Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-02
Disappearance of a Well Known
Citizen Of Emmetsburg Is
Perplexing Friends
BIG SEWER TANK is DRAIaED
Belief Expressed That He Has Been
FouIly Dealt With and That His
Body Will Be Found in the River
Stranger Who Had Been With Chap
man Suddenly Disappeared.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Republican,
Emmetsburg Jan. Johannesburg
has mystery which is almost an exact
counterpart of the disappearance of
George Griswold in Des Moines. Friends
of G. w. Chapman believe he is the
victim of foul play and that his body
is resting under the waters of the Des
Moines river Sunday the septic sewer
tank here was emptied of it's 10000 gall
Ions of water and a search was made
for his body. but it was not found.
Two men are under suspicion, one of
whom left Emmetsburg mysteriously
more than a week ago.
G. w Chapman disappeared on De-
cember 20 at l o'clock in the afternoon
He left home that morning and was
seen at that hour to enter a saloon.
His movements have not been traced
further. He had on his person $i75
cash when he disappeared. He is a
prominent citizen and a member of the
firm of Chapman & Greedy, implement
dealers. He had lived in Emmetsburg
for years.
1t has been determined beyond ques-
ton of doubt that Chapman did not
leave Emmetsburg on any of the trains
leaving the town that day unless he
rode on box car in freight. Moth
ing has been found the matter with his
business affairs and there is no sus-
picion that he is involved in any finan-
cial trouble.
Excitement has been worked up to
the fever heat in the town because of
the mystery. Gus Patek, Des Moines
detective, has been employed on the
case and has two men under surveil-
lance. He is confident that foul play
has been committed. He has traced
Chapman from his home until the time
he was seen to enter the saloon. He
is working together with a brother Of
Chapman's from southern Iowa. To-
gether they found footsteps leading
down from main to an open spot in
the river. They were made in the
night after the mysterious disappear
ance. A man who was frequently seen
in the saloon where Chapman was last
seen left the town at midnight on the
night after and has been traced into
Minnesota. No arrest has been made
and no arrest will be made until it is
ascertained for certain that crime has
been committed and the body is found
The task of emptying the great sew
age tank was big one and took five
hours. When all the water had flowed
out the officers entered and made a
search while relatives waited expec-
family on the outside. They were
doomed to disappointment, and now
have no hope of finding the body until
the river opens in the spring. There is
much ice now at this point and there
is little possibility of the body rising
to the surface
Chapman's former life in the town
convinces the citizens that he has been
dealt with foully. He has a family Of
wife and two children. He. had
never left his wife before even to go
out into the country except that he
told her where he was going and when
he would return. He is described as
man six feet tall and weighing IT'S
pounds. He is Is years old and had a
slight sprinkling of gray In 'hfs hair.
He wore light brown mustache and
had a small silver ring on the little
finger Of his left hand. When he dis
appeared he was wearing a checkered
gray suit, a dark cap and a storm coat.