The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-31
Rev. w. NJ. Stuckey Left Will
Iiamsburg Two Weeks Ago.
Is Editor of Local Paper and
Minister of Christian Church.
WIFE SEEKS Il
HI Nj.
Business Affairs of Preacher.
Editor in Tangled Condition.
Newspaper PlantSeized byFOrm-
er Owner John Trabert.

Williamsburg, Kan, July 81
Where is the Rev. w. NJ. Stuckey?
This is a question that is being
more or less anxiously asked by mem
bers of the reverend gentleman's
family, by his parishioners, and by
divers and sundry creditors.
Mr.. Stuckey is pastor of the Chris
tan church of this little city, and is
also owner and editor of the VIII
Iiamsburg Star, a semi-weekly publ
cation. He has family of wife and
son, the latter aged about 16. a
daughter was recently married.
Monday of last week Mr.. StucISey
announced that he was going to Kan
sas City on business. He arranged
with Earl Claypool to take temporary
charge of the paper. Il shall prob
ably be back Wednesday night" said
Mr.. Stuckey. Then he instructed Mr..
Claypool in sundry details of office
work, and particularly advised him
not to permit his, Stuckey's son, to
NEEDLE with the plant. Especially
with the books" he cautioned, don't
let him have access to them"
Failed to Return on Schedule.
But Mr.. Stuckey did not return
Wednesday night. He has not re-
turned up to date. A message from a
his whereabouts caused an inVestiga-
ton into his affairs. In the meantime
Mrs. Stuckey manifested anxiety. She
could not explain her husbands alb
Sence and has left for Kansas City to
look for him.
Mr.. C1aypool, the young man in
charge of the office, and John Ira
bert, came to Ottawa for legal advice.
Mr.. Trabert holds a chattel mortgage
for $500 on the plant of the Star, and
desiring to insure his rights came in
to find out what his status is. Mr..
Claypool had similar errand; he is
entirely neutral in the matter and
wants to understand his legal respon-
sibility.
Financial Affairs Badly Tangled.
Mr.. Stuckey's affairs, on the face of
matters, are in a bad shape" said Mr..
Claypool. HE has disappeared, and
presumably his wife does not know of
his whereabouts. Anyhow she has gone
ostensibly to try to find him Not only
is his plant mortgaged beside that of
Mr.. Trabert's-but he is indebted to
numerous tradesmen of the city.
Personally I am prepared to hear
that the man is innocent of any infant
to wrong any one; that he has met
with some accident, or something, al
though a statement made to me by his
son Albert, who by the way managed to
get possession of the newspaper books,
to the effect that this is not the first
time his father has disappeared would
not give encoura cement to belief of
his innocence. Nor does the absence
and continued silence of Mrs. Stuckey
tend to allay any suspicious that might
arise. am at present in charge of the
paper and shall put no obstacle IL the
way Of Mr.. Trabert or any one else IN
asserting their legal rights"
Trabert Takes Charge of Newspaper.
Mr.. Stuckey made a rather spGctac-
ular campaign with his paper, which he
purchased a year or more ago. Among
other methods of promoting its inter
ests he instituted a contest, in con-
nection with a Topeka paper, by means
of which he increased the subscription
list from a few hundred to over
twelve hundred realizing the money
for the subscriptions. There was pre-
sumably a fund in the local bank, but
Mr.. Trabert asserted that he had in
vestigated and there was now no
money in the bank.