Evening star., 1909-01-25
HAD LARGE SUM OF MONEY
Was Last Seen After Cashing a
Check for $4,000.
HIS TRUNK LEFT AT HOTEL
Packed Ready for Return to His
Ohio Home and Had Pur-
chased Ticket.

ance from this city last Wednesday of
David w. Peoples. forty years of age, a
wealthy manufacturer of Athens, Ohio.
! Friends of the missing man communicated
with the police Friday. but 1t was not
until yesterday that the fact of his dis
appearance was made public. The fact
that Peoples had more than 5000 I'm cash
in his pockets when he was last seen
causes some of his relatives and friends
to fear that he may have been lured from
the city. murdered and robbed Inspector
Boardman. who has given the affair some
thought. feels confident that he has not
been murdered. There was no reason why
he should purposely absent himself. his
friends say, for he could have obtained
several thousand dollars more II he cher
ished any such notion.
Friday morning about 10 o'clock he had
checks cashed at the Union Trust Com
pany. 18th and H streets. and was to have
started homeward that day. His failure
to reach home caused his friends and rela-
tives to become alarmed. and two of
them came here to institute a search for
him. One of them is Israel NJ Foster.
prosecuting attorney of Athens county.
Ohio, and the other is Robert II. Steven
son, general manager of the Hardwood
Finish Company of Athens Peoples is
deeply interested in the company. 1t is
said that Peoples had been in this city
since the latter part of December, having
had to fill in the House of Representa-
tives Office building and others for private
firms.
His Trunk at Hotel.
Friends Of the missing man We're told
that he was going to visit his family. His
business associates were looking forward
Il k1li
of his successful efforts here, and when
he disappointed family and friends all be-
came alarm. Unable to get any informa-
tion by wire the two men mentioned came
here from Athens and saw Maj. Sylvester.
Yesterday they saw Inspector Boardman
and discussed Peoples disappearance with
him. Detective Cox had been assigned to
make an investigation, but had been un-
able to find any trace Of the missing man
after the latter left the building of the
Union Trust Company with more than
5000 in his possession.
Both Mr.. Foster and Mr.. Stevenson re-
mained in the city to prosecute the
search. They are stopping at the Dewey
Hotel. where Peoples lived during the
time he was here attending to the bust
ness of his firm. When they went to
the room Peoples had occupied they
found his baggage there, ready to be sent
away In the trunk they found presents
he had purchased to take home to his
wife and children. and there was nothing
that would indicate the recent occupant
of the apartment had contemplated dis
appearing.
Peoples was not a drinking man, the
police were told, and his home life was
everything that could be desired. While
he was here he was in constant COM
munication with his family and business
associates, and none of them is able to
suggest anything about him other than
to express the belief that he has prob
ably been lured into the country. killed
and robbed. 1t would have been an easy
matter to have lured him away from the
city by telling him of a prospective con-
tract for his firm. his friends think, and
they, expressed the fear that he had been
Iured across the river by being told OF
work that Is being done at Fort Myer.
Often Carried Large Sums.
Hotel registers have been consulted,
hospitals visited and other places where
1t is thought the missing man might have
gone searched by detectives and friends
of Peoples, but absolutely no trace of
him has been found. While his friends
told the police that Peoples had between
5000 and 5000 on his person when he
disappeared, it is possible, it is stated.
that he had much larger sum. He had
a number OF checks cashed Wednesday,
the police were informed. and other large
sums are due him from the government
and private firms 1t is stated that Peo-
pies was in the habit of getting checks
cashed here and taking the money home
With him, having taken $4,000 with him
in that way some months ago.
Not only had Peoples advised his
friends that he was coming home. but he
had purchased his railroad ticket and en-
gagged a berth for train that was Sched-
ued to leave here Wednesday. The miss
ing man is about forty years of age, has
light hair and compile xion, blue eyes and
smooth face Two fingers are missing
from one hand and he limps when walk
ing When last seen he wore a new brown
suit and soft brown hat. He wore
Shriner's button in the lapel of his coat
and a Scottish Rite Masonic ring.