East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-06-30

In an article in the Seattle Times
telling of the mysterious disappear
ance of Curt Pless, the man whose
remains are believed to have been
found in a box floating in the Co
lumbia river, near Cold Springs a
few weeks ago, the writer asks:
Was 1t the long arm of his mortal
enemy, guided by inextinguishable
hatred, that reached out across the
Atlantic ocean and the American
continent from far-away Germany
and drove Curt Won Pless, prominent
and respected citizen, from his pret-
ty home. his loving wife and friends
on the pleasant shores of Bellingham
bay?
Was 1t some dark secret of a for
gotten past in the Fatherland that
tracked him down like Nemesis, even
to this great land of liberty? Or
was it merely ordinary business diff
ficulties which caused a man admir-
ed for his ability and supposed in
tegrity to flee like a branded crimi-
nal in the night from the minatory
hand of the law reaching after him
with some dread punishment?
Disappears i'm January.
These are some of the questions
friends and acquaintances of Curt
Won Pless Che dropped the "von"),
president of the Pless Hay and Grain
who disappeared from
Bellingham last January, are still
asking themselves. If he vanished
into the air. the mans disappear
ance could not have been more start
ling or complete.
Perhaps members of that justly
famous secret police which guards
the German kaiser at Berlin might
be able to throw some light on the
subject. At least, there is one friend
Of Pless who knew him we'll in for
mer years of a brilliant life in the
ierman capital who so believes. But
his friends lips are sealed-sealed
" fear, perhaps; by a promise, who
Knows?
Strange Stories of Past.
But little by little, mostly from
hance remarks dropped by this man.
,artly by innocent words from his
till faithful wife, there has come an
nkling of some of the strange sto-
les of love, adventure, hate and re-
enge ever set to paper, And in this
tory some of those who knew the
nan closely think they see a neasor
'ehind that sudden flight-if flight
was. In this drama, the first act
; laid amid the social settings of one
f the most brilliant capitals OF
Its actors number
hose who hold high positions in the
ourt; some who stand next to Kaiser
himself \ challenge to
uel, its acceptance. and the ban
ut upon it by an order from the
mperor are incidents. Then a hur-
led flight, believed to be a honey
loon trip by the young bride, and
anishment forever from his native
md form the climax to this story of
strange life. But the last act is not
ct played--not until Pless is found
r his death assured will the drama
nd, so those who are behind the
,enes assert.
One Man Knows History.
There is one man in the United
ates-Herr o. Banninghasen, of
ong Branch, Kan, a wealthy miller
that place-who perhaps knows
e true meaning of Pless' flight from
If SO, he will not tell.
is his guarded remarks that have
rnshed the clew which may un-
vel the mystery that yet furnishes
perpleXing and fascinating prob
N.
Is Pless still alive? If so. how
uld a man six feet and six inches
height, with physique in proper
m, and known in all the principal
lies in Washington, disappear so
ddenly that not the slightest au-
entic trace of him after leaving this
y has ever been secured. From the
'ment of his disappearance rumors
his having been seen in various
rts of the country have come in
I'm time to time Traced down, in
riably they proved baseless.
Wife is Beautiful.
He will come back, ne will come
tx some time II he is alive" de-