Evening star., 1912-11-10
MISSING SIXTEEN YEARS
Former Policeman Thought to Have
Ended His Life.
SERVED IN THE MARINE CORPS
Travelled Ali Over World-Lost His
Savings in San Francisco
Earthquake.

Unheard from directly for sixteen years
and mourned as dead because of an APP
parently we'll founded report that he end
ed his life by jumping overheard from
an ocean steamer while going from China
to the Philippines about fourteen years
ago, Hugh Espey, former member of
the local police force, returned here two
days ago. He learned that his wife had
married since he disappeared and also
that he was a grandfather.
Can this be Hugh Espey?" asked a
local business man of Espey. when the
latter appeared in the formers place of
business and made a purchase. Il
though you had died long ago."
Il don't seem to be much dead he
returned, taking from his pocket roll
of bills and checks and paying for his
purchase.
Espey made anxious inquiries about his
family, and he did not appear to be great
ly surprised when told his wife was mar
ried several years ago. He realized, he
said, that he had not done the right
thing in going away and keeping silent
and he had no reason to censure his
former wife. But he asked anxiously il
she had married happily and il she We're
getting along all right
Meets Former Wife.
Friday afternoon the couple met, Espey
having expressed a desire to see the
mother Of his children The meeting was
a pleasant one. Children of the couple
were present at the interview, and tht
father accompanied one of the children
home, the former Mrs. Espey returning
to her apartment with her second hus
| band.
1t was explained by the former wife OF
Espey that he went away from her II
| 1885, and she explained how she anc
one of his brothers had made every ef
i fort to locate him. A report reached hel
| that he was under arrest in Baltimore
| but Marshal Farnan informed her tina
| such was not the case, that no sucf
| name appeared on the departments rec
| ords. Despite this statement, MIS-. Espey
| had her brother-in-law go to Baltimore
| to make certain there had been no mis-
| take in transmitting the message.
| Hugh Espey had not been arrested
however, but he managed to keep out o
sight of his family and friends, although
he later enlisted in the United States Ma
rine Corps under his own name and dit
military service in Boston and on the Pa
cific coast. He has only four more year
to serve in order to make him eligible
| to retirement, he stated. and 1T is his in
| tention to return to the service. Jus
not know.
Had Varied Career.
During the sixteen years ESpey wa!
away from this city, he told friends an'
! relatives, he had varied career. travel
ing much and amassing considerable
wealth, which, he states, was wiped ava!
by the San Francisco earthquake. Wher
the earthquake came SO near putting Sar
Francisco off the map, Espey says, h'
was conducting a club in that city anC
was doing good business. The shock
however, wiped away his property ant
savings and made him poor man. l
also delayed his return to this city.
During his absence from here Espey Wis
tied many foreign countries, part OF th'
time in the government service and par
Of the time as a civilian. He served a.
a police officer on the island of Guam
was in Manila and other places in th'
Philippines and later served in the Marine
Corps on the Pacific coast.
Having saved much of the money he re
ceived from Uncle Sam, Espey came
across the continent to inquire after th'
wife and children he had left more thar
sixteen years ago. He expressed as mucf
surprise over the great improvements h'
noticed around the city as his friends die
over his return.
SAID TO lave EuOSQ AlIC.
Following numerous inquiries his wifi
made for him during the few years fol
lowing his disappearance, came informa
ton that Espey had ended his life b,
jumping from a government steamer Oh
his way from a Chinese port to Manila
Washington papers, it is stated, con
tanned information of his reported death
and a note containing a verification o
the report was received by Mrs. Espe,
from a police department official.
Although the report seemed to dispe
any doubt Mrs. Espey may have enter
tanned as to the truth of the report o
her husbands death. she made every eff
fort to ascertain if he really had died
and sought legal advice on the question
of her marriage to her present husband
Mrs Espey was told that an unex
planned absence of seven years made hel
husband officially dead. and gave her The
right to remarry. She did not marry un
til long after the expiration of the seven
year limit, however.
Espey, who is a native of Indiana, was
born in January, 1865, and was appointed
a member Of the police force September
1890 AT that time a military service
was necessary to make an applicant eiigi-
BILE to appointment on the force ano
Espey possessed such qualification. III
February, 1896. Espey lost his position In
the police force, disappearing soon after
ward His future four years service II
the Marine Corps in order to make him
eligible to retirement, it is stated, viii
depend largely on the wishes OF MS cnii.
dren. Before re-enlisting, Espey will
visit his mother at Chautauqua. n y
SLAYERS LEAVE NO TRACE.