Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-05-04
MYSTERY DEEPENED
Father Failed to Appear at the
Family Reunion
Found His Children After 40 Years, but
Disappeared az Suddenly as He Came
Theory Of Robbery Advanced.


Disappeared as Suddenly as He Came
Theory Of Robbery Advanced.
The sudden appearance OF James
Brooks, who found his son. Charles w
Brooks, engineer at Holden & Martins
factory. after an absence Of 4S years and
the subsequent DEVELOPMENTS Constitute
q mystery which to those interested Is
deeper than that Of any fiction ever pro-
oueed. The three children OF the prodi-
sal rather met at Charles w. Brooks's
nome In Putney Saturday night, having
planned joyful family reunion, but the
event lacked the element Of happiness.
lot the father was not there. He has
vanished, and his disappearance is as
mysterious as his coming was surprising.
AS stated exclusively in The Phoenix
last week, James Brooks went to Putney
after visiting his son Charles and on
tuesday he left the house, sthting that
ne was going to Pittsheld, this state, to
visit his other son, Edwin d. Brooks. He
knew that reunion had been planned in
honor OF his home coming and he said
ne would return with his son, Edwin
He went to the railroad station as though
ne intended to get aboard the noon train
AT the station he told George johnson that
he had a matter OF business to look after
In East Plitney, and he started on foot
| toward that part OF the town, on the
railroad track, grip in hand.
Yer H. Eddy, relative Of the family,
went north on the noon train. expecting
that Mr.. Brooks was going on that train
He could not find him on the train and
at Bellows Falls he got OF and waited
| for the next train, but Mr.. Brooks did
not arrive on It. Mr.. Eddy returned to
Putney on the 4 o'clock train, thinking
that perhaps Mr.. Brooks had changed his
mind and returned home. Finding no
| trace OF him, Mr.. Eddy started for Pitts
field on the evening train, thinking that
| possibly Mr.. Brooks had found his way
| TO his sons home by some other route.
Charles w. Brooks wrote 10 his brother
that their father, whom they had supposed
was dead, had returned and was going TO
| Pittsheld and he asked both the brother
and sister, Mrs Martha j. Bowers Of
| Windsorville, Conn, to come to Putney
| for a reunion on Sunday. He learned
afterward that the father had not been
to Pittsfield, but he was confident that
he would return for the reunion. All the
| children arrived in Putney Saturday
afternoon and evening, Edwin ID. Brooks
being accompanied by his wife. but there
were no udings from the father.
Every circumstance connected with the
| strange case was CONSIDERED in the hope
OF evolving some theory which would ac-
| count for the mans disappearance, but
all in vain. Charles W. Brooks was the
only one Of the children who had seen
the father. but he was positive that the
mans claim as to relationship was cor
rect. Others who saw him said that his
stature features and manner bore strik-
| ing resemblance to those OF the Brooks
children. But even II he were not their
father what object could he have In mis-
representing himself? He did not ask
for assistance, as he needed none, having
| plenty OF money with him. On the other
hand what could be his object in going to
East Putney? He knew no one there and
| never had been there.
AS these things were being considered
| by the children the thought came to them
that perhaps he never reached East Put
ney. IL is not considered dangerous to
walk from Putney to East Putney on the
railroad track, particularly in the day
time, and 1t is understood that Mr.. Brooks
had means in his pocket for protecting
himself stu II was known that he had
considerable money with him, and with
the thought OF possible robbery In their
minds Charles and Edwin Brooks started
| Sunday morning TO examine the country
neighborhood OF the railroad They found
nothing out of the ordinary. They ex-
amined the river bank and found tracks
! but they were OF various sizes, made
probably by fishermen. and indicated
nothing in particular.
Inquiry was made in East Putney, but
only one person was found who remem-
| bered having seen any person resembling
the description OF the missing man.
Marshall z. Cobb remembered having
seen a man walk through East Putney
| village one day last week he could not
| remember which day, whose description
tailed in many respects with that OF Mr..
Brooks. He could give no further light
| on the mystery.
Thus the case stands Mr.. and Mrs.
Edwin D. Brooks returned to their home
| In Pittsfleld Tuesday Charles w. Brooks
| returned TO his work In Brattleboro the
same day and on Wednesday Mrs. Bowers
| returned to Windsorville.