The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-14
Former College Man, Mar,
ried for Years, Discover
ed in Humble Guise.
CALLS life A WRECK
Suffered Strange Malady Fourteen
Years Ago and Dropped Out
Of World.

The remarkable story of the life Of
Charles McGee Williams. q graduate Of
the University of Wisconsin. who has
been living at Merrillville, ten miles
north Of Crown Point, has been brought
TO light through a chance meeting of
Williams and an old college friend who
knew him thirteen years before.
Williams does not know whether he
was slugged drugged or simply suf-
fered loss Of memory, but one month
after he left school he awakened to
ind himself in Hammond and with his
money gone and only part Of his clothes
left, he wandered to MerrillviIe where
he has lived ever since and where
four years ago he married Miss Clara
Saxton.
The neighbors noticed that Williams
was a well educated man and it is said
when he was under influence of liquor
he had once told a friend of his past
life yet although the whole story was
a matter Of common gossip about the
village the college register at Madi-
son, had him listed as deceased.
Feared Shadow of Disgrace.
Although the story of the slugging
was generally accepted as true vet
the neighbors were of the opinion that
the real reason why he did not make
his whereabouts known to his parents
was the fact that he was addicted to
drink and preferred not to let his rel
atives know of this fact.
Williams whereabouts remained a
mystery until yesterday, when he was
found working as a Iaborer at Merrill
vile, seven miles south of Hobart. Ind.
by class mate who was employed bv
a telephone company extending q line
through MerrilWille. Shortly after the
latter arrived in Merrtllv1lIe. Will
Jams of Fond du Lac, Wis, a brother
left for Crown Point
Declaring that his life was a wreck
by recurrent periods CT loss of
memory, due perhaps to a blow on the
head suffered at the hands of Chicago
highwaymen. Williams has remained in
obscurity all these years, in spite Of the
repeated urgings of the wife whom he
married in Merrillville that he write
to his relatives and make known his
whereabouts
Is Satisfied There.
4 know where they are" he said. in
a plaintive manner yesterday. "and
that's all that's necessary. I'm satis-
fed here, I'm not afraid of work. i've
got good home and good wife
what more do 1 want? It's nobody
elses business"
When Williams brother arrived
having been given news Of the missing
ones whereabouts the day before
there was an affecting scene. Although
beth had been apprised beforehand
they embraced and wept, while the
wife Of the newly found brother he
came hysterical with joy.
Williams entered the University of
Wisconsin in 1885, remained there ~
the academic course three years taupb+
school two years and then entered the
law school at the same college He
his law course in 1894.
During his university course he ba-
came famous as a baseball nlavar
Those We're the days when the nni-
verties bGasted of the best baseball
talent and Williams was the brightest
star Of all as pitcher. 1t is recorded
Of him In the athletic annals at Mad
lson that he once struck out thirteen
men in succession. and the man who
caught his delivery was George =
Waldo, now patent attorney in the
Monadnock building and living at 175
Goethe street. Chicago
Takes High Honors.
Williams came tc Chicago in the lat
er part of June 1S94, to begin bis
iuties. on July following he dison-
Dean E. E. Bryant of the Arad-
son law school took a personal IN
crest in the case and engaged Chico
20 private detectives to trace The nfss
ng man. The detectives got no far-
her than the Briggs House wbara
registered July 3. ana after
fruitless search Of several months
elatives and friends gave him mn for
lead.
This ends that portion OF Williams.
history which was known before YES
erday, which he told the remaininy
'ortion Of it himself
From the time I walked our Of +ba
3riggs House. July g." he said. .nntiI
came to myself in Hammond +braa
ays later, my mind was comDletelv
lank. I don't know how 1t banpened-
whether I was slugged, drugred or
VIZ 0ia~y temporarily, but
incline TO the theory thar boId-,n
leh Sot me- Tor when I awoke in
hammond my money-al / had in +ba /,
Forld-Was gone. as was my watch and
art Of my clothing.
Wanders in sand Dunes.
7 wandered about the sand dunes
trough little villages and around mis-
art Of the country for several davs in
sort OF daze. and finally I landed here
! Merrillvilla u-harn L.. -,