The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1913-04-14
MARTIN MYSTERY
STILL PUZZLES
LONDON POLICE
Finding of Americans Hat and
Wallet No Aid-Detective
Burns on the Case.

LONDON. April N.-Detective W. j.
Burns has bAtm retained by the
Martin family to investigate the mys-
terry OF the disappearance Of Joseph
Wiiberforce Martin OF Memphis. Tenn.
The American detective v working
quite independently Of the Scotland
Yard police officials. He 10 using his
own European agent and following his
own lines. lie has only two theories
one that Martin 10 hiding voluntarily
or invoiuntariiy. and the other that he
lies at the bottom OF tho river. lie
scouts the idea of suicide. and thinks
1t likely that Scotland Yard will solve
the mystery within a couple Of days.
Mystery stiii surrounds the disappear
ance OF Martin. who has been missing
since April 3. While the discovery
Of his torn pocketbook FIRST sux.
gested to the London police that
the American had been murdered and
his body thrown into the Thames. they
are now more inclined to the theory
that he Is still alive and for some
reason. voluntary or enforced. V keep
ing his whereabouts secret.
The opera hat which the workman
who picked up the pocketbook saw In
the road, but left there. has been taken
10 the police by q boy who found II the
same morning. II, however. does moi
assist the police. AZ the boy took 1t to
work with him, and II was used by
him and his companions as . football
and afterward put In horses nosobaG
where II remained until this morning.
A piece OF q gold watch chain With
a lapel button attached. similar to the
one worn by Mr.. Martin was found
with the opera hat. The boy. however.
has since lost II. but from the descrip-
ton he. gives OF It the police are con
WINGED that II was Martins. The swivel
WAS missing, an though the oiain might
have been broken forcibiy from tn,
watch. As Martin carried Il loosely Il
his pocket the urea king Of tho chair
| cannot be accounted for.
Chief Inspector Ward has been place
| in charge Of the case and given the as
| sistancs Of all the available men o
| Scotland Yard. while the river polio
| continue to drag the bed Of the Thame
and TO keep a sharp lookout for tn
| body or for further evidence.
| 1t Is pointed out that IL Martin IA
been thrown into tho river his bod
would have hoated by this time un
less It had been caught by some oh
| struction.
| All the big hotels In London hav
been visited without any light beinI
thrown on the case, and the police ar
now making a house to house scare
among the small hotels and lodgn
and boarding houses in the city. The
are also working on the theory tn A
Martin has left the country and 10
purposes of his own 10 keeping HI
movements secret.
have been thrown from the window Q
a car OF some train which had lust lei
Charing Cross station or might hay
been carefully placed where they wer
found, according to the police.
Desperate criminals. the police b'
l!eve. would have destroyed them. Il
had Martins disappearance been repor
ed Immediately these two articles woui
have given the police an !mmedis,
} clue on which to work.
The only credit Martin ever had
; London bank was exhausted on h
occasion OF a previous visit but 1t
believed he carried credit notes.