The Washington herald., 1908-03-21
RICH MAN IS MISSING
0ne-armed Stranger Sought
by New York Police.
HAS OVER $1,000 IN HIS BELT
j. Noble, of Los Angeles, Who Reg
istered Mt broadway Central Last
Jnnuary, Starts for Philadelphia.
Never Gets to Hotel There and Has
Not Returned TO New York.

New York. March pa big, sturdy
man with a florid complexion and with
out his right arm, registered at the
Broadway Central Hotel on January 2
as J. Noble. OF Los Angeles
He made friends with Edwin Arm
strong, the hotel detective. and through
him. engaged TO take passage on the
Lampoft and Holt steamer Tennison for
Buenos Ayres on February 8 On that
day, he changed his mind, had his ticket
extended fifteen days. and decided TO go
10 Philadelphia for a couple of minor
business matters instead He was to have
gone either 10 the Bingham House or
Green's Hotel in Philadelphia. He never
appeared at either place
Armstrong hasn't heard from him since.
and his ticket for South America lies
still in the office of Bush & Jevons. in
the Produce Exchange Building. although
the Velasque sailed on February 5. and
the Voltaire left to-day
When Noble came TO the hotel he made
friends with lot of persons and he was
not at ali reticent about his affairs. He
said that he was born IN Lock Haven,
Pa, OF Quaker parents. When he was
a young man he started TO work his way
West. He finally got into the sheep
ranching business and became an ex-
tensive rancher About a year ago he
sold out his property for S9oeOOo, he said.
Goes TO Australia.
With his money. he went farther West
TO Los Angeles. but did not settle down
there as .ss> had anticipated doing. In
stead, he went TO South Africa, staying
in Cape Town for a while and later go
ing to Australia. He travelled West for
nearly the entire year and then returned
TO Los Angeles He left there early in
January for this city.
The day after he reached the hotel. he
talked over his plans with Armstrong
He said that he had 100000 in a bank
somewhere in Pennsylvania and $4,000 in
vested in government bonds.
He took dinner on February with
Armstrong at the latters house. The
next day was Monday, and they went
TO Cooks tourist agency because Noble
wanted to get some money changed. He
didn't say how much he had and Arm
strong was highly surprised when he took
from a belt he carried 5000 in various
bills.
TaIkes $4,000 with Him.
The next day, the day before he was to
have sailed, Noble went to TiTanys to
get his watch worth $50 which he had
left there to be cleaned
The next day" said Armstrong to-
day. 4 was about the place early and saw
Noble. He had taken the $500 from the
hotel safe and had it in his belt, a new
one Re bought the day before. He said
he has changed his mind about sailing
on February and was going 70 Philadel-
phia on some small matters OF business.
THAT afternoon later" Armstrong says
"I saw him leaving the hotel with a
handbag. I asked him where he was
going. and he said he was going TO take
an afternoon train for Philadelphia We
haven't heard a thing Of him since. al
though he told me when he left that he
would be back in two or three days at
the most"
Inquiry at Philadelphia resulted In the
information that no man OF the name OF
Noble had registered at any Of the hotels
there on February ). the day Noble left
New York.