Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-09
ONLY RELATIVES
Think ELY DEAD
Gibson City Residents Find
More Reason for Doctors
Disappearance.

Gibson City, Ill, Nov. 9.-Residents
of this city are less worried over the
disappearance of DR.. W. R. Ely than
are Chicagoans. Few, barring rela-
tives take stock in the foul play theory
advanced by the Chicago relatives.
Much sympathy is expressed for
Mrs Maud Walker Ely, the physi-
clans wife, their four small children,
man, all of whom stand to lose finan-
cially through his absence. ]. W.
Walker, father of Mrs. Ely, is here
from Macon, trying to disentangle the
financial situation left by DR.. Ely. He
desires to take his daughter and her
talked little, but summed up the sit
uation by saying: Il don't believe DIR.
Ely is dead; he will bob up again one
OF these days"
Mrs. Ely Is Frustrated src is being
guarded from inquisitors by neighbors
and the Rev. ]. H. Miller, pastor of
the Presbyterian church. The church
is making an inquiry into DR.. Ely's do
nestle trouble, and while the investi-
cation had not progressed to an Off
cial decision DR.. Ely inferred his res.
ignation of the bible class and an el.
der was desired. Mrs. Ely had com.
planned TO the pastor about the ply.
sician's alleged misconduct.
None is more interested in the
whereabouts of DR.. Ely than Frank
Denna, local agent for the Prudential
Life Insurance company. Denna con
/ sidered il a master stroke when he
/ landed DR.. Ely for a $4,000 policy
several weeks ago, and was highly
elated when on Sunday, Oct. 81, Ely
after apparently losing interest in the
/ policy, hunted up the agent, rendered
the $3.50 premium, and procured the
papers. 1t was just As hours later tina
DR.. Ely disappeared in Chicago. The
home of a distant relative, Richard
Morris, 1889 Lexington street, figured
in one of DR.. Elys Improbable rea
estate transactions. Mr. Morris il
the man who found DR.. Ely's bloc,
stainted cap under the Twelfth stree
bridge.
In addition to his church. domestic
and financial troubles, DR.. Ely was fac
ing a suit for alleged malpractice
brought by c. NJ. Smith, a young bus
ness man of Gibson City. A year ag
DR.. Ely performed an operation o
Mrs. Smith. In his complaint the hu:
band alleged the doctor sewed som
cotton in the wound. Smith elaine
to have gone to an expense of $50
correcting the injury, and when FL
refused to settle Smith sued for dan
ages. When the case was called r.
Gently Dr. Ely pleaded illness and ha
the case continued until December.
At the time of her marriage to D
Ely Mrs. Ely received $4,000 in cas-
from her father Today she has
chance for a $4,000 equity in tn
house where she resides. 1t has bee
DR.. Ely's misfortune TO get his pr
perty badly involved. He owned a
equity in the property at 4339 Lexinl
ton street, Chicago, when he moved
Melvin street, Gibson City, nearly fou
years ago.
A year ago he traded the Melvi
street property and the Lexingto
street property for the big ten-roo
Damon residence on North Sangamo
avenue, Gibson City. He divided mo-
OF these rooms and fitted up the plaI
as a sanitarium and seemed in a ia
way to prosper when Mrs. Ely col
planned against Miss Helen Langdo
= The church committee advised her
eject Miss Langdon from the santa
I ium. She did. Miss Langdon is NO
? at Iron River, Mich.
1 Ely assumed a $4,000 mortgal
t when he acquired the sanitarium. La
t er he cancelled that debt with $50
r loan secured elsewhere, and he Ike
t on borrowing until he had the hou
incumbered for $1,000. His mother