Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-25
FOR A GREATER CITY NO TRACE OF REMAINS
Plan to Improve Pennsylvania Police Continue Search for
Avenue Gains Advocates. Lieut.. CraWford's Body
DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT FRIENDS ARE ASTOUNDED
Development Though Continues Hope Hus
Along Proper Lines band Is Alive
MORE DISCUSSION AS TO FINANCES
to
Of Ferryboa-Gangway Of
of southsi
Police Continue Search for
Lieut.. CraWford's Body.
FRIENDS ARE ASTOUNDED
Wife Continues to Hope That Hus-
band Is Alive.
DISCUSSION AS TO FINANCES
He Was Positively Seen to Board
Ferryboat-Gangway Of the
Lackawanna Guarded.

I'VE are simply astounded," George S.
Wilson. secretary to the board of chart
ties. remarked, when asked this morning
about the disappearance of Lieut.. John
w. Crawford, secretary to Admiral
Dewey
Mr.. Wilson and Bennett A. Allen we're
two of the closest personal friends of
Lieut.. Crawford, and they are looking
after the affairs Of the missing man.
Mrs. Crawford" Mr.. Wilson explained,
has thought almost everything Imaginable
since her husband went away Friday, and
she really does not know what to think
about his conduct. She has the note that
he sent her by Mr.. Allen. but she still
hope that the note was written to deceive
her, and that her husband is alive"
Nothing at ALI Suspicious.
I'VE have discussed the lieutenant's
actions during the past six months or year.
and have talked at length regarding his
money matters" Mr.. Wilson further said.
Mrs. Crawford, at the conclusion of our
talk, said she could not remember any
thing that had happened which at the
time appeared suspicious to her.
She seems to be completely mystif1ed
concerning the sudden disappearance OF
Lieut.. Crawford and the strange letter he
wrote to Bennett A. Allen, telling of his
intention to commit suicide. She is con-
yerSant with the newspaper reports, and
has read the several theories advanced
Mrs. Crawford seems eager to discuss the
matter with any of her close acQuaint
ances. in the hope of throwing some light
on the subject, but at the CONCLUSION OF
such talks she has as yet made no state
ment regarding what she believed was the
true state of affairs. AT the time Of my
talk with her yesterday she appeared to
have recovered slightly from the effects of
the shock that followed when the news
of Lieut.. CraWford's disappearance was
first made known to her.
Was Telling the Truth.
PERSONALLY, I am inclined to believe
the man was telling the truth when he
stated in his letter he was going to end
his life. put little faith in the idea that
he is still alive and that he has fed from
this section of the country.
But for the fact that he mentioned in
his letter to Mr.. Allen that he had in
Cured an Indebtedness of about $1,000. no
one ever knew he owed any money what.
ever. In fact, nothing is at present known
concerning such an Indebtedness. His
we're about to come due, but as yet no
bank or noteholder has pressed his claim.
I know he worried about his financial
troubles, and believe that while In de-
spondent mood he wrote the letter to Mr..
Allen and then hurried to carry out hia
threat"
Hopes Mistake Was Made.
Lieut.. Crawford's statement, made in
the last letter he wrote. that he had
been living beyond his means and that
he could not stand the publicity and
notoriety. caused his wife to feel that
mistake had been made. There had been
no extravaganza INDUCED in about the
house, so far as she was aware. and she
was completely surprised at the state
ment that he was $4,000 in debt. How he
could have become so largely involved
she was unable to imagine. The lieu
tenant had always been a liberal con-
tributor to his family and he knew that
his wife had bank account He knew
sistance If he had desired it, but he
never intimated to her that he was in
volved financially. His Indebtedness, his
friends have learned. was brought about
by borrowing money from local banks.
The suggestion was made that he may
have lost heavily on stocks, but Mr.
Wilson stated this morning that he had
been unable to trace his losses to such
investments.
HE may. however. have dealt in
certainly was not one to hang about
brokers' offices. He handled stocks for
Admiral Dewey and he may have been
tempted to make investments for HIM
self"
Mind May Have Been Affected.
Friends have been odiscussing the
probable conduct of the lieutenant ever
since the receipt Of the special delivery
letter by Mr.. Allen. While most of his
friends are Of the opinion that the lieu
tenant committed suicide. others think
he is still in the land of the Lying. Some
of them point to the fact that the lieu
tenant was moody for several days pre-
ceding last Friday. some Of them saying
his actions really indicated that his mind
was affected.
Members Of the police force engaged in
the investigation of the affair think the
lieutenant jumped overheard. They point
out that his general conduct was that OF
a man who had contemplated taking his
life, his appearance and conduct on the
ferryboat only going to prove that ne
jumped overheard. 1t Is recalled by the
police that the lieutenant was seen to
board the boat and there was nothing
about his appearance to indicate that he
had an extra coat or hat. They say he
could hardly have left the boat in his
shirt sleeves at the steel plant ior Alex
andria without attracting attention. His
coat and hat were not found until after
the boat had left Alexandria,. but men,
berS of the crew of the boat say the
boat was there only few minutes, and
that the gangway was guarded from the
time the landing was made until the boat
started upon the return trip.
May Be Alive.
while every incident that has come to
light points to suicide" member of the
police boat Vigilant remarked to Star
reporter, cit may be that the lieutenant
did not jump overheard. number of
persons have made such bluffs and then
did not jump overheard. 1t has been only
a few months since a man appeared at
the river front. threw his hat and coat
behind a telegraph pole and tossed stone
overheard. colored man heard the
splash and declared he had seen the man
when he went overheard. The river was
dragged for the body. but two days after
the finding of the garments the man was
heard from
An early morning start was made by
the crew of the police boat yesterday. the
crew working hard through the stormy
weather to find the body, II possible, but
the members returned to the wharf at
night without having found any trace
out again to search for the body. They
dragged the bottom of the river at the
steel plant pier and also in the slip at
tba of foot of King street