Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-30
LOST DEPUTY IS
FOUND BY WIFE
w. W. DENNIS DISCOVERED IN
NEVADA MINING CAMP
Wife Says Husband Is Physical
Wreck and Still Unable to
Tell Story of His Wan-
derings

w. w. Dennis, deputy sheriff and a
candidate for election to the board of
education of the city of Los Angeles,
who mysteriously disappeared October
%, was brought back to his home. 1917
Trenton street, late yesterday after
noon, having been found by his wife
in a dazed condition in a mining camp
in Nevada, 200 miles north of Las
Vegas.
Dennis was a physical wreck when
brought to Los Angeles, and unable to
explain his whereabouts. Shortly
after his disappearance some of his
papers were found on the pier at San
Pedro, and at first 1t was thought that
his body was in San Pedro harbor.
In reply to all queries, the missing
man simply stated that he did not
know what had taken place and that
he did not remember leaving Los An
geles. He also stated that he did not
remember writing a letter from Rose
vile, Cal. to his wife after going away,
and refused to give an explanation of
the statement that a "ghost of his
past life was responsible for his hasty
exit"
Is a Physical Wreck
Dennis is a physical wreck and his
wife, who located him in the mining
camp through information furnished
by a friend, stated that his disappear
ance was due to, physical break
down.
Mrs Dennis, who is a doctor and
has practiced i'm Los Angeles for a
number of years, stated that her hus-
band was the victim of a nervous
breakdown, but 1t is thought that there
is a mystery in the case which has
not been brought to light.
She admitted that she believed her
husband was mentally unbalanced, and
that his actions since she located him
bore out her belief.
No Interview Allowed
In spite of urgent requests, Mrs.
Dennis would not allow anyone to i'll
terview her husband last night, stating
she believed that with quietness and
no mental excitement her husband
would recover.
She said that Dennis was in a dazed
condition and unable to explain his
actions Since leaving Los Angeles,
October 23. He could not talk intel
ligibly and was unable to account for
his movements or what prompted him
to go away.
Shortly after Dennis disappearance
number of cards were found on a
OF the missing man, and at the in
stigation of the sheriff's office the
harbor was dragged, but no body
found
A day later Mrs. Dennis received a
letter from her husband. in which 1t
was stated that, owing to an error in
his early life. he had decided to leave.
Nothing more was heard until a
travelling man reported that he had
hn
of Dennis, and Mrs. Dennis left for
Las Vegas Friday morning.
81 found him sitting on bench out
side a store" said Mrs. Dennis last
night "and it was several minutes be-
fore he recognized me- He had dis
,carded his clothes and wore regular
corduroy mining suit. although
learned that he had not been working.
I do not know the name of the town
where he was seen first, but ] recol-
lect that it was in Nevada, two hun
dred miles north of Las Vegas. Mr..
Dennis appears in a dazed condition,
and I believe his actions were caused
by loss of memory He is still unable
to make any explanation of his going
away, and I believe 1t to be a case of
mental alteration"
That there is some mystery in the
disappearance is believed by deputies
of the sheriff's office, although Mrs.
Dennis emphatically stated that there
was no other woman in the case and
that 1t was simply brought about by
"overwork."
Mrs Dennis said. while refusing to
allow him to be seen last night, she
thought his condition in the morning
would be such as to allow him TO give
a correct version of his travels since
leaving Los Angeles.
Dennis, despite his disappearance,
was nominated at the primary election
as a candidate for the board of educa-
tiOn.