Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21
EDWARD P. FITCH IS FOUND
Cables from Naples for Money ia
Bring Him Home.
RELIEF IS WIRED BACK AT ONCE
Omaha and Council BIu1s Man
Supposed for Months TO He Dead
Gives JOY TO Grieving
Family.

Edward p Fitch. the Omaha and Coun-
Gil Bluffs man who was supposed to have
met foul death in Europe some months
ago, is alive and cabled from Naples Italy,
yesterday to w. w. Umstead, local man
ager for the Western Union, to have his
family send funds for his return to the
American consul at Naples.
Mr.. Umsted complied with the request i'm
mediately and a cable went back to Naples
that will enable Mr.. Fitch to obtain the
necessary amount and start for the United
States at once.
They all had given him up for dead long
ago, but / had an intuition from the first
and It has grown on me that my brother
was alive and would yet turn up" said
Miss Julia Fitch, sister who is employed
with the McCague Investment company,
when told of the good news.
Miss Fitch lives with her mother, Mrs
Stevens. and her step-sister. Miss Stevens,
teacher in the Beals school, in Council
Bluffs. The three women were overjoyed
at the message from distant Naples, for
the mother and Miss Stevens had become
all but reconciled to the belief that Mr..
Fitch had died either by natural or foul
means.
Last Word Four Months Ago.
The last word received by the family of
Mr.. Fitch was four months ago. He
wrote a letter saying he was leaving for
London to enter a hospital; that he was
sick. He had gone to Europe for his
health and this letter aroused the appre-
hension of his family. The anxiety be-
came more tense when letters from home
went unanswered The sisters and mother
wrote repeatedly, but received no answers.
FINALLY American consuls abroad were ad-
vised and within no time Uncle Sam s
agents had a searching investigation in
progress all over Europe, especially in
London, Paris and other large centers of
population. This was continued necessarily
for months without the slightest clue TO
reward the dillgent crusade.
Then the family as well as officials re-
luctantly settled back into the belief that
death had overtaken Mr.. Fitch. But how
they could not tell. nor could they offer
any clue, for the hospital to which he was
supposed to have gone in London had no
light to shed; none OF the police DEPART
ments in European cities was able to make
a single suggestion that proved available.
When the letter telling of his trip from
Paris to London, was mailed he was on
the train between Dover and London. But
not even that clue could be traced TO ef-
fective ends.
Expect Further Word Soon.
Mr.. Umsted. after conferring with the
family OF Mr.. Fitch. wired the American
consul at Naples to deliver the money 10
Mr.. Fitch and give him what care was
necessary until he started for home. Some
further message is expected at once, giving
more information as TO Mr.. Fitchs ex-
perience since last heard from. the causes
OF his silence and condition OF his health.
Mr.. Fitch resides with his family in
Council Bluffs and was assistant secre-
tary OF the State Insurance company Of
Nebraska, with headquarters in Omaha. He
is single and about 35 years OF age. When
his health became impaired he sought re-
creation in Europe.
Charles Fitch, an elder brother Of Ed
ward Fitch, died within the last. two weeks
at his home in Portland. Ore. He had just
returned to his home from a visit with
his mother and sisters at Council Bluffs
The strange disappearance of his brother
was often the subject of conversation at
the home while Mr.. Fitch was there. The
family's grief became doubly keen when
news OF the elder brothers death was re-
oeived and yet no word came from the one
over the seas