The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-18
REV. w. A. KELLY IN HOSPITAL
Minister Who Disappeared Two Years
Ago Now Under Treatment III In
Urinary in Charleston.


Urinary in Charleston.
Charleston, July 11.-Rev. William
Aiken Kelly has been in Riverside in
Urinary for two weeks, undergoing
treatment. He was operated upon for
some brain trouble. His condition is
said to be satisfactory.
The Augusta Chronicle of yesterday
says:
Rev. W. Aiken Kelly, formerly.
pastor of Grace Methodist church
North Augusta, after being lost to mis-
congregation for nearly two years, has
been found and the opinion prevailing
at the time Of Mr.. Kelly's disappear
ance that ne was suffering mentally is
practically sustained.
"It will be recalled that during
period when efforts were being made
to erect q, new church in North Au-
gusta, when the pastor and a commit
y
tee Of the members Of the churcn
were working diligently to accomplish
that purpose, DR.. Kelly suddenly dis
appeared and no positive trace could
be found OF him. The morning OF his
disappearance he was in the city OF
Augusta and visited several support
ers Of his church, some Of the mem
bers and several friends. Late the
same afternoon he was seen to board
the car bound for North Augusta, and
Just before dark was noticed by two
or three people to be wandering about
listlessly considerable distance from
his home.
Later, during the night, when DR..
Kelly did net come home, Mrs Kelly
appealed to several friends in the vii
lage and a search was Instituted, but
no trace cf the preacher could be
found.
.rhe following morning further
search was de, and telegrams were
sent to nearby towns, but as the day
wore on there were no results.
Meanwhile Mrs. Kelly, almost dis
tracted, was remaining with friends in
North Augusta.
"For several days a vigorous search
was kept ur, during which time re-
port was received by the church au-
thorities that Mr.. Kelly was seen on
the Augusta. and Columbia passenger
train, bound for Columbia, but careful
inquiry failed to verify the report.
about a. year, or a little longer,
prior to his disappearance, SDr. Kelly
had suffered a nervous breakdown
from overwork and short time be-
fore his disappearance the very sad
death Of his little child occurred
and constantly weighed heavily on his
mind.
After about couple Of weeks
fruitless work in the search for DR..
Kelly. Mrs. Kelly's father came to Au-
gusta, from South Carolina, and in
sisted that Mrs. Kelly, then on the
verge Of nervous prostration, accom-
pany him back home, which she did.
A little later the matter of the vacan-
CIV in the church was taken up with
the bishop and another pastor sup
Piled.
Some weeks later report was re-
ceived by the friends Of DR.. Kelly in
Augusta taat he was seen and recog-
nized in Jacksonville, Fla, where it
was said he spent about week, in
condition of complete physical break
down, with a Methodist family. This
report, however, was never fully veri-
fed. Since that time there has been
no definite information, in Augusta
relative to DR.. Kelly's whereabouts un-
til yesterday afternoon, when The
Chronicle received information
that he had been in Charlotte
and gone from there to a hospital in
South Carolina for an operation. This
report was verified last night shortly
before midnight by the following tel
egram from The Chronicles Charles
ton representative:
Charleston, S. c., July 1o.-Have
ascertained positively that Rev. W.
Aiken Kelly, formely pastor Of North
Augusta, is now at the Riverside in
frmary, where he has been for the
past two weeks. He entered the in
frmary f,r an operation on the brain
and is reported to be doing very nicely
now. It is stated that. he came here
directly from Charlotte"