The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-08-30
BATTY ELECTRICIAN
IS FOUND
MATHEW PASSLER RETURNS TO
HIS HOME AFTER WAN
DERiNG IN HILLS.

Spokane. Aug. 2a.-Matthew Passler.
an expert electrician in the empIoye
of the Spokane Il Inland Empire Rail
way system, has returned to his hom&-
after an absence of more than four
months. during which he wandered in
the hills and worked az "A lab0rer in
wheat fields and orchards in eastern
+ Washington and northern Idaho. while
his wife and child mourned him as
dead
He has only Il hazy recollection of
! where he has been; but he did not
know his own name until approached
by an acquaintance in the street on
the outskirts Of Spokane and ap-
praised Of the search made for him
by his family. employers and friends
Passier disappeared from his home
$50 Toledo avenue, the evening Of
April 10. He started for the business
district, intending to consult "A phy-
stefan, but did not keep the appoint
ment He drifted to a ranch in the
southern part of Spokane county
where he toiled for IA to rs hours a
day pitching hay. and then wandered
crew of five men on a combined
threshing machine. His hands are
hard and calloused and his face. arms
and neck tanned to "A copper hue from
tho exposure. He said:
on. day an old woman. who saw
me washing some Of my garments in
nearby creek. remarked, after
watching me:f.r
You ought to have a wife to do
mat work for you
t"rhen 1t occurred Ia me that | had
wife" he added In fact, | was
positive about it. but | had forgot
ten all about this little fellow.
Il could not recall my name or the
town in which | lived. and as a con-
sequence. | was as helpless as a babe
so far AS giving direction was con-
cerned
While at work in an orchard not
long ago l noticed some apple boxes
with the word Spokane stenciled on
one end. This seemed familiar tn
me and | started across the country.
walking Is miles to Standpoint. Idaho
where some one put me on train and
| came to Spokane.
Il had walked around town for sew
eral days, begging food when hungry.
and was on the way to IA lumber
camp. north of here. when a man ac-
costed me in Montgomery avenue.
Hello. Passlerl said he: where
have you meen. We've been search
ing all over for you since last April
Il could not place the man, nor had
/ any idea of ever having seen him
before.
- Why. Mat. don't you remerber
mel I'm Jim" Douglas. your neigh
bort he said. when he noticed that
| did not know him. II
you're Mat" PassIer as sure as
I'm standing here talking with you
he went on. and then took me to my
home. where my anxious wife and lit
tie boy welcomed me. | recognized
them in an instant and found my
sell.
Il am unable 40 explain anything.
Everything is Il blank though | can
recall almost everything prior tn
leaving home. | also know everything
that transpired following my meeting
up with Douglas. The rest is haZy.
The doctors who examined me say
that | have fully recovered. and so
far | have not suffered a relapse: but
| do not feel 1t is safe for me t.
go about alone. nor will l do it in the
future"
Mrs. Passler declined to discuss the
matter more than tn say that Passler
is under n physicians care. She Is
glad her husband has returned to her
and the baby, and" she added, he
Passler's employers speak highly of
him rs a mechanic and Il man. say
ing he can have his old position as
soon as he returns To the shop. They
assisted in the search and have since
Investigated his strange story and
say II is true in every detail.
They have learned he worked as a
iaborer on half dozen ranches in
eastern Washington and that in sew
eral instances he left without receiv-
ing the money he earned. This Is
now being collected. Tracers are at
work in an effort In follow in his
steps from the time he left home until
pe returned.
passler is not addicted to strong
drink or narcotics and neither he nor
his physicians are able To account for
the trick played upon him by his
brain. At first it was thought he had
met with an accident. which might
explain the lapse Of memory. but the
medical men secuted this theory after
making careful examination of the
man. saying there Is not the sign of
any injury, internal or otherwise