The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-11
STRANGER IN
 SOUTHPORT HAD
 GOSSIPS GUESSING
Residents at First Thought Queer Acting Man Was
 Hunted Minister.
Had a Roll of Money Which He Left With Saloonkeep- Says He Came from Yonkers.

| Southport, Jan. 11.-A mild wave o1 excitement passed over this staid olo village yesterday and to-day when ii was reported that Rev. J. H. Car | michael, the missing pastor of the church at Battle Run, St. Claire coun- l ty, Michigan was in town. Residents pricked up their ears for they had read that a reward of $500 had been offered for the capture of the missing preach CT and that he was suspected of the murder of. Gideon Browning, whose dis ! 1nembered body had been partially burned in the stove at Battle Run church. There was some reason for the report, for the man whose visit to the town was the occasion of it re- serlbled the printed descriptions of the missing preacher upon cursory ex- | animation. It was abundantly estab- lished this morning, however that the man is not the missing preacher but his identity is still shrouded in my stery.
 ! The man in question appeared in the village Saturday night and visited the saloon conducted by Caspar Scheff on Water street He was well supplied with money and seemed to be a good fellow through. and through. He re- mained during the evening and when
 
 house here he left his roll with Land lord Scheff. He counted out four $50 and five S10 bills which he left in charge of MT. Scheff to be called for this morning. He passed Saturday night at boarding house here but wanted to change yesterday and ap- piled at the Elwood house, conducted by Mrs. Addie Disbrow, soon after three o'clock yesterday afternoon for board. The house was full and Mrs. Disbrow informed him that he could not stay there: He insisted however and it was with difficulty that he was made to understand that he could not remain there. He seemed to be very nervous and excited and it was there that his resemblance to the missing preacher was first noticed. Ralph Chase, prescription clerk at a Westport drug store, a boarder, reported the matter to the Bridgeport police.
 The story that the now famous preacher was in town spread Gike wild fire and the whole town was agog this morning. The man called on Landlord Schepp at 10 o'clock and received the roll which he had left at the saloon the previous Saturday night. Postmaster Nehemiah Jennings is also a justice and he called, the man into his office for an interview. MT Jennings looked the man over and while he found the ISSSIlUidIlC0 IO IIIG IuiSSluS marked, close scrutiny proved that the reward of $500 will not go to Southport on this occasion.
 The man said he was Michael Paine and that he had been at work for James Buffers branch store in New Rochelle until recently and that he was off for a little time. To other questioners Paine said his name was Michael Baton and that he had a wife in Yonkers where he had been in the that the money he had with him be- longed to his wife.
 Paine or Baton, whichever he may be left the village this morning with resident of Greens Farms saying that he would ride to Bridgeport with him. Since then he has not been seen here.
 Postmaster Jennings telephoned to New Rochelle store of James B. Butler and described Paine. The manager of the store denied ali knowledge of the man. A -,'.''-'..,
 Paine E feet 10 inches in height, weighs 180 pounds. He has a sandy mustache and a stubbly beard of two weeks growth. He has evidently been on a protracted spree for he is nerv- ors and excitable. He is well dressed in a dark suit. and dark overcoat. He wears a fur cap. His lower right limb is swollen and his right foot turns out. He walks with a decided limp. His left ear bears scar which might have been caused by freezing.
 Since the above was written news of Carnlichael's death was wired to this office as told in detail elsewhere in this issue .,...