The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-23
CITY TREASURER
OF DANv|LLE IS
NOT TO Be FOUND
W. 5. Pay]or Disappears,
Taking, it is Thought. a
Woman With Him
NO IRREGULARITIES
FOUND IN ACCOUNTS
Hurried Examination Dis
closes No Shortage--City
Accountant Summon
ed to Investigate

Especial to The Richmond Virginian.y
DAANIL14E. VA. July 22.-ActuA
ated by alleged domestic i1feIicity and
with other more or less unworthy MOS
lives rumored, City Treasurer W. s.
Paylor has left Danville fpr parts un-
known, and, In the opinion OF city
officials and friends here. will never
return.
Acting under orders OF the financo
committee Of the city council, Frank
Tablet, secretary and treasurer of t'se
city utilities, made a preliminary ex-
animation of the treasurer's books this
afternoon, and tonight reported that
so far as he could find the accounts
OF Treasurer Paylor were in excellent
shape and that there was no shortages
in his office.
Writes Letters Back.
In two letters received by parties
here since Mr.. Paylor's dfsa ppear-
ance the missing man ascribes as his
reason for leaving town the fact that
for some time past his life had been
an unsatisfactory one. He did not go
into details. but stated that he was
going away for good. In addition to
this reason for his flight. assigned by
the treasurer. there Is widespread
runor to the effect that the missing
man has departed because he was In
fatuated with a woman other than
his wife, and the rur,or has IL that
this woman, who is the Wife Of a well
xnoy,a man here, has also shaken tho
dust of DauvilIe from her feet. Per-
sistent inquiry fails TO substa initiate
this report. However. 1t is known that
the woman in question is out OF the
city. She left Wednesday. some hours
IA oxyfn dor IT Egfn f,zft hi
for a trip to relatives near DaIville.
Her husband today was making eff
forts to locate her. put up to lats
hour this evening he had been urt-
able to get into communication with
the parties where sne is supposed 10
be stopping.
Bought No Ticket.
On Wednesday last Payior told sew
eral city officials that he was going
to Richmond to settle some of his ac-
counts with the auditor That night
lie left home. but investigation here
discloses the fact that he did not buy
a ticket at the railway station, and.
according to the best information OBJ
tainable. he did not go to Richmond.
but took train to Washington ana
the North. Friday Mrs. w. r. Pnr-
dunn a sister Of Payior's wife, re-
ceived a letter signed Buck" by
which name Paylor was Familiarity
known. in which he stated his inten-
ton never to return home.
This letter began with the sentence:
IT had almost as soon die as write
you what / must" In this letter tho
missing treasurer stated that he had
ben living most unhappily and limited
at various reasons for this among
the number being suggestion that
he had not. been living the. life that
he should Sshs letter was postmarked
on a train between Washington and
Charlotte.
Later prominent citizen ana
friend OF Payior's also received a Lett
ter. the contents Of which were prac-
tically the sa me as tho message to Mrs.
Purdum Neither or these letters
could be secured for publication. an
the parties receiving them refused to
give them out. Mrs. Perdum. 1t u
stated. has destroyed the letter re-
ceived by her.
Matter Kept Quiet.
The matter was kept quiet. ana
nothing of any trouble was heard until
yesterday Shortly after noon the re-
port began to spread and before night
Aka wild fire 1t. had swept over, thu
city. TIE astounding news was on
the tongue of every man on the streets,
however nothing definite could 10
learned,
The parties receiving the two Lett
tiers absolutely refused to give out any
information and no statement OF any
kind could be secured. This morning
matters reached climax. The finance
committee of the council met hurried
" In conference with Mayor Harry
Wooding, City Attorney Brown, Secre-
tary Talbot and c. c.. Snead. chair
man of the board OF aldermen. After
a lengthy executive session the com.
mittee adjourned and Chairman w. 7.
Swami gave out the following Stato>
nlent:
Investigation Ordered.
Acting upon the theory that CITY
Treasurer w. S. Paylor has left the
city and that he will not return. an
Immediate investigation OF his ONCE II
ordered" Mayor Wooding stated that
Mr.. Paylor had gone. and the ofYiciala
had every reason to believe that he
would not be back The reasons for
this opinion the mayor refused to an
nounce, but It is reported that one Of
the letters from Payior was read Il
the meeting of the committee.
Office 10 Closed.
Immediately after the committeeeD
action was announced. Mayor Woodtne
ordered Paylors deputies to close the
office, and Secretary Talbot entered
into an examination of the books. City
Auditor Robert Brydon, who Is out ~
the city on his vacation. was summons
ed by telegraph and will arrive to-
morrow. The Illinois Assurity c0na~
pany. with which Paylor was bonded
In the sum OF $4,000. was notified a.
the condition or Affairs.
No Shortage Found.
Late this afternoon Secretary Tal-9
bott reported the results OF his invos~
tigation. There are on deposit In Local