The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-20
{ G. SEARS, 7HM0Dtt MATT
CARRIER" WHOD|SAPPEARED
MONTHS AGO, HEARD FROM
Sends Telegram From Boston
Asking If Old Position Is
Still Open For Him
PRESENTS STRANGE CASE
Thrice Suffers Peculiar Mental
Lapse and Mysteriously
Drops From Sight
PRESENTS STRANGE CASE

The mystery In the disappearance
Oh Il. G. Sears, the model mail car
rier," several months ago, Is partially
cleared up by the receipt at the post.
oiiice OF telegram from Sears In Bos-
ton, inquiring II his position were
st'lI open TO him. This is the first
word heard from Sears by his Detroit
friends since he dropped out of sight
AFTER drawing two weeks pay.
Sears telegram was received by
oliver Burke, superintendent OF city
mall deli cry, Tuesday evening. Mr..
burke Immediately wired TO Sears to
return TO his position. Burke was
later notified that Sears had left no
ADDRESS with the Boston telegraph of.
fice, and the message could not be
delivered. Up to Wednesday noon,
Sears had not received Mr.. Burke's
Telegram. The presumption is that
Sears decided to leave for Detroit
without waiting for reply to his
telegram and is now en- route.
would Pet be surprised to see
Sears walk In here at any time. His
is one of the most perplexing cases
of mental alteration that | have ever
known" said Mr. Burke.
This is the third time Sears has
dropped suddenly out of sight and re-
Grned just as mysteriously. He him
self cannot account for his strange
actions
Sears is a model carrier. He was
with the department about eight
years and had a record of which he
might well be proud. He was sober
and efficient in his duties and very
% hA At,lA IN, he
north end. He worked from the
branch at Woodward-ave. and the
Boulevard"
Friends of Sears-and they all seem
to be his friends In the local pcstof
fice-insist that there is something
radically wrong with his brain that
causes him to have strange lapses OF
memory and self-control. They are
planning to have an expert examine
him on his return TO Detroit, and, as
one postofiice Official put it, I'VE
would not be surprised to learn that
he has some abnormal depression on
his brain; we viii give him all the
assistance In our power"
Ordinarily, failure to report for
duty would invite suspensien- -and-sss-
missal but the postal officials have
such confidence in Sears that they
obtained a leave OF absence in his bt-
half when he disappeared. The per-
NIT expires In April
Sears disappeared in similar man
'ner two years ago. Six weeks after
his absence was reported. he was
heard from in st. Louis. AT that tile
he was found TO be in hospital, and
he could give no explanation OF how
he got there. He could only tell in
a vague way OF having worked on
railroad after he left Detroit. Once
before, prior TO the time Sears was
employed in the postodlce. he cisap-
Deared for a considerable length oil
time.
There Is nothing mysterious to me
in the fact that my telegram could not
be delivered 10 Sears said Mr..
Burke. Sears is evidently regaining
his usual mental poise. Naturally, the
first thing he would think OF Is his
position In Detroit, on which he de-
pended for a living. His mind was
clearing hourly, and he probably could
not endure the suspense OF waiting for
q reply from us. He is probably on a
train this very minute, coming back 10
Detroit. He will have his old posi-
tion here when he returns. The man
is absolutely honest. He Is simply
afflicted with a strange mental infirm-
ity."
Sears lived at No. 371 Hague-ave. In
Detroit He Is about 80 years OF age.
a tall, handsome young fellow. He IS
married and has several children.
After his last disappearance his wife
moved from the Hague-aye. home and
Is now said TO be living in Utica.
Mich.