The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-13
A MYSTERY SOLVED.
The Long Disappearance of Owen
Kelly Is Strange Case.

New York, Jan. 13.-Rivaling Rob
ert Louis Stevenson's weird tale of
Or Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" is the true
story of the life, character. and, final
disappearance of Owen Kelly of Phil
adelphia, church worker, temperance
leader, manufacturer. director of the
Continental Title & Trust company,
member and prominent citizen.
All this was the owen Kelly who
dropped out of sight on the night OF
October 25 last. Since ther the other
side of his character has been reveal
ed. His friends have found that there
was another Owen kelly night
.prowler a roamer in the slums. a
1naudlin insensate, fearsome thing,
the incarnation of the Mr. Hyde OF
which Stevenson dreamed. but with
out Hyde's criminal tendencies.
Mr.. Kelly disappeared from Ph1la-
delphia on October Is. NO one Knows
where he is. but he is believed to be
in this city. He was seen here as
recently as December % by Edward
DAILY, a travelling salesman. MI pay
met Kelly in Third avenue They mao
a pleasant chat for half an hour. Daily
did not know at the time that Kelly
was reported missing.
The owen Kelly his friends knew
was shrewd, careful business man.
The owen Kelly his friends did not
know was mentally irresponsible Tor
anything he did.
In explanation Of the disappearance
and the actions that preceded II, MT.
Kellys friends, and he has legion
both in Philadelphia and this city, at
tribute them to a mental disease which
came to climax about a year ago.
At that time he was confined TO MS
room for more than a month, and was
under treatment in the University OF
Pennsylvania hospital for about SIX
weeks All this time he was in abso-
lutte darkness. the physicians forbid
ding even candle light in the room
While his eyes were most affected, 1t
is believed this affection was but the
manifestation of a more serious dis
order, affecting his mind.
He disappeared from Philadelphia
as rnysteriously as though the earth
had swallowed him. on the night o.
october %. Since then his frlends
have had search instituted for him IN
this country Europe and Australia,
without avail. Although he was Sup
posed to be wealthy, scarcely a penny
hand. an inactive bank account in the
Continental Title and Trust company
of the Welcome textile mills of Phila-
delphia in which he and Daniel WADE
are partners, has only $40 70 the
credit of the firm, instead OF about
$4,000 that should be there Mr.
kelly was the only one authorized to
withdraw the money.
Kelly's cousin, Frames M9IgreW, o.
street. this city, has also presented ms
claim for $4,000 which he says the
missing man owes him. 1t appears
from his statement that at the time
Kelly was advocating the cause OF
temperance in national and state con-
ventions he was virtually a partner in
Mulgrew's saloon, in Columbus ave-
nue..
On top of these revelations comes
the story of Kelly's periods of trans
formation from high and useful citi-
zenship into an unreasOning, aimless
roamer in the slums of great cities.
This part of the sad story was
learned through cross examining hun
dreds of criminals and tendeFloin fire.
quenters in this city and Philadelphia.
Hospitals. police stations, houses OF
detention rescue missions, morgues,
dives. hotels of high and low degree,
sailors boarding houses, and ships
have beer. searched for him in vain.
When all this inquiry was found to
be fruitIess, the aid of the best de-
tectives in this country was invoked
by his friencs. The sleuths put
microscopes on the missing mans &C
lions and habits for the last score of
wears and in the astounding revela-
lions unearthed by them they say they
have found the explanation of the
mystery What the detectives found,
however, is insignificant when COM
pared with the find made by Kelly's
friends and business associates when
search was made of the missing man s
effects.