The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-01
MYSTERY IS
 YET UNSOLVED Raymond Hitchcock Is Still Missing. POLICE STILL SEARCHING
The Comedians Wife is On Verge
 of Breakdown.
She win Not Listen To Aay Thesrs But Insists That He Has Been Victim or Foul
 Play.

New York, Oct. 31.--The disappear- ance of Raymond Hitchcock following his indictment by the grand jury, which had heard the stories of three little girls, was the absorbing topic today on Broadway. where those who had known the star intimately for the past ten years on the stage advanced a dozen theories in explanation of his de- fault.
 The actor's closest friends. who have energetically defended his name siuce ne became involved in trouble. arc di- vided in opinion. Many insisted today that, driven desperate by serious accu- sations. hc had committed suicide. 9th CTS were satisfied that be had been spirited away and possibly murdered by men who had pr2ctieed bIackmali on the comedian and who feared ex- posture if the case against their victim came to trial.
 This theory was voiced by Herman F'romme, the missing mans attorney and Mrs. Hitchcock. who before her marriage was zabeIle Magasariau of Chicago. Mrs Hitchcock, though near collapse through worry, has continued to play opposite her husbands under- study at the theatre where both were engaged until yesterday.
 When Hitchcock failed to appear ak the matinee. Mir. Fromme said:
 Hitchcock did not go away on his own accord. He has been ether kid- mapped or murdered by the hand of fka blackmaiiers by which ha has been au-' noyed. threatened and bounded for the past two years. a.. ,
 "Six of these dozen men are known to me. Mir. Hitchcock has lived in a state of continual terror on account of their persistence for two long years Nevertheless he has not left hEa wife voluntarily. He is an innocent man and there is no proof against him that there Is the slightest foundasion for the accusations made.
 -Four men have been trailing him for months. Now 1t turns out that they are blackmaiIers. Last Seturdax Mr. Hitchcock was anxious to have this entire matter aired fn court but an adiournsnent prAvented thin The case was called fer thss afteFnnra T believe that he is tise victim Of black mallers who are anxious not to have the case threshed ous''
 While thes etheories gained some crede.ice. the police did not relax their efforts to locate Hitchcock, which be- gan when a police alarm for his arrest was sent out last night. All outgoing steamers were visited and their passen- ger lists scrutinized. 4 wireless mes sailed yesterday. Detectives also watched the train stations. but late to- night their vigilance had not been re- warded. District Attorney Jerome to- night sent two detectives to Boston. This action probably grew out of th0 statement of a railroad conductor who thought he had Hitchcock as a passen- ger from this city to North Adams yes~ terday.
 Some of Hitchcockas acquafntanees think 1t likely that he sought seclu- sion where undisturbed for a few days he can think over his predicament and decide upon a course of action.
 Hitchcock's troubles have assumed several phases. He first caused the ar- rest of a boy who. he alleged. had att tempted to blackmail him. Disclosures in the case led to Hitchcock's arrest and he was arraigned Monday. The case went over until today and he was released on $3.000 bail. Meantime the grand jury returned several indict- ments against the actor. some of them charging criminal assault and abduc- tion. When the criminal case was called today and the actor failed to ap- pear. his counsel asked that the bond be continued for one week. The Dls- trict Attorneys assistant made no ob- jection and the magistrate set the hearing for next Wednesday afterEoon.