East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-27
Acting District Attorney and
Temporary City Editor of
Tribune is Missing.
LEFT PENDLETON TUESDAY
NIGHT ON TRAIN NO. 5
Relatives and Friends Search in Vain
for Missing Attoney-NO Possible
Reason Assigned for Peculiar Be-
haviOr-Had Talked MysteriOusty,
and May Have Gone TO South At
rica-Wife Is at Lehman.

Where is W. C. E. Pruitt, attorney
at law, acting district attorney and
temporary city editor Of the Tribune
For nearly "a week he has been miss
ing from the city, and a diligent
search by relatives and friends has
thus far failed to locate him. Some
facts that have become known indi-
cate he may have left for parts afar
with the intention of returning not.
Pruitt was last seen here Tuesday
night, when he boarded west bound
train No. 8. At the depot he shook
hands with Ung Goey, the Chinaman,
telling him good bye, though he did
not make known his destination.
Since Tuesday night absolutely
nothing has been heard of Pruitt,
and his long absence has caused
uneasiness among his relatives. At
the time OF his departure his wife
was at Lehman Springs in company
with her mother, Mrs. Aura NJ. Ra-
ley. They are still at that resort.
Failing to hear from her husband.
Mrs. Pruitt 'phoned to Colonel ]. H.
Raley. several days ago asking con-
cerning him. Thereupon a search
was made for the missing attorney,
with somewhat startling results.
Had Talked Mysteriously.
For some time before his departure
Pruitt had been serving as city ed
itor of the Tribune, and when he left
he took French leave Of that Journal
as we'll as OF others here. However,
a casual conversation which he had
with Night Editor Davis now seems
significant. To his fellow journal
LIST Pruitt stated in a recent conver-
sation that II he were foot-loose he
friends he also declared that some day
he was going to leave the city never
to return.
But while uneasiness is felt con-
cerning Pruitt. II is hardly believed
that he has left for good. 1t is rather
believed that he has merely gone
away while under some form Of
"brain storm" and that he is now in
Portland The fact that he had been
drinking for several days before he
left lends credence to this theory.
His friends say that It is hardly con-
ceivable that he would go away for
good, leaving his wife and his prac-
tice here. There is said to be abso-
lutely no reason for his sudden action.
as he had met with no trouble and
was devoted to his wife.
Served as Prosecutor.
Further interest is added to Pruitt's
case by the fact that ne was attending
to the district attorneys business for
several days before his departure.
When Mr.. Phelps went to the noun
tains for a months outing he left his
office in charge of C. j. Ferguson.
However Mr.. Ferguson was called
to Roseburg about week ago, and
he left the office with Pruitt during
his absence.
On the door of the district attor-
ney's office is a note saying that Mr..
Phelps is away on his vacation and
that Mr.. Ferguson will return July
81, and that in the meantime Mr..
Pruitt is attending to the affairs
But since last Tuesday complain
ants have found no waiting ear into
which to pour their troubles. This,
together with the fact that not a mag
istrate is left in the city, has produced