The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-01-15
Chief R. A. vARNES
OF PALATKA POLICE
Disappears in Mysterious
Manner Last Seen in
Jacksonville.

R "A. Varnes, for the past several
years CHEZ of the Palatka police
force, disappeared last Thursday ev-
ening, Jan. 7th.
Mr.. Varnes determined to gohaway
on teh afternoon train owe rite A.
C. L. R'y on Thursday. He called at
his home to notify his wife. She be-
ing absent, he wrote note and left
it for her. He also learned that Mrs.
Varnes was out playing lawn tennis
and he telephoned the house where
she was playing, bat as the telephone
was not working he did not reach her.
He simply stated in his note that he
was called to Jacksonville on business
connected with his office and that he
would return that night; that if so be
that he did not make the night train
he would return next day.
Mrs. Varnes got home before the
train left and hurried to the depot,
where she saw her husband. She re-
marked that he ought to take his va
lise, but he replied that as he would
be back that night he would not need
anything.
wi. NdIlleS uiu lloI IeIuTl IHdI
night, nor the next day; he isn't back
yet. On Friday Mrs. Varnes became
anxious and started some enquiries.
The train conductor remembered see
ing him, but not after the train passed
McGirts creek. First enquiries show
ed that no one had seen him in Jack
sonville. especially among police off
GERS. Then it was surmised that he
might have been going to capture
some one near McGirts creek and that
he had been foully dealt with. The
creek was dragged.
Later reDorts came that he had
night But from there all trace is
lost.
Mrs. Varnes remained in Jackson
vile several days making diligent en-
curry for him, being assisted by U. S.
Marshal Brown and other officers.
No. motive has been discovered for
flight, and the suicide theory has had
little attention.
Mr.. Varnes is a native of this coun-
tv, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Aaron
Varnes of Harlem. His parents are
grief stricken over absence of tidings
from their son. AS small boy Roam |
Varnes, as the missing chief was
known to his friends, worked for the |
late Silas Smith as grocer's clerk |
Later he was popular clerk in the
restaurant. Some |
years ago he was appointed to the |
police force, and it was not long be-
fore he worked himself to the top |
He was good officer. In his office |
as chief he has the collection of GER
tain city moneys; the fines from the
police court and distress warrants. |
1t appears that it has been his custom
to keep an account in one of the local |
banks, where he deposited these COL
funds. At the end of each month he
made his reports of moneys collected |
and gave his personal check for the
Sometimes he has made re-
quest that this check be held up
few days, because of insufficient funds
in his account. The checks have al
ways heretofore been honored. DIR
ing December his fine collections
to a little over 1922, and
on Tuesday, two days before his dis
he gave Clerk Williams
a check for that amount, with the
usual request that it be held up a few
days. Mr.. Williams deposited the
check on Friday and there were no
funds.
Mr.. Varnes is a sick man-much
worse off than most people have any
idea. He has tuberculosis, and
knowledge of the fact nearly drove
him crazy. The supposition that this
knowledge preyed on his mind, and
that other troubles so worked on him
as to temporarily unbalanoe his mind,
is common among those who know
him best. Plenty of men in this city
stand ready to make good his short
age. But he is bonded with the Am
erican Surety Co., and this company
has been notified by its local agent.
Chief Varnes has always been a
popular official and his disappearance
under shadow when there was no ne
cessity of it is the one puzzle. There
is no explanation more rational than
that he was desperate over his health
and other personal matters
over which the public can on'y in
dulge in surmises.