The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-07-22
Judge Joseph R. CIarkson Left
kenosha Last Wednesday and
Can not BE Located
NO CAUSE FOR QUEER ACTION
Well Known Attorney is Supposed to
Have Suffered a Lapse of Memory
and During This Wandered
Far From Home
(From Mondays Daily

kE1U1u AhOhdoy D Od14y
A profound sensation has been csus-
ed in Kenosha by the mysterious dis
appearance of Judge Joseph R. Clark
son, widely known throughout the mid
die west as lawyer, jurist, author
and lecturer and junior member of the
law firm of Baker and Clarkson.
Judge Clarkson has been missing from
Kenosha since last Wednesday night
and after hoping against hope for sew
eral days that he would return his
friends today began an open search
in hopes of finding some trace of him.
The disappearance is one of the most
mysterious ever chronicled in Kenosha.
Judge Clarkson seems to have dropped
from the busy life in which he was
engaged without leaving anything
which might indicate where he had
gone or why. He left behind him no
messages for friends, no letters to his
business associate or his wife and in
fact nothing which would indicate any.
thing of his present whereabouts. The
circumstances attending his disap.
pearance are merely conjecture and
Notwithstanding the fact that friends
of the judge and his wife who is pros.
trated by his prolonged absence have
made a quiet search about Kenosha
they have found absolutely nothing
which will aid them in the solution OF
the mystery.
Judge Clarkson tried case in the
Municipal Court on Wednesday after.
noon and seemed to be in the best OF
health and spirits. His wife was out
of the city having gone to Detroit on ar
automobile trip several days before
and Judge Clarkson was staying at the
family residence on Ashland avenue
On Wednesday evening he lett home
and meeting sose friend tated that
he was going to attend meeting OF
the knights of Pythias of which lie
was an enthusiastic member. He
never went to t.ie lodge meeting, but
later in the evening appeared at his
office where he held long conference
with district Attorney R. v. Baker.
his law partner. Mr.. Baker had
planned to leave Kenosha on Thursday
evening for an extended vacation and
as the firm had many matters Of press
ing interest he talked them over with
his missing partner and the judge ar
ranged for a busy day of work or
Thursday. It was just after nine
'clock when the business was conclud
ed and the judge picked up his hal
and with pleasant "Good night, Part
ner" started for his home. A few
minutes later the judge passed Officer
Nelson of the police department at the
corner of Main and South streets, bu.
he did not speak to him and as he wal
usually most cordial with the officer
the latter recalled this fact later wheE
it was found that the judge was miss
ing. 1t is not thought that he re
turned to his home for the night.
His absence was discovered when ht
failed to appear at the Office on Thurs
day morning and after waiting until
nearly noon Mr.. Baker sought hn
friends and Mrs. Clarkson was mott
fed. She reached home just after
noon Friday and at her suggestion
quiet search was inaugurated for hin
which was continued until this after
noon when It was decided that it would
be best to start a general search.
Several theories have been advanced
as solution of the mystery. One
is that the judge went to his home
Wednesday morning and following biz
usual custom got up early Thursday
morning and started for long wall
through the country. On that morn
ing there was a fierce electric storm
and his friends believe it possible thai
he walked far out into the country
and being caught in the storm gof
under tree for shelter and was strucl
by lightning and killed. Following
up this theory all of the woodland
about Kenosha was searched on Sat
urday anu sunday, but no trace was
found. In the past few weeks the
judge had been engaged in the tria
of several bitterly contested cases ant
it was thought possible that he nigh
haze met with foul play, but thii
theory is regarded as very remote.
The missing man was Of a deeply
religious nature and it is the opinion
of his wife that he has wandered ava,
Whine IN deep religious thought AM
that he is somewhere possibly far from
Kenosha still wandering deep il
thought.
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