The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-01-13
Remarkable Disclosures Follow
Equally Remarkable Dis
appearance
FAMILY'S HOME WAS SOLD
WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE
Belief That Woman Was Men
tally Afflicted - Money in
Bank All Gone - Woman
Bore Excellent Reputation

Not for years has the police depart
ment of this city been called upon to
help solve a. mystery so perplexing as
that surrounding the strange disap-
pearances and attendant revelations.
of Mrs. Thomas A Thompson, wife of
a well known foreman of the Bryant
Electric Co.. living with his four
grown children at 1902 Iranistan ave-
nue.. near North avenue.
Mrs. Thompson disappeared strange
" a week ago yesterday. A week
ago today the family received let
ter vaguely worded that stated she
had taken nothing. but would not re-
turn until she could make good. Even
then not the slightest suspicion of
what had led to her disappearance was
OWNED by the puzzled husband ana
children Not until Friday evening
when Mrs. Rosie Stirn of New Haven
called at the home inquired for Mrs.
Thompson. then demanded her rent,
was any inklingf given of the shat
tered finances OF the family.
One by one the discoveries came un-
til Thompson finally learned that not
only had the family home been sold
over their heads. but $500 deposited in
a local bank supposedly in his name.
was also gone. and bills aggregating
about $1,000 were also outstanding
Il went to bed Thursday night
thinking 7 was worth s6,000." said
THOMPSON. within two days knew
I hadn't a cent; in fact. was deeply
4n debt"
THOMPSON Is a sober, industrious.
responsible workman. many years fore
man in the Bryant Co.'S employ His
four grown children hold responsible
positions with various manufacturing
and mercantile establishments. 10y
ally bearing up under the shock of
their mothers disappearance. the chill
dren are encouraging the grief-stricken
father to take courage. and already
they have made plans to rehabflitate
2heir shattered fortune.
Mrs THOMPSON Is a native OF Bridge
port. about so years of age. In every
way her neighbors had regarded her
as q model wife and mother. Those
who know her best are most at a loss
Ito explain her absence. Her hus-
at solving the problem. fears his wife
has been mentally afflicted. for in no
other way can her strange conduct be
Accounted for.
For many years Mr.. Thompson has
been employed with the Bryant Elec-
tric Co., his faithful conscientious ef-
fort winning recognition in his pro-
motion to a foremanship. His wife,
devoted to her four children. guarded
hhem carefully, and to her care
cent OF his earnings. AS the children
grew up they followed their fathers
example, turning into the family
treasury q large share OF their earn
tnEs-
posed his home was mortgaged for
$500 It Is a substantial two family
house. neat and comfortably furnish
ed Mr.. Thompson and his wife lived
In perfect contentment.
Last week the BRYANT Electric Co.
took inventory. Last Thursday morn
fnF Mrs. Thompson left her home,
supposedly to visit down town stores.
Her husband was home from the fac
zory during the inventory. She did
not return at the noon hour. Little
alarm was felt. however. until even
ing approached without a sign of her.
The night passed. Thompson didn't
sleep. alarmed for his wife's safety.
Next day a letter. postmarked Bridge
port. reached his home. 1t was brief
and its wording only added to the
perplexity of the family.
I'm not taking a thing with me"
was the purport Of the message. 'Tll
not come back until can make every
thing good" But that didn't mean
anything to the family. for up to that
time there was no suspicion that ev-
erything was not all right in the fam
ilyss finances
Friday evening Mrs Rosie Stirn of
New Haven called at the home.
Thompson answered the door. She
asked for Mrs. Thompson. Thompson
said his wife was not home. "Pve
come for my rent said the woman.
You must have the wrong house,
explained Thompson. Il own this
house"
Mrs. Stirn became impatient 81
know where my property is" she re-
rorted- Thompson made a heated re-
joinder. then Mrs. Stirn exclaimed
that her lawyers. not she. would come
for the rent IL it were not paid.
i've been collecting rent here for
three months she said. "Mrs.
Thompson didn't pay me last months
rent That's what I'm after
Then Thompson became convinced
after all. and asked her for fur her
Information. She said she had bought
the house from Jacob Glasner. her
brother-in-law. who she said had
owned IL for some time
Next day Thompson called upon his
attorney. Judge Patrick Kane, asking
him to look into the status of the
property. Soon afterwards he asked
Superintendent of Police Birmingham,
who has known the family for years,
TO help locate his missing wife. Supt.
Birmingham instructed the detective
bureau to take the matter in hand.
Judge Kane searched the town
clerks Office in an effort to gain a
key to the mystery. He found that
the property had been transferred to
Jacob Glasner of this city. on April
g. 1909. nearly two years ago. Prior
TO that time there had been several
mortgages on the property. The ag-
gregate amount of the mortgages was
about 8. 200. The amount for which
Mrs. Thompson sold the house is not
disclosed in the records
With this information in hand, De-
tective Sergeant Cronan went to the
ioar Office operated by Jacob Glasner
and questioned him at length. Glas-
ner told the detective he had bought
the house on what amounted almost
10 n foreclosure. There was unpaid
interest and taxes and he bought the
house In On account of the nature
Of his business. however. he took the
precaution to have a number of wit
nesses present when he and Mrs
Thompson closed the deal. and it was
made plain that there was nothing