The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-05-14
1T WAS A FAKE REPORT
Sensational Special in the Register
and Leader from PIeasanton
was Without Foundation.

was Without Foundation.
The following sensational special
dated at Pleasanton appeared in last
Saturdays Des Moines Register and
Leader, but there is no truth in it what
ever, an investigation disclosing that it
was probably written by some evil
minded person for the sole purpose of
causing trouble to Mr.. Davis and his
family:
Pleasanton, Ia, May Especial: Geo.
w. Davis, a prominent and wealthy
farmer residing near here, has disan.
peared taking with him his wife. He
came to town Wednesday and withdrew
his entire deposit from the bank saving
he wanted the money to pay for some
lana he had purchased. After getting
the money he Immediately left for home
and then disappeared.
The last seen of Mr.. Davis was by his
son who called at the family home early
in the evening. He noticed nothing
wrong and after talking about the work
on the farm took his departure.
This morning he called his father on
the telephone but failing to get any re-
sponse he concluded the phone was
probably not in working order and pro-
curing his team drove over.
AS he neared the house he noticed no
signs OF life about and supposed the
family had slept late. On going up to
the house he found all the doors locked
and having key which would unlock
one of the doors he went in intending
to give the family surprise. Upon
calling their names and failing to elicit
any response he ascended the, stairs
and was astounded to find the rooms
vacant. Thinking that his parents might
have gone to some of the neighbors to
pass the night he descended the stairs
intending to phone to see if he could
locate them when his eyes fell upon a
letter addressed to himself. He i'm
mediately opened it and first learned of
his fathers disappearance. The note
follows:
"Dear folks at home:-I have gone
away from home to escape my enemies
who seem determined to make nv life
miserable and to destroy my property.
| am leaving in the hope that when am
gone the attempts upon my property
will cease. l feel that my life is not
safe while l remain here. You will hear
from me before long. Look after the
farm until you hear from me. Your
loving father"
Mr.. Davis has been continually men
aced by incendiaries for the past two
months and his house has been threat
ened by fire no less than four times.
Private detectives were employed to
run down the instigator of the crimes
but they met with no success, and it is
supposed that Mr.. Davis gave up hope
of catching his enemies and decided
that nothing was left for him to do but
leave.
1t is thought that he has gone west
as he was traced as far as Kansas City.
We have talked with Mr.. Davis son,
Marion Davis, since the article above
was printed in the Register and Leader
and he tells us there was nothing
mysterious about his father leaving
whatever, as for several weeks prior to
leaving he had been making prepara-
tions to go west to spend the summer,
and had rented his farm to Stephen
Turpen who had moved on the place
before Mr.. and Mrs. Davis had started
on their trip, which was on April 18th.
Before leaving large number of their
relatives and friends had attended a
farewell party given in their honor just
prior to their departure. Mr.. Davis said
his father never wrote the note told of
in the dispatch and he never saw it un-
til he read the clipping which we mailed
to him. There was no concealment
about his father and mother leaving
and they have received several letters
from them since they left. Last March
there was an effort made to set fire to
the house occupied by Mr.. Davis, coal
oil being poured over the side of the
house and then set fire, but fortunately
the fire was discovered and extinguished
before the house was destroyed. An
account of this dastardly deed was pub
lished in The Reporter of March Goth.
The special dispatch sent to the Reg
lister and Leader either originated in
the fertile Imagination of some space
writer or else it is the work of some
unknown enemy of Mr.. Davis who de-
sires to cause him embarrassment, but
he is at loss to know who it could be,
for Mr.. Davis and his family were
among the most highly respected citi-
n Hon +cr