg received this letter last week, and 1t
contained the statement that he had lost
about $4,000 betting on the races at Sara
toga Because of this loss. 1t is believed.
Mr. Castelberg decided to go into secluson
for time
In referring to the disappearance OF MI
Robert Castelberg today. Mr. Aaron Bry-
lawsky. manager of the Castelberg Ma
tional Jewelry Company. in this city, said
to a Star reporter that his entire indebted
ness for diamonds in New York, as summed
up by one who is supposed to know, would
not exceed $4,000. He left in the safe at
the United States Hotel. at Saratoga, NJ
Y, when he disappeared goods valued at
between S25, COO and $4,000. and these have
been returned 10 the firms from which they
were procured. In one package alone thus
returned were diamonds valued at $4,000
1T is absolutely untrue said Mr.. Bry-
lawsky, that the New York firms are look
ing for Robert Castelberg. They are not
at all alarmed. and would let him hav"
twice the quantity of goods he procured
from them If he desired them. They have
many time before entrusted him with
goods valued at great deal more money
Than those he recently received from them,
and he always paid for the goods when the
bills became due. We have received let
ter from one of these firms, and the men,
bers express themselves as apprehensve
only to Mr.. Castelberg's personal safety,
and offer to do anything they can for him"
Says He Was Confused.
In the letter to his wife the missing man
said he was confused and did not know
what he was doing nor why he went away.
He hoped he would be able to keep his
mind AS the result of this letter Mrs.
Castelberg is said to be almost distracted
and will not see any one but very near
friends and relatives.
/ The Pinkerton brothers, Robert and Will
liam are intimate friends of Mr.. Robert
Castelberg, the missing man, and nearly al
ways stop at the Castelberg home here
when they come TO Washington The case
has been placed in the hands of these noted
detectives, and they are said to be exerting
their full power in the west to locate their
friend.
It was learned at the Washington branch
Of the Castelberg Company today that Mr..
Robert Castelberg had been i'll for two
years. and while connected with the COM
pany here he frequently remained away
from the store for months at a time. He
was subject to attacks of nervous prostra-
ton and had periods of depression. 1t is
believed that he started for the west while
suffering from one of the attacks of mental
depression. and that as soon as he RECEIVERS
somewhat he will return to his family.
Mr. Robert Castelberg is described as of
rather taciturn disposition. He was par
ticularly noncommunicative as to matters
of business. He would not, therefore, have
much to say about himself while away. his.
friends say, which may make his discovery
more difficult.
In speaking of his absence one of his
friends today referred to recent disa ppear-
ances of army and naval officers who were
mentally depressed and who, upon recov-
ering their full mentality. were unable to
tell why they went away or where they had
been during their wanderings. In their
opinion his may be parallel case.
Not Member of Washington Firm.
The statement was also made that Robert
Castelberg severed his connection with the
Castelberg National Jewelry Company on
February 1, 1905, owing to his physical con-
dition, and went to the Hot Springs in Ar
kansas for nearly two months. where he
recovered his shattered health and returned
to Washington. He then left the city for
Bensonhurst, L. l., and began a business
of selling jewelry to followers Of the turf
owners. trainers and sportsmen. He was
conducting this on an increasing scale, when
the races at Saratoga opened, and he went
there to make a display at one of the ho-
tells, and increase his business. From
letter received as late as August l. he
seemed to be doing well. On August 10 he
left his rooms at the hotel early in the
morning, and although he seemed to be in
good spirits the night before, 1t was no.
ticed that he was nervous. He did not re-
turn, and nothing was heard from him
until Mrs. Castelberg received the letter
from South Dakota last week.
Friends OF the missing man at first
thought he might have been the victim of
foul play, but the finding of the large
quantity of diamonds in the safe of the
Saratoga hotel and the letter received from
him by Mrs. Castelberg have served to dis
pei this theory, and he is now believed to
be in retirement somewhere in the far
west where he can recuperate.
After his alleged losses on the races the
matter is believed to have preyed on his
mind to such an extent, being of highly
sensitive nature, that he decided to seek
retirement for while rather than face his
friends. This step was not necessary, one
of his acQuaintances said, because among
his large circle of friends and the family
placed.
Manager Brylawsky OF the local branch
said the opportunity of selling jewelry to
followers of the turf suggested itself to
young Castelberg because of his large ac-
quaintance with that class of people. One
dealer said there was nothing irregular
In the manner of taking gems on consfgn-
ment from the dealers in New York and
selling them on installments. He suggested
that II may have been this which led Cas-
telberg to conceal himself. not being in
good state of health and being unable at
the time, perhaps. from slow collections
to meet the payments in New York. and
feeling in his highly nervous condition
averse to making an appeal to his family.
A Large Consignment.
Advices received here today from New
York state that Mr.. Sol. Lindenborn OF ITO
Broadway, who with three other jewelers.
of that city, gave more than $500 worth
OF diamonds to Mr.. Robert Castelberg, jr,
on consignment, has made the statement
that none of the four firms feels at all un-
easy about Mr.. Castelberg,~ although he Is
reported missing. The diamonds referred
to by Mr.. Lindenborn are said to be part
of those found in the hotel safe at Sara
toga.